Storage heater bricks - recess necessary?!

[Rob Harden]

Hi all - sorry if I have posted in the wrong place, I’ve looked everywhere online and can’t find an answer....

... I have bought a second hand storage heater - all seems fine and working, and the bricks fit in as expected, but the bricks don’t have the usual recessesed profiles, they are simply flat surfaced on both faces....

Does this matter? I was thinking eg does the lack of complete side enclosure of the elements represent a fire risk, but then again they are not fully enclosed top and bottom anyway and presumably the insulation is not flammable? Maybe just a slight efficiency loss? Should I keep these bricks or try to get recessed replacements?

Thanks in anticipation and sorry again if this is in the wrong place!

 

[sparkwright]

You have come to the right place.

Usually the bricks are recessed to house the elements, so not sure what you have there.

Send photos or model number, and we may be able to help.

I wouldn't really recommend secondhand storage heaters for a number of reasons.

 

[flameport]

Some had flat bricks, others did not. If the bricks are the correct ones for the heater, not a problem.

 

[Rob Harden]

Thanks everyone!

Model is Dimplex Unidare WMS718N. Picture shows what these flat bricks look like in situ - doesn't look right as the elements are simply sandwiched between two flat surfaces rather than properly enclosed, but I don't know if this is simply "inefficient" or unsafe?

The installation manual refers to installing the bricks with recess facing the element in the usual way so it suggests that the heater should have bricks with recess - hence maybe these were replacement bricks at some point....

I've emailed Dimplex customer support as I can't find any way to get a confirmed brick type/size which obviously I would need if I was to buy replacement bricks....

Thanks again, really appreciated!

 

[333rocky333]

I have never seen them ones before, regarding new ones, im sure i have only ever seen one size,
Where in the uk are you and how many in the unit, i did have some old ones i can measure for you, im not sure i have enough for a whole heater

 

[Rob Harden]

Thank you! I'm in Suffolk. These flat bricks measure 21 x 19.4 x 5 and seem to fit but the standard Dimplex is 23 x 19 x 5 I think. From Google it seems that "brick pack" XT8300 is the one but I haven't heard back from Dimplex yet. I have 2 heaters , 12 bricks in the big one (WMS718N) and 8 in the small one (WMS712N).

Cheers, thank you!

 

[ericmark]

I remember where I worked there was an experiment to make concrete bricks, the main ingredient is iron, clay or concrete just stick it all together, however as the bricks warm up for the first time, there is a chemical reaction, not a problem using clay as they are baked, but the pressed concrete released loads of water on the first heat up, and it was realised the bricks would need heating before fitting them to release the water, the cost of heating and cooling resulted in the idea being abandoned.

However there may be some of them still around, the pressed bricks were more accurate in size to fired bricks, and were designed to hold more heat to fired version.