Solved

Storage Heaters aren't heating up!

  • 21 January 2023
  • 15 replies
  • 2794 views
S
Rank

Please can someone advise.  I know nothing about storage heaters apart from the fact that my daughters in her new apartment and hers don’t heat up.  Not sure if we are doing something wrong or the system is broke.   Basically on each side of two of the heaters there are two plugs that are wired to the heater.  One shows it has a fuse and the other doesn’t.  In the cupboard is what looks like an emersion heater.  There are two switches in there.  One that says ‘switch for emersion heater’   The other says Economy 7 supply.  Landlord says switch both of them on at night and turn off in the morning.  Also to set output on the heater to 1 and input to 9.  I’m assuming that’s when it uses the economy 7 Tariff.  We then switched on the power on the right side of the heaters which doesn’t say it has a fuse and expected to have heat and hot water this morning but nothing! All stone cold.  Are we supposed to have the power on the right side of the heater on as well? The one in the hall only has one anyway.  At the moment we are switching the left hand side on today as that then allows us to switch the heater in for heat like a plug in radiator but then we can’t get hot water that way.  Please help! 

icon

Best answer by BPLightlog 21 January 2023, 12:12

View original

15 replies

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Can you post some photos please @Shirl particularly of the heater and both connections. 
These types of heater are indeed meant to run off Economy 7 (as long as you have that tariff set up) and give out heat during the day. 
You will need to look carefully at the E7 tariff as that type has been increased recently. 
Your hot water will be from the immersion heater so if that isn’t supplying hot water, perhaps the overnight ‘on’ didn’t work

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
S
Rank

This is the heater.  The pipes were stone cold.  

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Don’t know if this helps at all. 
 

Your hot water is quite separate from this though so you need to check that other switch you mentioned (switch for immersion heater).

For the storage heater the 2 switches are for peak and off peak use. 
Normally the on peak will have a fuse as is part of another circuit - this can be used for a ‘boost’ during the day. 
The off peak will just be a switch as it has a dedicated circuit - this needs to be on overnight to get power to store heat

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
S
Rank

i did put the emersion switch on with the switch on the heater set for the peak time tariff and nothing heated up then either.  

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Did you have the ‘non-fused’ side of the storage heater plugged in overnight? It needs to be so it’s connected when the E7 switch is turned on. 
I think in winter, most people leave the ‘non-fused’ side switched on (plugged in). 
 

As for the hot water, obviously something isn’t working. Is there another switch for the immersion heater itself? Or is there a temperature setting maybe?

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
Firedog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge

Adding to BP’s advice, have a look at the consumer unit (what people normally call the fusebox). The heaters should be separate from everything else, and may have been switched off while the property was empty. This would explain why there was no hot water in the morning.

As regards the immersion heater, this may have a mechanical timer. Do you see any sort of control box, perhaps with a clock? A picture would help! In any case, I would leave the Economy 7 switch On. This will make power available to the main heating element during off-peak hours. Use the other switch to control whether water is actually being heated up or not; depending on the size of the tank, how well it’s insulated and how much hot water is used, it may not be necessary to turn the water heater on every night. 

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA
K
Rank
Badge

Woke up this morning to find none of the electric storage heaters came on & no hot water.I am on Economy 10 with solar panels.

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Hi @Kelvedon and welcome to this customer based forum. 
What sort of meter do you have? Is this the first time this has happened?

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
K
Rank
Badge

Thanks for replying BP.I’ve got a smart meter for the economy 10 system.It happen once before coincidentally during the last bank holiday & there was no help available then.

 

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Thanks for replying BP.I’ve got a smart meter for the economy 10 system.It happen once before coincidentally during the last bank holiday & there was no help available then.

 

Ok - did it sort itself then or was something else needed? What name is the smart meter? Presumably it has different feeds for the storage heaters and hot water? 

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
K
Rank
Badge

Yes it sorted itself out previously.Name of meter is Aclara.I can’t answer regarding the leads for heaters & hot water.I can only assume there are different feeds.Personnally,I think it’s a problem @their end !

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

If you don’t have separate timers for the off peak appliances then it’s usually a different circuit which energises at those times. If you’re sure the circuits haven’t tripped out (at the distribution board) then perhaps the meter needs an update. 
 

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
K
Rank
Badge

Yes I do have separate timers marked Peak & Off peak.The meter was only installed last year.

They’ve only just switched me from SSE to OVO.Have the peak & off peak times changed ? which affect the times I switch on..

The times I’m switching are 1-6am.2-5pm & 9-11pm.Is this correct ?

BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

It depends where you are .. take a look here

https://www.ovoenergy.com/help/electric-heating/economy-10

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
K
Rank
Badge

Good Morning BP I’m pleased to say we’re back in action,both heating & water.We also had a welcome email from OVO saying the transfer from SSE was now complete.

Thank you for your help,much appreciated.I just wish they had pre warned us about possible trouble during the changeover.

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings