Smart Heat economy 7 controller

[brig001]

Hi, a neighbour has a Smart Heat controller and his heating has stopped working. He has boxes next to each storage heater switch and a black box next to the consumer unit

Does anyone have an instruction manual for this, and thoughts as to why it has stopped working

Thanks, Brian

 

[CountryFan]

I don’t have instructions but the time and date are wrong, maybe it’s that?

 

[brig001]

Thanks Stuckinarut, I have set the time and date and still nothing. Could it be looking for the RTS signal?

 

[CountryFan]

If it’s connected to motorised valves, could be this. Don’t know what an rts signal is.

 

[ericmark]

I think the switch off of RTS (Radio Teleswitch Service) has been delayed. However, not sure when it will be turned off.

The old meter and teleswitch should be swapped for a smart meter, but there are some odd places where smart meters will not work.

 

[brig001]

He has had a 5 terminal smart meter fitted, so it could be that’s not working. I can’t tell if it’s the meter or the controller. Still don’t know how the controller works

 

[Rodders53]

Isolate, open up, and see what is inside?
It may have more useful makers names and model/part numbers that can be searched for. (Smart Heat as a search term is practically useless for this case).

Pictures of the boxes by storage heaters and the meter install with 'black box' may also be useful in identifying stuff (and if related) as well?

Starting with basics are all the fuses OK and breakers correctly set?
(Some hardly show when tripped).
Can something be used that confirms the E7 contactor makes / supplies power to it in the overnight window it is on?

 

[brig001]

I went back to take some photos
He has a 5 terminal meter, but no idea where the 5th terminal is connected - there’s no contactor
The storage heater circuit is permanently live, so the Apollo Fixed Receiver is supposed to be switching
On the keypad, the storage heaters indicate “waiting for TC signal

No contactor here


Next to consumer units - no contactor here either

Next to each storage heater - permanent live feeds these



Thanks, Brian

 

[flameport]

Possible that the main unit was previously connected to a teleswitch or similar, and as that's been removed it's not connected to it any more.
Look for a cable near to it and the meter that's not connected to anything.

Or the unit has failed, which given it is 30+ years old would not be surprising.

If the unit can't be made to work, then it would be a simple matter to bypass those 'fixed receivers' at each heater and use the switch there to turn them on/off until a more permanent solution can be found.

 

[brig001]

Manual switching is a good idea, thanks flameport
For a permanent solution:
1, Fit new contactor and wire to 5th terminal
or 2, Fit new storage heaters which incorporate timers etc. Dimplex Quantum or similar
or 3, Fit Shelley WiFi switches or similar and set on/off times in an app. These are 25A https://www.shelly.com/products/oge...O9S09tR09IKEtkqQpd_aem_BEB8E9az_8auOXDtRV4y8Q

Any other options?

 

[endecotp]

I found an eBay listing with a photo of the innards of the “fixed receiver”:

Pardon our interruption...

(Click “see original listing” then look at the second photo)

It contains an LM1893:

https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/31842.pdf

That’s a mains digital transceiver, presumably receiving on/off commands from the main box.

The photo of the PCB in the main box doesn’t seem to be showing everything, as far as I can tell. I don’t see anything that could be controlling the LCD and keypad, nor do I see a radio teleswitch receiver.

Mysterious!

Anyway, it’s 33 years old. Even I would be tempted to replace it, rather than trying to repair. And I would likely suggest replacing the CU too….

 

[flameport]

1, Fit new contactor and wire to 5th terminal

The 5th wire would normally supply the night consumer unit directly, the contactor is inside the meter.
Even if not, a contactor is a fraction of the price of the other options and would work reliably for years.

2, Fit new storage heaters which incorporate timers etc. Dimplex Quantum or similar

A hideously expensive and disruptive option.

3, Fit Shelley WiFi switches or similar and set on/off times in an app.

Theoretically possible but like all of this 'smart' stuff requires an internet connection to actually work.

 

[Colin Brenton]

Has the heating only stopped working when the smart meter went in? or before? afterwards?

 

[crystal ball]

AFAIK the relay at the heater switch was controlled by a RF signal injected into the T&E supplying the heater