Economy 7 not working.

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

My Economy 7 heater has stopped working. I am new to this type of heating as I have always had Central Heating. The switch on the wall is not lit up. I'm also not sure how the water works but this seems to be hot. Any easy understanding ideas?

 

[rapparee]

You do realise that economy 7 heaters only work at night. This is when electric is on a cheaper tariff. It'll cool down during the day and come on again at night.

 

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

Hiya yes I do, we moved in our new house in August and managed to get it working. However a couple of nights ago my partner left some dry washing on the top of the radiator and it hasn't heated up over night since so we have no heating.Thanks for replying.

 

[steptoe]

Hiya yes I do, we moved in our new house in August and managed to get it working. However a couple of nights ago my partner left some dry washing on the top of the radiator and it hasn't heated up over night since so we have no heating.Thanks for replying.

Ah,

Is it only that one heater stopped working,?

The thermal link may have blown,

It's a really bad idea to cover , or put, anything on top of them,

They tend to overheat and either blow the overheat protection, or trip the thermostat. 

 

[rapparee]

Have you the make and model of your heater. It sounds like he tripped the thermal cut out depending on the make there may be a reset button. There should also be a 13 amp fuse in the switch with the red light, try replacing that. I'm assuming it's only this single heater that isn't working and the rest of the house is OK?

 

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

We only tend to use the big heater in the living room and that's the one that's not working. I've noticed the light switch to the mains isn't lit up but to be honest I can't remember if it was ever lit up before. Sorry to be so vague but like I said it's all new to me. 

I wouldn't know how to change the fuse as there is no plug its just a swich on the wall that you switch on or off. Its a Abarron Elnur if that means anything. Sorry I must sound really thick. I understand everyday about Central heating but absolutely nothing about Economy 7.

 

[rapparee]

I assume when you say light switch you're talking about a 13 amp switched fuse spur. 

try replacing the fuse in it. If this doesn't work it's looking like you might need to get someone out to work on the heater.

Have you a make or model for your storage heater.

 

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

Hiya I have attached a photo of the switch. There looks like a silver battery inside but no fuse. I have tried to attach a photo of the switch but it won't let me. It's not like the one you attached but similar. It has a large gold switch with the light above it.

 

[rapparee]

:C

 

[Lurch]

You will need an electrician really as covering it with clothes has probably caused the internal protection to operate (i.e. thermal fuse has blown). This is why they say on them "DO NOT COVER".

 

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

Ok thank you. I did have a go at him but it's done now. I have reset the button that links the hot water so if no luck I'll have to speak to my energy provider. Thanks again for all your help

 

[Andy™]

no point speaking to your energy provider, they only provide you with energy which is unlikely to be the fault

 

[Lurch]

I have reset the button that links the hot water

Erm, OK. I've pressed a button on my compressor for you too, maybe that will also help?

if no luck I'll have to speak to my energy provider

Why? Are you saying you have no electric to the entire property?

If there is only a single heater not working then you need an electrician. Not sure where to point you at for finding one though, probably best asking someone for a recommendation, or give a rough idea of your location and someone here may be close.

 

[Helen Elizabeth Horton]

I have electric in the house but my energy providers covers me for Economy 7 if anything goes wrong 

 

[rapparee]

I have electric in the house but my energy providers covers me for Economy 7 if anything goes wrong 

Are you sure it is for the actual heater and not just the supply. If so it'll probably work out cheaper to get an independent spark out to you.

 

[Murdoch]

Have you just changed energy suppliers?

 

[Blue Duck]

On just about every storage heater I've ever seen it says DO NOT COVER on the top! oh well. :C

like the others have said, it's probably the thermal fuse inside the storage heater.

Give us an idea of your location there may be a stalker sparky on here near you.

 

[ProDave]

As already mentioned, if you ignore the "do not cover" wording and erm, cover it, they will over heat.

Inside the heater will be some form of thermal trip. There are at least 3 different types of bimetalic trip that can be reset if you know which bit to press (some need a screwdriver) and some use a non resettable thermal fuse that would need to be replaced.

best get a local electrician to fix it, then give the bill to your partner. That should stop them using it to dry washing again.

P.S this is a very common rerpair in rental properties.
 

 

[binky]

your heaters will be independent of the hot water - no need to fidlle with that.

 

[rapparee]

Just seeing that it's a Gaborone elnur. Here is a link of someone else in the same boat and it looks like they were able to reset it.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/uk.d-i-y/2KSuBNzLKx8