Dimplex CXL24 always on, should be 7hrs

bertiebumhead

Hi guys hope you're doing good, was hoping someone could help me please. 

I have 3 Dimplex storage heaters, they're quite old.

All 3 seem to be powered on during the day, when they're supposed to only be on between midnight and 7am.

How do I set them to only come on for 7 hrs please? I'm trying to avoid getting an electrician, if possible.

Many thanks and have a great day 👍 

nofoollikeold

Storage heaters have two modes of operation:
1. Overnight (depends on electricity supplier, could well be midnight to 7 am).   During this time the heaters use (normally cheap rate) electricity to heat up something like bricks inside them.
2. Daytime, when the heat stored in the bricks is released.  Unless fan assisted, no electricity is used in this mode.  There is normally a control to open / close the vents which allow the heat to escape into the room. 
3. Modern storage heaters have much more sophisticated controls, particularly governing the release of stored heat.

danrv

bertiebumhead said:

All 3 seem to be powered on during the day, when they're supposed to only be on between midnight and 7am.

They shouldn't be taking a charge during the day (unless on Economy 10).
Does the E7 supply switch have a neon light that illuminates when active?.
The heaters will feel warm during the day but that doesn't mean that they're on.

l think those models have a convector element on a 24hr supply so make sure that's off on the heater.

ThisIsWeird

Hi BertieBH.
These storage heaters, afaIk, do not have timers in them, so they don't know when to charge up, and when not to. Instead, this is controlled by your leccy meter, either by having a separate reading for during cheap rates - which the meter will switch to - or by having a Smartish meter that tells the supplier when to cut the rate.
So, if your meter is charging up during the day, which will almost certainly be at the higher rate, then summat is wrong with your meter. 
That's my understanding.
How long have you lived in this house? And has this issue only just started?

bertiebumhead

Hi guys, thanks very much for your answers. I don't know where the economy 7 supply switch is - would that be on the meter?

It's definitely coming on during the day (I turned it on at 3pm yesterday and it got warm), and it definitely isn't the convector element because I unplugged that.

Your answers have been very helpful in so much as this is definitely one for an electrician to deal with. 

I thought it might be as simple as switching something inside the heater off or on, but clearly not.

Thanks anyway.

ThisIsWeird

Picture of the heater, and its control panel, please.

And pics of the meter, and all surrounding gubbins.

How long have you lived in this house?

Meanwhile, turn the heating charge on and off via the wall switch - off as soon as you get up. (Mind you, you don't really need it in this weather anyways!)