storage heater switches and appropriate fuses.

[iggypops]

Hi all hope you can help i have removed two old storage heaters one large and one smaller i do not not know what wattage these were.I intend to replace them with a 3.4kw and 1.7kw in the same locations.The current switches are an isolation switch with neon light where 3.4kw will go and a 13amp fused switch where the 1.7kw will go. Will it be ok to wire the new heaters into the switches that exist already.Secondly in the main fuse box there are 15amp fuses used for the old heaters will this still be ok for the 3.4kw and the 1.7kw.Hope that makes sense will be grateful for any input.

 

[Taylortwocities]

3.4kw = 14.78amps at 230volts so you may have problems there.
You could get an electrician to test the circuit to see if the fuse/MCB on that cuircuit could be increased to 20amp but it needs testing and the cable size confirming first.

The 1.7KW is OK as load is less than 13A.

 

[iggypops]

Hi thanks for your response i think i will have to do that to be on the safe side.The other problem or not is that the 1.7kw heater is going to part cover the fused switch i will still be able to access the switch to turn it off but only just.I intend to fit a brass switch.Will this be safe the cable entering the switch will not be behind the heater.Thanks in advance.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The switch must be accessable. that means you must be able to remove the two securing screws and that the cables and terminations are readily available for inspection etc in the event of a fault.

I recently had to go to a flat where someone had added another storage heater. The connection plate, switch and fuse was right behind the heater.

It took 2 hours to totally dismantle the heater and remove the bricks. The cables had melted due to the heat.
It took another hour to repair, another hour to resite a new switch and an hour to rebuild the heater with all of its bricks.

So 5 hours of my expensive time just because some idiot did not think.