Storage Heater repair possible?

Folio

Sorry it this is wrong forum, didn't know whether to post here our on the housing forum.

We have 3 storage heaters installed 20 years ago. One of them (on the landing) seems to have developed a fault in that the thermocouple broke twice last winter and has just broken again. Each time it has been when the temperature dropped a lot one night then was warmer the next night. My husband has replaced the broken thermocouple and for now heater is working OK but am suspecting there must be an underlying cause.

We cannot afford a replacement heater, and as the heaters are so old, sourcing and buying thermocouples isn't cheap, so is there anything else we could do? (apart from calling a repair man as we are totally broke after huge car repair bill when some %%$££$%% stole our catalytic converter)

Also, if we ever get enough money together to replace, are today's heaters any more efficient than our 20 year old ones? I don't want the ones that you can boost during the day, nor do I want the type that is also a convector heater.

Thanks in advance for any help.

grahamc2003

Folio wrote: »

Sorry it this is wrong forum, didn't know whether to post here our on the housing forum.

We have 3 storage heaters installed 20 years ago. One of them (on the landing) seems to have developed a fault in that the thermocouple broke twice last winter and has just broken again. Each time it has been when the temperature dropped a lot one night then was warmer the next night. My husband has replaced the broken thermocouple and for now heater is working OK but am suspecting there must be an underlying cause.

We cannot afford a replacement heater, and as the heaters are so old, sourcing and buying thermocouples isn't cheap, so is there anything else we could do? (apart from calling a repair man as we are totally broke after huge car repair bill when some %%$££$%% stole our catalytic converter)

Also, if we ever get enough money together to replace, are today's heaters any more efficient than our 20 year old ones? I don't want the ones that you can boost during the day, nor do I want the type that is also a convector heater.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Are you sure you are using the correct terminology? My storage heaters don't have what I would call a thermocouple.

Are you referring to the bimetallic strip which cuts the power if the temperature of the heater rises too much?

Hopefully you are, in which case I supect it may not have broken at all, and just operated normally, but cutting the supply on overheat. Simply locate the reset 'button' on the bimetallic strip and you'll get the supply again.

At 20 years old, yours should be modern slim line ones, with good control features, allowing you to store and release the heat later in the day. There have been no advances in this basic feature over the last 20 years - the 'advances' have been to add fans/add day rate heating elements etc, which i personally don't think improve the performance (at a reasonable cost).

If your problem isn't the bimetallic strip and something more serious (but I can't think what!), then you can buy very cheap 2nd hand storage heaters - probably half an hour to disassemble and the same to reassemble if you know what you are doing and know enough to wire a circuit (and leave it safe).

macman

If you can collect, there are always loads going cheap on ebay, as they are a bit of a nightmare to dispose of due to their weight.
Modern ones won't be much more efficient, but they should be more controllable.

Richie-from-the-Boro

The thermocouple is the sensor inside the output therm~0~stat. its usually at the bottom where cold[er] air is drawn in and automatically adjusts the damper. I've only ever known one in 35 years go kaput.

The input thermostat is purely mechanical and although it does have a thermocouple inside the thermostat housing and would be a suspect for 'overcharging' although the 'fuselink' should be the part that gives way and protects the system, [an exception would be unless its on an old 1980's 'weatherwatch' system]. Do you mean it keeps blowing the 'fuselink' ?. It might be an idea if you gave the make & model number so we don't have to guess.

grahamc2003 & macman are correct even at this time of the year you can get a whole new heater for less than a fuse. ebay - set to / auction only / collect only / nearest first wait and within a month you'll get 3 or 4 at 99p each - patience is required.

johngf_uk

ehat are the make and model numbers of your heaters ?

Folio wrote: »

Sorry it this is wrong forum, didn't know whether to post here our on the housing forum.

We have 3 storage heaters installed 20 years ago. One of them (on the landing) seems to have developed a fault in that the thermocouple broke twice last winter and has just broken again. Each time it has been when the temperature dropped a lot one night then was warmer the next night. My husband has replaced the broken thermocouple and for now heater is working OK but am suspecting there must be an underlying cause.

We cannot afford a replacement heater, and as the heaters are so old, sourcing and buying thermocouples isn't cheap, so is there anything else we could do? (apart from calling a repair man as we are totally broke after huge car repair bill when some %%$££$%% stole our catalytic converter)

Also, if we ever get enough money together to replace, are today's heaters any more efficient than our 20 year old ones? I don't want the ones that you can boost during the day, nor do I want the type that is also a convector heater.

Thanks in advance for any help.

DevCoder

Also (very) old storage heaters contain asbestos.

This is a list of models which may contain asbestos

http://www.aic.org.uk/Storageheaters.htm

Folio

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

The thermocouple is the sensor inside the output therm~0~stat. its usually at the bottom where cold[er] air is drawn in and automatically adjusts the damper. I've only ever known one in 35 years go kaput.

The input thermostat is purely mechanical and although it does have a thermocouple inside the thermostat housing and would be a suspect for 'overcharging' although the 'fuselink' should be the part that gives way and protects the system, [an exception would be unless its on an old 1980's 'weatherwatch' system]. Do you mean it keeps blowing the 'fuselink' ?. It might be an idea if you gave the make & model number so we don't have to guess.

grahamc2003 & macman are correct even at this time of the year you can get a whole new heater for less than a fuse. ebay - set to / auction only / collect only / nearest first wait and within a month you'll get 3 or 4 at 99p each - patience is required.

Many thanks for all the replies and advice, and sorry to be a while getting back online. My husband says yes, I mean the fuselink, this is situated at the top of the heater, and melts, then the heater stops working until the fuselink is replaced, when it then works again for a few months with no problem. The model is a Creda 79151 and was purchased and installed in 1992. It does not contain asbestos.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Shelf installed over the rad ? drying clothes on the rad ? using cheepo maplin 'fish fryer' fuselinks instead of the proper 0851051 which is the modern 158 °C £10 [trade] replacement for the 79151 ?

If its none of the above you may need to buy and fit a Creda 6500059 stat & therm~0~couple for your 79151 at around £70 to cure your problem. Do you know anyone who can help and knows how to test a therm~0~couple ?

- or as suggested use ebay to buy one [same make & model] and nick both thermostats!

An output therm~0~couple [bi-metal strip] is about the same price but its very unlikely that is causing overheat above 158 °C.

penrhyn

Does spam taste better in the US of A then?

Richie-from-the-Boro

rosemarie123 wrote: »

~snip the spam~

- and everyone click the spam button please
- before the spammer gets their post count up enough to post links and email addys
- there are lots of vulnerable and unsuspecting people on these boards who are unwary

keithbw

Sorry to jump on this thread but I have a similar problem to the OP.

I have three storage heaters and one of them has stopped working in the last 48 hours. I'm not confident with anything plugged into the mains to open it up so am going to have to get someone in to have a look at it.
Can that be any electrician or do a need a heater specialist? Just want to make sure I'm getting the right person in for the job.
Thanks