Can anyone identify what these boxes are for?

[zenonithus]

I opened up a small thin cupboard to find these grey boxes. Any idea what these and also the switch are for? Not sure if they are to do with the water heater though I have attached an image of that also.

 

[ericmark]

They look like contactors as to why you need them I can only guess, could be for off peak power or to control some large pumps.

 

[davelx]

The water heater is a Worcester boiler fitted with a Salus RXWBC605 receiver so that it can be controlled by Salus wireless thermostats. No need for contactors for that. I've often seen those controlling large extract fans, or for large immersion heaters in commercial properties.

What type of building is this? This is not the sort of equipment one would generally find in a house.

 

[Taylortwocities]

May be worth seeing if there are any cables connected inside the boxes. Power off before removing the cover.
The old FCU underneath, with no fuse in, may indicate it's just old and redundant equipment. If it is still connected, then you'll need to discover where the wires go to.

 

[zenonithus]

Thanks for the reply's guys. I'm in a small 2 bed flat, the building is around 1930s. I can't see what these would be used for though I will check to see if there are fuses and wires. This flat is is such a bodged up state as it was rented that it wouldn't surprise me if they just couldn't have been bothered to take out redundant stuff like this. Would the switch have been to turn these on?

 

[bhm1712]

In between the two boxes I can just make out what look to be red, yellow and blue cables. This would suggest three phase. These boxes usually contain DOL starters for motors/pumps and can have a remote start stop button, or as already suggested they can simply contain contactors for other pieces of kit.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Would the switch have been to turn these on?

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 5 Jan 2010
• 1

Do you have a 2-probe mains voltage tester or a multimeter and know how to use it?

 

[Gerrydelasel]

They're rather nice looking boxes. Shame they don't go to such trouble with aesthetics these days!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was going to say they look nice.

Possibly collectable?

 

[Echo the husky]

I was going to say they look nice.

Possibly collectable?

Much nicer than the modern plastic tat that is everywhere now.

I wonder if they are for some elaborate DIY designed control that allowed an old single immersion heater to be heated during economy 7 hours on the off peak supply but could change over to the normal supply for a boost if needed during the normal rate. 2 mechanically interlocked contactors should really be used rather than 2 separate ones. But that's my guess anyway.

This one is working and was being used regularly until about 2 weeks ago, when the motor it was supplying went wrong. Some of the commutator sections were glowing bright orange. If I've got the date letter correct the motor is from 1938. It's only just hit me now that the motor was designed with the brush gear easily accessible to touch. That wouldn't be allowed now...

 

[OwainDIYer]

Thanks for the reply's guys. I'm in a small 2 bed flat, the building is around 1930s.

Contactors to control electric underfloor heating, or ceiling radiant heating panels (Dulrae) or similar?

 

[zenonithus]

yes they are pretty cool looking, very vintage which would look cool in an industrial appartment with bare brick walls etc.so might sell on eBay

still not sure what they are connected to so will probably get an electrician in to look at it and possibly remove them. I don't have underfloor or ceiling heating as far as I'm aware.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I don't have underfloor or ceiling heating as far as I'm aware.

No. but you might have had when the flats were built.

 

[RF Lighting]

There's a load of flats near me built in either the 50s or 60s with electric elements buried directly into the concrete floor, and they were intended to be the sole means of heating. This is from the era when electricity was expected to be in such plentiful supply in the near future that they wouldn't bother metering it!

 

[bhm1712]

There's a load of flats near me built in either the 50s or 60s with electric elements buried directly into the concrete floor, and they were intended to be the sole means of heating. This is from the era when electricity was expected to be in such plentiful supply in the near future that they wouldn't bother metering it!

It could be, was it not for the Eco nimbies in charge nowadays.