Unidare warm air heater not charging

danrv
danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
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in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels
Hi
I have an old Unidare R10/73 warm air storage heater on E10 that has stopped charging.
I’ve had the unit turned off at the main switch as the weather’s warmer but after turning it back on, there’s nothing.
The 15a fuse at the main switch is ok and the fan operates as this is wired into a separate circuit.
Just wondering if anybody knows these storage heaters and whether there’s a reset on the thermostat or something.
Any help appreciated.
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Comments

  • danrv
    danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
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    Ok, might get an electrician to take look. May be something simple.
    Don’t think many people are running this type of heating anymore and storage heaters such as this are no longer made.
    I’ve discussed other electric heating options at length here on other posts so might be time to upgrade.
  • jk0
    jk0 Posts: 3,479 Forumite
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    Just get a multimeter set to continuity buzzer, and work through the off peak circuit from live to neutral. There can't be many cutouts and thermostats in the circuit.
  • Benight
    Benight Posts: 418 Forumite
    First Post
    danrv wrote: »
    Ok, might get an electrician to take look. May be something simple....

    Probably best.
    You don't wanna be going meddling with electric stuff yourself if you don't know what you're doing

    Better safe than sorry :)
  • danrv
    danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
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    Thanks. I do repair most things if I can.
    Continuity check would be ok if I can get to the circuits.
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
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    edited 11 June 2019 at 2:35PM
    Just make sure that it's isolated from the mains before prodding around inside it

    Is it a Unidare or Dimplex Electricaire. If Dimplex have a shufti here https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1162167/Dimplex-R7.html?page=6#manual
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • danrv
    danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
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    matelodave wrote: »
    Just make sure that it's isolated from the mains before prodding around inside it

    Is it a Unidare or Dimplex Electricaire. If Dimplex have a shufti here https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1162167/Dimplex-R7.html?page=6#manual

    Thanks for the manual. It’s a Unidare R10/73 but the wiring for the R7 would be the same.
    As much as I’d like it fixed, I’m a bit reluctant to do any further examining of the heater due to the Vermiculite insulation inside.
    Most people have done away with these storage heaters including my neighbours, who had the same. They’re now on electric rads.
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
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    Electric rads will cost twice as much to run as you wont get the benefit of off peak electricity but you might find them a bit more controllable. You need to check whether you'd need your meters/tariff changed and possibly some wiring changes as well.

    If you do decide to go for electric rads remember that a £25 one from Argos or somewhere similar will cost the same to run and give out the same amount of heat as similarly rated super-duper extra special one, filled with magic fairy dust costing £100's from the likes of Fischer or some other exotic manufacturer. Be warned
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • danrv
    danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Thanks for the reply.
    My E10 off peak times are way off the normal 3 block arrangement. Been here for just over a year and the timer clock must’ve drifted and hasn’t been reset. I’ve worked it out and my cheap rate is 5.10am to 3.10pm in one block.
    Quite useful for washing, electric shower etc..
    Evening though is peak rate and more expensive than the standard one.

    I’m not out everyday so not sure which rate would be best but I think I can put rads in and still use the E10 tariff as all sockets are on it.
    The storage heater is on a timer and automatically charges when off peak is active (it used to anyway).

    I’ve read up on here about the electric rad business and have already had a Fischer chap visit. Very expensive quote but did include removal of storage heater at reasonable cost.
    Also have another quote for 6 chamotte clay rads plus WiFi hub that’s a quarter of the Fischer price.
    Or there’s always the cheaper alloy type that don’t retain the heat. Would like central control though.
  • danrv
    danrv Posts: 1,435 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    matelodave wrote: »
    If you do decide to go for electric rads remember that a £25 one from Argos or somewhere similar will cost the same to run and give out the same amount of heat as similarly rated super-duper extra special one, filled with magic fairy dust costing £100's from the likes of Fischer or some other exotic manufacturer.

    Thanks. Just wondering if the surface area of an electric radiator makes a difference in heat output ie a basic £20 2kw oil filled portable radiator compared to a super duper 2kw Chamotte Clay one.
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
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    a 2kw heater on for one hour will provide 2kwh of heat never more but possibly less if it's got a thermostat

    It might get a better distribution from a bigger area but if the rad is filled with clay, magic dust, fairy oil or some other wonderful or exotic material it wont produce more heat. The best heat distribution is from a fan heater cos it blows it all over the place.

    Likewise the fact that a magic heater might store the heat (say like a storage heater) then it will take a finite time for the heat to get stored which means that the radiator will take some time to warm up and then when it switches off it will take some time to cool down based on the amount of insulation in the unit. However it wont give out more heat than it's rated at

    A proper storage heater is rated at say 2kwh and is filled with very high density bricks and insulation to retain the heat. It will heat for seven hours using off peak electricity thus storing approx 14kwh of heat - this is slowly released throughout the next 14-16 hours when the heater is actually switched off.

    However a magic dust heater, can't store the heat for more than an hour or so and thus needs to use peak rate leccy to provide heat when you need it and will cost you at your peak rate tariff when it's on.

    You appear to be being sucked in by the advertising about so called Chamotte Clay. In what way is this different to the stuff that Fischer put into their heaters and charge silly prices for. Likewise Rointe, who's heaters are basically oil-filled rads. They look pretty but cost exactly the same to run as a much cheaper heater from Argos or Amazon.

    Clever controls with digital readouts or remote operation might mean that the temperature control is a a bit more accurate but they wont save you anywhere near as much as you'll pay up front for them.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
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