Storage heater question?

kazzayu

HI

I have just had some new storage heaters installed and am worried one of them is charging during daytime. It has 2 switches at the wall, one with a neon red light. Both are switched on, today I have noticed the red light has been on all day so far, and am worried this means it is charging? Or does this mean it is letting out the heat gradually?

Can anyone throw any light on this?

many thanks

vaio

assuming there is no fan fitted then two switches implies one for off peak and on for on peak so just turn the on peak one off

kazzayu

Hi

There is a convector on this heater, I have tested the switches and the convector heater is connected to the other switch - (the one that is not glowing red).

Hence my conclusion that the switch with the red light means the heater is currently charging, where is shouldn't be as I'm on Economy 7 and this should only happen off peak.

I have checked my unit usage over the last few hours and I used 9 units in four hours (!) whilst I was out anyway. The only thing left on would be the laptop and fridge freezer, hence my worry about the heater could be charging during the peak hours.

Could this be possible?

vaio

nine units in 4 hours means there is a heater on somewhere.

I guess the convector should work on or off peak and the storage should be connected to the dedicated off peak circuits.

I suspect something could have been connected wrongly, call the installer and clarify matters

kazzayu

Thank you!

I have called the electrician and he will come and have a look, although god knows what help he will be when my bill comes if he has installed them incorrectly!!

olias

Why don't you just switch it on at night (so it heats up overnight on economy 7) and switch it off in the morning (so it uses no power, but just gives off its heat?) I thought thts how storage heaters worked? At least thats how I've used them when I lived in a rental that had them.

Olias

kazzayu

I may try that until he comes out, do you think it will still let out the heat if I switch it off in the daytime?

Vibrant

The heat will still come out, whether it is on, or off.
Are you sure that the red light is showing for the storage heater part, as the economy 7 circuit should be dead during the day. Unless they wire them differently nowadays.

kazzayu

I have now switched it off in case it's charging!

Am not sure what the red light represents but would make sense to mean it is charging.

And my unit usage today is 22 units, I have been out most of the morning and not really using any other electricity today apart from a bit of TV/laptop and cooking.

I suspect it has been charging in the daytime, god help me come billing time!

kazzayu

Also when the electrician comes, if found he has wired it up incorrectly, do you think I should be able to ask him to compensate me???

Vibrant

kazzayu wrote: »

I have now switched it off in case it's charging!

Am not sure what the red light represents but would make sense to mean it is charging.

And my unit usage today is 22 units, I have been out most of the morning and not really using any other electricity today apart from a bit of TV/laptop and cooking.

I suspect it has been charging in the daytime, god help me come billing time!

Definitely something wrong there. 22 units is almost the equivalent of leaving a bar fire on all day!
So I think you are wise to leave it switched off, until you find out what switch does what and whether it is wired correctly.