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Is it safe to bypass electric heater contactor?

  • 27-04-2012 8:11pm
    #1
    Samson
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭


    I have a couple of wall mounted heaters in the flat and the large one in the sitting room has no power at the spur.

    I had a look at the consumer unit and notice there is a contactor feeding the spur for the heater which is not giving any output (probably stuck permanently open). The contactor is an ABB unit and the part number is B1029-40-00

    Do I need the contactor or can I simply bypass it (feed the heater circuit directly from the 20A breaker)?
    If it is necessary to replace the contactor, can anyone recommend where I could get an equivalent unit?
    I did search online for an exact replacement but as it's quite old, it does not seem to be available any longer.


Comments

  • #2
    meercat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,828 ✭✭✭meercat


    quick questions
    are you a sparks(i wouldnt advise opening the consumer unit otherwise)
    are you sure its the contactor(have you bridged it out)
    this contactor is timed
    is the thermostat turned up


  • #3
    kramer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭kramer1


    Storage heater?


  • #4
    bertie1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 509 ✭✭✭bertie1


    Sounds like a storage heater that only gets supply at night from the ESB clock. I suggest you get a an electrician to look at your heaters & check them out. The idea of the contactor is to get 1/2 price electricity for the heater, if you short it out it will cost you twice as much to run it. The Thermal overload ( built into the heater may be gone) from somebody putting clothes etc on it


  • #5
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,641 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    +1


  • #6
    golden lane
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,364 ✭✭✭golden lane


    the contactor may only be energised by the night tarrif............and it wouls probably be there to stop a backfeed if the heater is fed fron another normal source of electricity.....

    is there another spur for the storage heater somewhere close to the heater....


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  • #7
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    golden lane wrote: »
    the contactor may only be energised by the night tarrif............and it wouls probably be there to stop a backfeed if the heater is fed fron another normal source of electricity.....

    is there another spur for the storage heater somewhere close to the heater....

    Nothing to do with backfeeds, just a switching method to allow a low rated timer contact to switch on relatively large heating loads.


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