Storage heating charging during the day

shaunevans

Hi,

I have recently moved into a new apartment and am trying to get my head around the storage heating system I have.

In the fusebox there is a devireg 710-2 regulator which i don't know how to use.
There is a large dimplex storage heater in the living room with two knobs Input and Output/Boost.
In the hall there is a small dimplex storage heater with no controls I'm assuming its got an automatic input/Output control.

I'm used to storage heating and have used it before with a manual system but the devireg is new to me. I think it is supposed to regulate the charge on the storage heaters according to weather conditions.

However the devireg seems to be charging the heaters for only a small period at night (a few hours) and then trying to charge them again during the day.

I don't want this as I'm on night saver and would like all the charging to take place at night.

jeckle

As far as I know you would have no need to go near the devireg 710-2 regulator dials in your fusebox.

There should be two mains switches (with red lights) on the wall close to the large dimplex storage heater in the living room. It is more than likely a combi-heater (storage heater with input & output/boost dials combined with a convector heater with another control & on/off switch).

One of the mains switches on the wall controls the power to the storage heater. When the red light is on on the storage heater mains switch this means that the heater is storing the heat. It should be coming on at around 11pm & going off at around 7am.

Sometimes the timing is way off on these, but this is an issue for the ESB - you can't change it yourself. Mine has been totally out of whack since the week before Christmas & has been storing from about 1pm till 8pm. This is actaully better as it still gives off heat when storing & the room is warmer during the evening. The ESB will notice the timer issue when they come to read the meter & reset it. You could also ring the ESB & ask them to reset it.

It's worthwhile keeping an eye on this as when the storage heating is storing this means that any electricity that you use is being charged at night rate, so this is the cheapest time to use washing machine or dryer.

The other mains switch controls the power to the convector heater part of the storage heater, so this would need to be switched on if you want to use it, as well as the on/off switch on the heater itself. You may find that you'll need to use this as the evening goes on & as your stored heat runs out, especially in very cold weather. Just be aware that you are using more electricity when this is on.

The only advice I'd give your regarding the large storage heater in the living room would be to turn the output control down to the lowest level at night when you are going to bed. Doing this will store as much heat as possible. In mild weather, the room might be warm enough in the evening time without having to adjust the output control from this setting at all. During very cold weather you can adjust the output control to a higher level when you come in from work, which will release more of the stored heat.

You can adjust the input control by trial & error, depending on your heating preferences & on how cold the weather is. Bear in mind that if you do adjust it up or down, in reality you really will not feel the benefits of the adjustment until the day after, when the full nights storage adjustment has taken effect.

With regard to the smaller one in your hall dont worry about it - it will store when the bigger one is storing once the mains switch, which again should be on the wall close to it, is switched on. As the weather improves you may want to switch this one off altogether & just have the living room one on until whatever summer we get.

Hope all of the above makes sense to you!

shaunevans

Thanks for the reply Jeckle

I think the dials on the Devireg control the comfort level of the heating in the apartment there is a dial for day which should do nothing. And a dial for night which applies extra charge on the radiators if you need it to.

Either its faulty or as you said the ESB clock is faulty. I'm gonna get the ESB/Property management company to check the clock before I go the expensive route of getting an electrician out.

My big worry is that my electric water heater comes on at night regardless. So if the timer clock is giving me night rate during the day my water is being heated using expensive day rate at night. I cant change the time on my water heater it is set in the factory to work between 23:30 -> 7:30

Molly Mull

jeckle wrote: »

As far as I know you would have no need to go near the devireg 710-2 regulator dials in your fusebox.

There should be two mains switches (with red lights) on the wall close to the large dimplex storage heater in the living room. It is more than likely a combi-heater (storage heater with input & output/boost dials combined with a convector heater with another control & on/off switch).

One of the mains switches on the wall controls the power to the storage heater. When the red light is on on the storage heater mains switch this means that the heater is storing the heat. It should be coming on at around 11pm & going off at around 7am.

Sometimes the timing is way off on these, but this is an issue for the ESB - you can't change it yourself. Mine has been totally out of whack since the week before Christmas & has been storing from about 1pm till 8pm. This is actaully better as it still gives off heat when storing & the room is warmer during the evening. The ESB will notice the timer issue when they come to read the meter & reset it. You could also ring the ESB & ask them to reset it.

It's worthwhile keeping an eye on this as when the storage heating is storing this means that any electricity that you use is being charged at night rate, so this is the cheapest time to use washing machine or dryer.

The other mains switch controls the power to the convector heater part of the storage heater, so this would need to be switched on if you want to use it, as well as the on/off switch on the heater itself. You may find that you'll need to use this as the evening goes on & as your stored heat runs out, especially in very cold weather. Just be aware that you are using more electricity when this is on.

The only advice I'd give your regarding the large storage heater in the living room would be to turn the output control down to the lowest level at night when you are going to bed. Doing this will store as much heat as possible. In mild weather, the room might be warm enough in the evening time without having to adjust the output control from this setting at all. During very cold weather you can adjust the output control to a higher level when you come in from work, which will release more of the stored heat.

You can adjust the input control by trial & error, depending on your heating preferences & on how cold the weather is. Bear in mind that if you do adjust it up or down, in reality you really will not feel the benefits of the adjustment until the day after, when the full nights storage adjustment has taken effect.

With regard to the smaller one in your hall dont worry about it - it will store when the bigger one is storing once the mains switch, which again should be on the wall close to it, is switched on. As the weather improves you may want to switch this one off altogether & just have the living room one on until whatever summer we get.

Hope all of the above makes sense to you!

Hi Jeckie,
You seem to know a bit about storage heaters.....thank God....
Mine were working ok but since the weather got warm they don't charge at all.....is this normal procedure for them.
Thank you.
M