storage heaters protection

[Echo the husky]

There are quite a few still in use in Devon, the earliest ones had a Crabtree VOELCB inside used as a switch which was operated by 2 strings through 2 sides of the case.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Those dolphin showers did have the scary wire coil in water.

For heating? Not monitoring temperature?

Madness.

That's an understatement.

 

[SimonH2]

Long discontinued.

Can't imagine why !

For heating?

Why not ? There are lots of things that were once common but no longer considered safe. In the days before RCDs, it would not (apparently) cause any problems to have a little bit of leakage.

 

[Lectrician]

There are quite a few still in use in Devon, the earliest ones had a Crabtree VOELCB inside used as a switch which was operated by 2 strings through 2 sides of the case.

I’m Devon too, only seen a few during rip outs, and one more recently.

For heating? Not monitoring temperature?

Definitely. Scary thought, but as said, there are long non metallic hoses inside and earthed inlet and outlet, the heater itself effectively segregated from earth other than via water.

 

[AdrianUK]

For heating? Not monitoring temperature?


That's an understatement.

I can confirm that some 1970s era shower heaters did indeed use an un-insulated spiral heater coil directly in the water stream. I remember stripping down a failed REDRING shower heater from 1975. It was a 'huge' 4kW model (yes, 4000W!). The heater was mounted within a drilled perspex block in a 'U' shape. The cold water followed in a 'live' end and the hot (well, warm) water flowed out of the 'neutral' end. The connection to the external plumbing being via a cast metal boss which was earthed.

The spiral heater had failed & melted its way out through the perspex, leading to the water escaping through the shower casing. It never did trip anything.... probably because the install was sort-of TT with the old crabtree 'C50' MCBs for over current protection.

I say 'sort of' TT. The house itself was TT (via the lead cold water pipe). The water pipe was also shared with a workshop building which had its own supply. In the workshop the incoming water pipe was also 'earthed' back to the PME terminal supplied by the EMEB. So the house was PME by proxy!

 

[AdrianUK]

.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well, sincere apologies, Echo, for doubting you.

I am gobsmacked that anybody ever thought that was a sensible design.

 

[Echo the husky]

Yes, 2 coil heating elements. The triangle part of the heater unit contains a float switch which detects the water flow and switches on a contactor to power the heaters. The float switch is also live and completely bare in the water.

I am gobsmacked that anybody ever thought that was a sensible design.

The danger adds to the fun!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[SFK]

Video below of Electric shower heating water with live electric element directly in water.
I have used these, and although they never killed me or produced any live electrical feeling, they always make me uneasy.
Sfk

 

[seasickstevie]

When you say 'used'. I take it you don't mean 'installed' !?

 

[SFK]

No never installed.
Had (nervous) showers where the water was heated with these when in Asia.