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Panel heater is tripping the trip switch - which one is faulty?

  • 21-11-2022 12:55PM
    #1
    buzz11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭


    I have an older style panel heater that trips the switch when its turn on at high heat, but if I turn the dial down it works ok until I turn up the heat setting and then the trip switch drops. There is a second panel heater in the second bedroom but this works fine.

    Is the panel heater faulty or the trip switch?



Comments

  • #2
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    Difficult to say

    Does it drop straightaway when you turn up the dial



  • #3
    buzz11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭buzz11


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119901492#Comment_119901492

    Yes it drops immediatly when the dial is turned up, so its fine at setting 1 &2 but once the dial is at 3 or higher then the trip goes straight away.



  • #4
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    I'd presume it's a faulty trip switch could be wrong though they don't give much trouble

    Would be easy enough to diagnose on site



  • #5
    buzz11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭buzz11


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917794#Comment_119917794

    Sound, thanks for that.👍️



  • #6
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    Still not making a lot of sense to me this issue

    It's emitting heat at 1-2 but trips immediately at 3-4

    I presume it's just a thermostatic control of a single element I must be missing something obvious anyhow



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  • #7
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Must be a double-element then? Second one has worn insulation. They aren't buggers to open, usually 6 or so screws and a light visual inspection with the power isolated should identify the cause, I'd guess.



  • #8
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119924218#Comment_119924218

    Would explain it but it doesn't sound like a double element heater from the description,to me anyhow



  • #9
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119927082#Comment_119927082

    If it only has one heating element then it could thermal expansion of the heating element contacting with an earthed surface when on high causing it to trip?



  • #10
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    Could be right there .It seems an odd sort of a fault anyway to me ?

    There's no real logic to turning up a dial and MCB trips instantaneously at 3-4 , from the description it's providing low heat at 1-2

    I proceed with caution anyhow can easily be shown up as a idiot 😁



  • #11
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928840#Comment_119928840

    I was presuming MCB but it could be RCD wasn't thinking there

    I don't recall panel heaters being on RCDs but they can be plugged in , as well as being a fixed appliance

    Could be what you were saying insulation fault , I dunno, not a fault I've ever heard of



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  • #12
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,438 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    I demand a root-cause analysis to put our overactive minds at rest. 👍️



  • #13
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    An RCD trip like that is nearly always a fault in the appliance anyhow

    MCB trip wasn't making much sense to me



  • #14
    buzz11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭buzz11


    I'll try and get a photo of the heater & trip switch 👍️



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