Unfused Switch on Heater

[Jupiter01]

I have a wall hung heater which has a switch for on/off operation. I don’t have the size/ratings of this to hand but was wondering if there is an obvious answer to my question.

I would like to replace this with a FCU (for added protection) and was wondering if 13amp would suffice?

I appreciate that more info may be required but didn’t know if the existing switch provided the necessary info.

Thanks in advance.

 

[terryplumb]

What type of heater ,is it a storage heater ?
What circuit is it connected to at your consumer unit /fuse board ?

 

[Jupiter01]

Storage heater. I don’t know about the breaker but can check when I get home shortly

 

[terryplumb]

Storage heaters would usually be on individual radial circuits. So each heater has its own circuit breaker . Heater being hard wired into an isolation switch close to it. If yours is wired as above you do not need to introduce a FCU.

 

[333rocky333]

It sounds like it may be a 20amp switch, usually connected to its own circuit.
Do you have modern MCBS rather than Fuses , if so without doing the maths adding a fuse even if a 13 was big enough to handle the heater load, would not blow any faster than the 16 or 20a mcb usually used, therefore not any safer.
Some of the wider storage heaters do take more than 13 amp I recall as there are more elements inside.

 

[flameport]

Storage heaters should have a 20A isolation switch only, not an FCU.

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks for the info guys. Appreciate that I am clutching at straws but do these pictures verify the fuse rating I would require for an FCU? Or should I not be using an FCU?

 

[terryplumb]

Storage heaters should have a 20A isolation switch only, not an FCU.

Did you not read this ?
Is the switch in your pic rated at 20 amp ? Can't be sure just by looking at your pic.

 

[sparkwright]

Typically you don't use an FCU, they are rated at 13amp switch, and turn to toast.

The 20amp double pole switch that you appear to have is normal, this should be on a 16amp circuit usually.

 

[Jupiter01]

Is there not such a thing as a DP Fused 20Amp switch? Would this add any more protection?

 

[JohnD]

Is there not such a thing as a DP Fused 20Amp switch?

No.

 

[JohnD]

I don’t have the size/ratings of this to hand

Find out.

 

[JohnD]

Or should I not be using an FCU?

No.

 

[JohnD]

I don’t know about the breaker but can check when I get home shortly

Go on then.

 

[winston1]

Is there not such a thing as a DP Fused 20Amp switch?

No.

Would this add any more protection?

No. A 20a fuse will have no discrimination against a 32a MCB.