Storage heaters arent working properly

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I've got two storage heaters in my flat. They dont seem to be working properly. The switch next to it wont switch off (in picture).

It was pushing out lots of heat at midnight teo days ago but very little next morning.
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It isn't giving off heat in the morning (when it should be).

My kid did squirt water with a water pistol down it a week ago.

Any ideas?
 
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I'm a bit confused. Does the problem effect both heaters? You speak sometimes of "they" and other times "it"
 
I've got two storage heaters in my flat. They dont seem to be working properly. The switch next to it wont switch off (in picture).

It was pushing out lots of heat at midnight teo days ago but very little next morning.View attachment 180354 View attachment 180355 View attachment 180356

It isn't giving off heat in the morning (when it should be).

My kid did squirt water with a water pistol down it a week ago.

Any ideas?

Well this morning one was working fine while the other wasn't pumping out enough heat like it should
 
Start with the simplest, as you say the switch will not switch off it may have failed internally, which is not uncommon on heavy loads such SHs, after that the thermal trip/fuse may have operated, do you have any test equipment?
 
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View attachment 180446 View attachment 180447
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Start with the simplest, as you say the switch will not switch off it may have failed internally, which is not uncommon on heavy loads such SHs, after that the thermal trip/fuse may have operated, do you have any test equipment?

What do you mean test equipment? Shall I get a multi meter?

I took out fuse in switch , it's 13A it wasn't blown but wouldn't push back in place hook on back is broken. Also, on /off switch doesn't work. Decided to replace whole fuse spur thing. I guess if this doesn't work I'll have to replace heater.


When wiring it up I put mains into IN and heater's wires into out. Switched whole flat's electrics off to be on the safe side.

Keep wondering if this was caused by my kid squirting water with a water pistol down the top a few days before.
 
Last edited:
Time will tell


What test equipment would you recommend? Even testing wires on a socket or fuse spur would be good to check if I've isolated it before changing over or testing my heater like u said. Is it a multi meter I need?
 
Multi meter is the most versatile, did your heater come on last night
 
Multi meter is the most versatile, did your heater come on last night
Yeah it did. I guess it was the spur plug thing.

Think I'll change the heater one day though to a new electric radiator type. My flat's electric only. Can I change the spur socket to a normal plug bu just switching it over?
 
Don't believe all the claims by these radiator manufacturers , all electric heaters run at close to 100% efficiency, some have fancy thermostats and timers
 
And storage heaters are powered by cheaper electricity (usually).
 
Day time electricity costs approximately double the off peak / night rate. Your electricity bill will show you what you are being charged per unit for each tariff.

Can I change the spur socket to a normal plug by just switching it over?

Only if you want to have the heater on during the off peak / night time, because that will be the only time it will be live.
 
Day time electricity costs approximately double the off peak / night rate. Your electricity bill will show you what you are being charged per unit for each tariff.



Only if you want to have the heater on during the off peak / night time, because that will be the only time it will be live.
Right of course lol. It's wired to the storage heater connection which is on a timer. To get it changed over is an electricians job, isn't it? Not for a layman?

They would need to disconnect the storage heater connection and chase in a new plug socket I guess
 
They would need to disconnect the storage heater connection and chase in a new plug socket I guess
The fused connection unit could be changed for a single socket outlet without any chasing. But the supply to the origin of the cable would need moving from the 'off peak' distribution board (DB) to the '24 hour' supply DB.

If you were to change the supply to the 'off peak' DB so that it becomes a '24 hour' supply, then everything else connected to it would also change to the '24 hour' supply. Which you shouldn't do if you intend to keep the other storage heater/s.
 

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