Storage heater stopped working

[tan8856]

hi
A storage heater in the flat I rent out has stopped working. The tenant left today and didn’t mention it. It was fine 2 weeks ago when I did an inspection but I noticed there was bedding etc drying over the top of it - could that have made it overheat and blow a fuse? The other heaters in the flat are fine and are on the same ring.
Thanks

 

[stem]

They do have thermal fuses that trip if the heater overheats, and need to be reset, but it varies from model to model. What is the make & model of the storage heater?

It would be unusual for storage heaters to be 'on a ring'. They are normally fed individually from a separate consumer unit that is only powered during the 'off peak tariff'. [If the other heaters are not storage heaters they would be on a separate circuit that is not subject to the off peak time restrictions.]

Maybe the isolator has been turned 'off' at some point and not switched back on before a charge period.

Storage heaters do fail, and as you point out, it shouldn't have been covered up. Normally words to this effect are written on the top somewhere. But I would be inclined to check first by leaving it on overnight to make sure that it hasn't just missed an overnight charge.

 

[tan8856]

Hi stem & thanks for your reply.

I switched the heater off and on at the wall and the consumer unit last night but still no heat today. It’s on the same off peak consumer unit as the other heaters and they are working.

What can I do to fix it? You mention resetting a thermal fuse - how?

I’m attaching 2 pics of make & model.

Thanks

They do have thermal fuses that trip if the heater overheats, and need to be reset, but it varies from model to model. What is the make & model of the storage heater?

It would be unusual for storage heaters to be 'on a ring'. They are normally fed individually from a separate consumer unit that is only powered during the 'off peak tariff'. [If the other heaters are not storage heaters they would be on a separate circuit that is not subject to the off peak time restrictions.]

Maybe the isolator has been turned 'off' at some point and not switched back on before a charge period.

Storage heaters do fail, and as you point out, it shouldn't have been covered up. Normally words to this effect are written on the top somewhere. But I would be inclined to check first by leaving it on overnight to make sure that it hasn't just missed an overnight charge.

 

[jj4091]

Not your model but same principle I would think

 

[tan8856]

Thanks. It didn’t look quite how I expected when I took the cover off but I clicked something and it heated up

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You mention resetting a thermal fuse - how?

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dimplex+xl12n+(manual+OR+instructions)

 

[Taylortwocities]

Those Googled instructions merely tell you to get a service engineer if the heater is cold.
I didn't spot anything that tells you how to deal with the guts of the thing.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So it would seem. Apologies for the wild goose chase - I didn't look at any of the manuals, and I'm sitting here gobsmacked and incredulous at the thought that an operating manual wouldn't tell you how to reset the OTC.

 

[crystal ball]

I doubt any operating manual aimed at a non technical reader would advise stripping down an appliance and fiddling about with potentially live parts

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I wasn't aware that removing the cover to gain access counted as "stripping down", nor that suitable advice about isolating it could not be given.

Bear in mind, re "stripping down", that they expect the end user to assemble the heater.

 

[crystal ball]

Do you think a responsible manufacturer should give a non technical customer instructions to remove panels and expose (potentially) live parts to carry out repairs?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Do you think that shower manufacturers are irresponsible?