is my night storage faulty?

1970feminist

hello,

I have a night storage heater put in by Npower some years ago and I found that to get any reasonable heat I have to turn it up to the highest setting!, I am not sure what effect this will be having on my bills? and why do I have to turn it up to 6 , the highest setting to get any power out of it?., I thought it was just the way it was meant to operate because I had bought the cheapest heater available as I am on a fixed income, but reading these forums I wonder if I have a faulty storage heater, can anyone advise.

thanks.

DevCoder

You should have two dials

Input and room temp or room temp boost.

The first sets the thermostat to how hot it should achieve, the second opens a physical flap above the bricks to allow (more/less) heat to escape.

The bricks are heated by elements, normally two for a small heater and three or more for a larger heater.

Its common for the heating element to fail after a while (anywhere between 3 and 10 years) which can be fairly easily replaced. Note that if you have a very old storage heater then this may contain asbestos and should not be played with ( a new heater and safe disposal by someone who knows how to handle asbestos is best).

As the current draw on a failed element is zero (the current incurs resistance when passing through the element and thus creates heat) then it won't increase your bills but you obviously don't get the heating you require.

You can tell if an element has failed if the heater is warmer one side than the other. (you can also test the element with a multimeter if you know how, it should be about 66ohms).

also the thermostat could be faulty, again this can be tested and replacement are cheap

As with all electrical goods, if you aren't 100% sure what you are doing then get a qualified electrician in (preferably someone in a scheme such as Elecsa/NICEIC etc)

1970feminist

Krisdorey, thanks for your reply.

I have had the radiator for about three years.

The radiator is cool at all settings except the hottest.

I bought my flat in 1988 and it had a really old 1978 model storage heater in which i had replaced, would this type have asbestos in?.

HappyMJ

1970feminist wrote: »

Krisdorey, thanks for your reply.

I have had the radiator for about three years.

The radiator is cool at all settings except the hottest.

I bought my flat in 1988 and it had a really old 1978 model storage heater in which i had replaced, would this type have asbestos in?.

No too late for that. Asbestos was withdrawn 1973 or thereabouts.

Input should always be on maximum and output always on minimum...except when you want heat there and then when you would turn the output up and turn it down again as you leave the room. Many who don't know how they operate leave the output high all the time.

DevCoder

Or conversely set the input lower thinking this helps as it save electricity.

The thermostat will maintain the temperature, yes input at maximum will mean the elements will be on for slightly longer whilst heating the bricks to a higher temperature but then the thermostat will ensure that the elements only draw power when the temperature drops below the setting. Not on all the time.

Asbestos models can be seen here

http://www.storageheaters.com/asbestos-list.htm

Torry_Quine

I disagree that the input should be on maximum. I honestly can't remember the last time mine was! Even in the two harsh winters it was usually about 3/4 and very very rarely had the ouput open at all. The room was hot enough and no it didn't run out of heat.

However I haven't had any heating on since the middle of March.

HappyMJ

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I disagree that the input should be on maximum. I honestly can't remember the last time mine was! Even in the two harsh winters it was usually about 3/4 and very very rarely had the ouput open at all. The room was hot enough and no it didn't run out of heat.

However I haven't had any heating on since the middle of March.

The reason I say maximum is also as you say. The heater won't run out of heat (with the output damper closed) and the next night less electricity is used to top it up. However, if they did run out of heat then a peak rate electric boost is needed outweighing the savings made by turning the input down. It's a fine balancing act which very few people understand so just putting the input on max is the easiest way to explain it with very little additional cost.

1970feminist

hello,

:beer: thank you all for your advice.

I am wondering though why my storage heater gives out so little heat at 3-4 and has to be turned up to the highest settings 5-6 to get the most heat, at 3-4 the heater is almost cold all over?. :think: