Storage heaters not working

Kaisr Sose · 19-11-2024 04:38AM #1

I am selling an apt with storage heaters. I did a check to see if they worked. None working. Previous tenant never reported an issue. No fuses tripped.. It's just odd that none of them heated, The convector on the largest is working, as its not on the night supply only.

On the attached photo showing two dials on the consumer unit. Day light is on, night is flashing intermittently. Are these relevant to storage heaters and set up correct?

Failing that, is it possible the ESBN meter timer is not kicking in for night power supply to the heaters?

drury.. · 19-11-2024 06:29AM

Ya that controls the overnite charge

I forget settings, maybe try turn night up fully And check the day after

Could be the thermals inside heater have tripped if they're getting overnite power . Any lites on the heater wall switches ?

Kaisr Sose · 19-11-2024 07:11AM

Thanks. I will put day to standard and night to zero for a start.

No lights on switches, just red colour tab. The largest unit has a seperate convective heater and that is working. In total there are three storage heaters, all not heating.

Edit: typos fixed

drury.. · 19-11-2024 07:19AM

I think day button is inoperative for nsh on those

Lites on wall switches (red lit) overnite tells u you've power

10-10-20 · 19-11-2024 10:01AM

That contactor there might control the day/night setting via the signal off the ESB meter. One of the lads will know for sure, but it's supposed to indicate via a 'flag' in that small window on the bottom right whether it's on or off.

drury.. · 19-11-2024 10:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122856181#Comment_122856181

The devireg+contactor control the NS

Devireg energizes contactor

drury.. · 19-11-2024 10:22AM

Ya can see all the TCOs pop one by one if they're drying clothes

Wouldn't surprise me here

drury.. · 19-11-2024 10:35AM

Return feed from esbn meter only controls NSH so can't really check another appliance to confirm it ,there's a light flashes on the devireg I think , forget the details

From memory day is inoperative so max up nite and after a 24hr period customer confirms contactor/ heater wallswitches are on overnite

Heaters are easily confirmed with a multimeter, if open-circuit check elements/ tco

drury.. · 19-11-2024 01:57PM

Just seen the op said red color switches not neon 😁

Jaysus i hate when sparks fits storage heater isolators with no neon

It's the 1 isolator where customer may want neon for problem solving

A non-contact tester will do same job or hear contactor energizing

Kaisr Sose · 19-11-2024 04:42PM

Thanks for all the replies. The only thing I had not got with me was a non-contact tester. I will go back tonight after 11 with one and check whether power is going to heaters. Agree about lights on switches making for easy first step diagnosis. Developers cutting corners for the sake of a few cent.

If no power, I will adjust the dials on consumer unit to see if the neon/led on the lower right in thr cropped pic poster by @10-10-20 comes on. Then recheck power supply to heaters. Thought it odd it was not lit.

drury.. · 20-11-2024 03:27AM

I can't remember if the devireg spreads output over the off-peak period or at the end of the off -peak period if not at max

Think maybe it was the end . Heaters could be checked a coupe of times for power anyhow overnite.

Of course there's faster ways of checking off-peak switching depending on the meter type or simply check at devireg

Theres only the 3 variables anyhow. Off-peak feed , main-board controls and heaters for problem solving

RiseToMe · 20-11-2024 03:54AM

Send a pic of fhe heater, there's a way to reset it that usually works for the one i had

Kaisr Sose · 20-11-2024 04:43AM

Update

I went tonight after midnight with non-contact tester. I tested all three fused switches to storage heaters. All had no supply. I adjusted the dials (-4/+4) right on the CU and again no power to any of the switches.

At certain setting the night neon Far right in pic) was constant on but not as bright as day neon, other settinga it flashea intermittently.

To the left, the ABB ESB 24-40 neon is not lit at all. When I trip it, both neons to the right power off . Google says ESB 24-40 a switch for D/N. When on (?) for night time circuit, should its neon be lit ?

With no supply to any heater, am I right saying it's either a meter timer issue or a CU issue? The meter is non smart.

Kaisr Sose · 20-11-2024 04:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859982#Comment_122859982

These are them, three. All dimplex. Largest is a combi heater (combi works on day supply), medium just storage with input /output dials and the smallest has no controls at all.

drury.. · 20-11-2024 05:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859999#Comment_122859999

Meter feed or main board issue if no power at heaters , if you're checking correctly 😁

I can't remember the neons on the devireg for correct operation

Storage heating doesn't use switch fuses normally , check them

Devireg takes 24hr for adjustment to kick in afaik and may output at different times during off-peak

TCOs/elements if heaters not working

Kaisr Sose · 20-11-2024 05:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122860004#Comment_122860004

Thanks ..I assume I am testing correctly and it's working ok. As a control, the non contact tester gives me live supply indicator on sockets,.lights, cooker , then no indication (green) if I trip the fuse. Not a murmur or red flash from it on the heater switches., unfortunately!

I checked the fuses (13a) on the heater switches in a circuit than is working (combi heater unit) and all are ok.

Is the devireg the part on CU with the day/night dials or the ABB ESB part.

I may do a daytime power test (fit a plug and timer) on the small heater to see it it works. If the heaters are busted I will get modern electric rads rather than potentially costly repairs.

RiseToMe · 20-11-2024 08:24AM

Ive sent you a message there, hopefully it helps

drury.. · 20-11-2024 09:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122860011#Comment_122860011

Ya devireg has the dials

Usually you confirm overnite "power " to heaters at switches first , if not there confirm meter or overnite feed at devireg

Heaters are easily tested at switches or inside unit with a multimeter , no need to be plugging them in , im a spark and would normally test them at mcbs when I was a rec

If open reading on heaters it's tcos or elements

TCO is a reset button inside that pops and can be reset

Devireg if faulty can be replaced or swapped out for old style "master stat" control or some other modern control probably but needs a rec for the work .

Or just go the new way and fit eco😁heaters if heaters faulty

Kaisr Sose · 20-11-2024 08:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122860225#Comment_122860225

Thanks for your input. I am not an electrician and lost on the technical terms. What do you mean by 'open reading on heaters'..is that power in tomswitch, but some fault internally (tco /elements).

Isues with the devireg has popped up a on.a few threads here and other forums. All over my head

Can the outdoor sensor (if fitted and faulty) be bypassed, even for testing purposes?

I may yet go with new radiators. I searched a few types. ATF, Ecovolt, Ecostrad and Furura all look similar enough and come in the same sizes. Futura is the cheapest but has no WiFi controls. Any recommendations yourself?

i assume these rads work off 2hr meter only so the electrician needs to reconfigure the existing circuit from night only at the CU.

drury.. · 20-11-2024 11:32PM

The devireg could be swapped out for a master stat (the system prior to devireg) or bypassed completely

It compensates for temperature changes and i think maybe inputs at the end of off-peak so you've more day heat , I can't recall

Dunno about bypassing the thermistor outside

Multimeter proves the tco and elements , resistance 20ohm or thereabouts, can be checked at heater input or switch

At this stage you should have confirmed overnight power or heaters to know what's going on

Yes new heaters will operate on 24hr , they do their own timing

The esbn meter supplied timing is specifically for night storage

drury.. · 20-11-2024 11:43PM

You need to confirm either meter timing, board controls or heaters is the problem

Meter timing is an input on the devireg that is energized for off peak

If you can dig up the manual it shows what the LEDs should be doing afaik

I can't recall on meters at the cabinet confirming there , there's different types

Kaisr Sose · 21-11-2024 12:52AM

You need to confirm either meter timing, board controls or heaters is the problem

There is no power Not sure how or if I can check meter timing. It's an apartment with the meter is a long way from the CU and sealed. Thats for electrician or ESBN.

The meter is still analogue, mc002.

I can borrow a multi meter and see if I get anything on the heater controls.

I doubt a reset on the TCP would change anything with no power to heater.

From what I have read on Google, the green light on the devi should turn red when the heating is on. This is not happening.

I must go to the premises before 11 and listen for the switch to night power.

If I don't hear that clunk or click, there won't be a chance of power on the circuit.

Anything on the CU or meter timer checks is for an electrician next week. No manuals for anything.

drury.. · 21-11-2024 06:53AM

Probably best call a rec

Theres an input on the devireg from the meter overnite

That can be swapped over to contactor coil to prove everything except devireg

Thermistor can be checked also with a multimeter

The contactor probably has a little indicator on the front of it to show when energized,i forgot that

The meters I can't recall if you can check those visually , someone else might know that

Kaisr Sose · 22-11-2024 04:11PM

Thanks for your input

I checked all three heaters. They are all fully functional.

Yes, the contactor has an indicator and it's unlit. With a neon indicator present, I assume it would be lit when operational.

I have no idea where the outside thermostat is, assuming there is one. I have an electrician calling next week.

IMG_20241120_002920_edit_379468647265012_copy_1372x832.jpg

drury.. · 22-11-2024 05:13PM

The contactor indicator isn't a neon , it's a red flag I think it is , bottom right in pic there

Yes the devireg has an external thermistor , that's how it compensates for temp changes , the manual has a graph and thermistor can be checked against it, long time since I looked at it

The devireg is crap as a control Its an industrial type system transfered to domestic

Anyway if it's an esbn or board issue best have a rec

drury.. · 22-11-2024 05:50PM

I can't recall on metering if switching can be checked visually

Thermistor is 9, 10 on devireg

ESBN Off-peak Is 4

ongarite · 22-11-2024 05:55PM

I had storage heaters in apartment with the DeviReg unit as above.

I would change both the day & night dials back to 0 (down arrow) position. The day on constant setting could be causing all your issues.

Typically the night dial was adjusted to trigger the heaters to come on earlier.

Kaisr Sose · 22-11-2024 08:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122870776#Comment_122870776

Thanks,

I had them both on 0 and all other possible settings the other night.None of them worked.

I have discovered (via Google) putting day on constant is a test mode to override the external sensors and should have no bearing on heater working.

Kaisr Sose · 22-11-2024 08:10PM

ESB Networks are going to investigate the meter timer on Monday.

Storage heaters not working

Comments