Two storage heaters on one circuit ?

[dal5band]

I have a storage heater in the lounge rated 2.5KW (Dimplex XL2.4). Can I connect another storage heater to this circuit - I need a small storage heater in the bedroom and it would be simple to drill through the wall and install a DP switch in the bedroom and connect a .85 kw storage heater.

The circuit concerned is a direct 15amp from the fuse box. All the off peak switching is done by the white meter.

 

[Goldberg]

Those two heaters (together) would draw between 14.0 and 14.6 Amps.

When you say that the circuit is 15A, do you mean you've determined the cable rating, or is this the rated protection for this circuit in the consumer unit?

 

[dal5band]

There was an old Wylex fuse board which had a 15amp fuse on this circuit, replaced by a modern fuse board which has a 16A circuit breaker type "C". The wiring is listed as 2.5mm squ. but is the older multi-stranded PVC cable. Although old, it has been tested last year.

Incidently, the existing heater model is CXT18, 2.5KW.
(my mistake - XT24 is on a different circuit and is 3.4KW - working fine. This circuit is similar to the other one, with it's own 16A CB).

 

[Goldberg]

In that case the conditions are favourable.

OOI why was the cable tested last year?

 

[Chri5]

OOI why was the cable tested last year?

Maybe when the CU was changed

There was an old Wylex fuse board which had a 15amp fuse on this circuit, replaced by a modern fuse board which has a 16A circuit breaker type "C".

 

[Goldberg]

OOI why was the cable tested last year?

Maybe when the CU was changed

Thanks. I was aware of the CU change, but I didn't, and still don't, know when that happened, and I still don't know why the cable was tested.

 

[Adam_151]

Why have you got a type C circuit breaker on resistive heating load?

 

[Goldberg]

 

[kai]

It suggests that a Cowboy has worked on the circuit in the past - a classic mistake is placing a type C breaker on a heating circuit!

I suggest that you get the wiring checked over by a real professional electrician before proceeding further.

 

[dal5band]

The electrics were tested as part of a general check-up.

The type C CB was installed by the electrician who upgraded the CU about 3 years ago. he installed a split load CU for the normal electrics and a 4 way unit for the off peak, only two populated for the two storage heaters. I persume the type C are slower acting so less likely to false trip - I just assumed it was normal. He only put type Cs on the two storage heaters.

(by the way - the internet, ISP etc are snooping on us. Because i used the word "storage" i started getting adverts from Big Yellow Self Storage )