Adding and removing! panel heaters

AS · 1 Feb 2005

Hi
I have 2 questions

1.I would like to remove from our new house a couple of Dimplex panel heaters 1250W which are wired into one of the CUs of the storage heater system (main incoming cable divides and goes to 2 meters 1 for normal elec and CU and 1 to storage heater / immersion / panel heaters CUs ) from here they go to a fused switch and the flex from the switch to the heater.
I would like to remove the whole thing back to the fuse holder.
I know this may seem basic but if I have switched the CUs off at the unit (there is no separate isolator switch between the meter and the CU switch) is it safe for me to remove the cores from the CU for those heaters.
What makes me nervous is that presumably although the switch at the CU is off - the cable from meter to CU switch and where this connects must still be live ?

2.I would like to install above removed panel heaters into the flat we have moved out of and are going to sell. What would be the best way to do this.
Should each one connect to own 15A fuse holder in CU or can they be fed off the ring as spurs with switched FCUs. If so can you guide me on cable size / fuses,etc.

Thanks

andy · 1 Feb 2005

AS said:
Hi
I have 2 questions

1.I would like to remove from our new house a couple of Dimplex panel heaters 1250W which are wired into one of the CUs of the storage heater system (main incoming cable divides and goes to 2 meters 1 for normal elec and CU and 1 to storage heater / immersion / panel heaters CUs ) from here they go to a fused switch and the flex from the switch to the heater.
I would like to remove the whole thing back to the fuse holder.
I know this may seem basic but if I have switched the CUs off at the unit (there is no separate isolator switch between the meter and the CU switch) is it safe for me to remove the cores from the CU for those heaters.
What makes me nervous is that presumably although the switch at the CU is off - the cable from meter to CU switch and where this connects must still be live ?

the part of the reply has been changed
to disconnect the storage heater CU, you will need to remove the cable from the meter (not henly block as i said earlier). since itll be sealed youll have to get the REC to do it for you

AS said:
2.I would like to install above removed panel heaters into the flat we have moved out of and are going to sell. What would be the best way to do this.
Should each one connect to own 15A fuse holder in CU or can they be fed off the ring as spurs with switched FCUs. If so can you guide me on cable size / fuses,etc.

Thanks

how many do you have? how many rings are in the flat? what is the rating of them?

it is possible to add them theu a FCU, however, once the ring is used as normal, it may overload it. you might be best off with a seperate ring/radial for the heaters

shaggy · 1 Feb 2005

That's not how I read it Andrew?

andy · 1 Feb 2005

shaggy said:
That's not how I read it Andrew?

i read it as what he described then for some reason i typed the reply as tho it was split AFTER the meter. not before

shaggy · 1 Feb 2005

Have another go then, I'm only a diy'er.

andy · 1 Feb 2005

shaggy said:
Have another go then, I'm only a diy'er.

i changed my first post rather than post again incase they read the first post and decided to do that

shaggy · 1 Feb 2005

Ok sorry I hadn't read that edit, but I also thought he only wanted to remove the panel heaters, not the CU? He just wants the panel heaters for his new flat.

andy · 1 Feb 2005

shaggy said:
Ok sorry I hadn't read that edit, but I also thought he only wanted to remove the panel heaters, not the CU? He just wants the panel heaters for his new flat.

he says remove whole thing back to fuse holder which makes me think he wants the CU removed aswell. altho i would just leave it in because it saves gettin the REC to disconnect it, and its there if its needed in the future

AS · 1 Feb 2005

I DO just want to remove the panel heaters not the CU. I wanted to know in question 1 basically if the CU is off is it safe for me to unwire the panel heaters (2) from the CU.
Might mention that i am a Her and not a He - not that it is of great significance I guess - well in this situation anyway!
ADDED
I am up at the flat this weekend and will inspect what is going on in the CU there to see how heaters may be added, there is a switched FCU in the bedroom that looks like it used to have a heater on it - but can't be certain or maybe that wasn't safe - will get back with more info for the install questions.

andy · 1 Feb 2005

AS said:
I DO just want to remove the panel heaters not the CU. I wanted to know in question 1 basically if the CU is off is it safe for me to unwire the panel heaters (2) from the CU.
Might mention that i am a Her and not a He - not that it is of great significance I guess - well in this situation anyway!

once the main switch to the CU is off, the only live part is where the cables come in. everything from there will be isolated and therefore safe to do work on. but use a multimeter to test it first just to be on the safe side

also, you say there are 2 heaters. since this is a small amout of power it would be easier just to add the to the ring main via a FCU

plugwash · 2 Feb 2005

AS said:
I DO just want to remove the panel heaters not the CU. I wanted to know in question 1 basically if the CU is off is it safe for me to unwire the panel heaters (2) from the CU.

depends

with a decent CU properly wired it should be perfectly safe

with an old wylex standard box with internal covers missing and/or a bodged wiring job it may not be.

take great care when opening the CU the first time and as soon as you have the cover off inspect for any exposed live parts around the incoming tails.

AS · 7 Feb 2005

Checked the CU in the flat where I want to add the panel heaters it has 2 of 5A lighting fuseholders, 1 of 15A (I presume for immersion) and 3 of 30A into 2 of the 30A is a single core live which both look thicker than 2.5mm and the 3rd 30A seems to have 2 live cores but each core sort of looks double as if when you looked at it end on it would be a figure of 8. What is this? I know the cooker must go to one and the ring may be on one or 2 -(is a small 1 bed flat).

Anyway looked inside the 3 switched FCU that looked as if they maybe had heaters before (certainly 1 had a big elec fire). The cable wired into the FCU's is larger I think that 2.5mm. Does it sound like I could attach my panel heaters (3) 1250w to these existing FCU's and what fuse would they require in the FCU 6?10?15?

many thanks

andy · 7 Feb 2005

AS said:
Checked the CU in the flat where I want to add the panel heaters it has 2 of 5A lighting fuseholders, 1 of 15A (I presume for immersion) and 3 of 30A into 2 of the 30A is a single core live which both look thicker than 2.5mm and the 3rd 30A seems to have 2 live cores but each core sort of looks double as if when you looked at it end on it would be a figure of 8. What is this? I know the cooker must go to one and the ring may be on one or 2 -(is a small 1 bed flat).

Anyway looked inside the 3 switched FCU that looked as if they maybe had heaters before (certainly 1 had a big elec fire). The cable wired into the FCU's is larger I think that 2.5mm. Does it sound like I could attach my panel heaters (3) 1250w to these existing FCU's and what fuse would they require in the FCU 6?10?15?

many thanks

its possbile you have 30A radial circuits, using 4MM cable. nothin wrong with this. does the same job as a ring just uses thicker cable and is not brought back to the CU. if it is 4MM then it should be OK to add the spurs for the heaters

AS · 8 Feb 2005

What size of fuse would I put in the FCU to protect a 1250W panel heater?
Thanks

Adam_151 · 8 Feb 2005

AS said:
What size of fuse would I put in the FCU to protect a 1250W panel heater?
Thanks

[ban_all_sheds mode]

You know you should really learn things like P=IV if you are doing electricial work

[/ban_all_sheds mode]

Power (watts) = I (amps) x V (volts)

so

I (amps) = Power (watts) / V (volts)

so

I (amps) = 1250w / 230

I = 5.4A which is too much for a 5A fuse, 13A would be the one to go for if you only have a choice of 3, 5, and 13, but if you can get something in between like a 10A then use that.

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Adding and removing! panel heaters

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