Replacing old element and Newlec vs Dimplex?

[kipper]

Hope the experts won't mind this post asking for some advice for a member of the general public.

Our place has some really, really old Dimplex storage heaters (must be 20+ years old) that have been working fine to date. They - thankfully - were not manufactured with asbestos, so we've never had them changed as they have always worked surprisingly well.

One of them has now stopped working, and the engineer has said that this is because the heating element has gone. However, it was not possible for them to source a replacement due to the age of the heater, and they would not be prepared to replace it anyway even if we managed to source the element ourselves.

Assuming this is normal practice, they have recommended installing a new storage heater: One a Newlec and the other a Dimplex.

We would normally have gone for the latter (as we know the brand) but I read a post somewhere that said that Newlec and Dimplex models are supposedly the same thing?

If so, is there any advantage of having one brand over the other?

We have been quoted

 

[revjames]

Have you had a good look online to find elements? there are 1000's of these heaters in service, most electricity boards installed them. Dimples, Creda and Unidare. I was an installer in the 80s and 90s so know them well. If the heater is in a poor stateand the insulation is damaged then you wont get the efficiency and it would be better to get a new one, if it is in good nick then I reckon you will find an element.

 

[revjames]

is this what you want?

or this if you want a brand new one (less than

 

[a1]

Welcome to the forum, Kipper.

Where abouts are you from?

 

[kme]

Agree with rev. If the rest of the unit is undamaged, sourcing and replacing the element should be possible; especially for dimplex.

As regards cost, that is, IMO, cheap to replace a storage heater. Don`t think I`d want to do it for that.

 

[revjames]

Agree with rev. If the rest of the unit is undamaged, sourcing and replacing the element should be possible; especially for dimplex.As regards cost, that is, IMO, cheap to replace a storage heater. Don`t think I`d want to do it for that.

I installed one recently, pretty much a likw for like replacement BUT we had to take the old one away. Very heavy, bricks no use for anything except skipping. Niot sure what the boss quoted but it was a PITA.

 

[kme]

Yup, they allus are!

between the fact that it has to be manually humped into place; and the old carp removed, I think the O/P is being offered a good deal on replacement; even if it isn`t warranted!

 

[PC Electrics]

Does that installation cost include removal of the old one?

Personally I charge

 

[kipper]

Thanks to everyone for your advice and time

I actually have no idea if the cost quoted includes removal of the old one - thank you for bringing this up ,PC Electrics - I will be sure to check with the engineer about this.

But hopefully our engineer will be glad that it's a ground floor room which needs the new storage heater The old one is a really, really old model called DA82. I did manage to find one site (http://www.storageheater.co.uk/) that seems to do the heating element for this model, but I do recall now that the engineer mentioned that the bricks would have to be replaced and all, which I am guessing is why he would prefer to install a new one?

I will check with him about the model type as well with regards to Dimplex and Newle since they are one and the same. Hopefully the warranty is similar, although I think we would be happy to pay for the warranty if it came down to it.

Oh and in answer to Admin's question: We're in the Southwest (although I am currently in London)

Many thanks again to everyone for your help. It was a very nice surprise and is very much appreciated.

 

[PC Electrics]

No need to replace the bricks when replacing elements, unless they are actually damaged, which is very unlikely. You're being spun a yarn.

You sure there isn't something else wrong with the SH which renders it requiring replacement?

 

[kipper]

@PC Electrics - From what I've understood, he said that the replacement of the element was likely to damage the bricks (or result in bricks being damaged) so I'm assuming the bricks in the DA82 model must be quite old/hard to replace.

I think he did say it was just the heating element.

Thanks

 

[loonytoon]

Provided he is careful, and doesn't drop a brick, (though I have dropped a few and they didn't break!) there should be no need to change the bricks at all.

Changing the element should only take an hour max, 2 if changing all of them, plus cost of parts, which you could supply him.

 

[PC Electrics]

...replacement of the element was likely to damage the bricks ...

This is utter rubbish. The bricks are very dense and very tough. You would have to try quite hard to break one. And believe me, you would not want to drop one on your foot!!

 

[loonytoon]

...replacement of the element was likely to damage the bricks ...This is utter rubbish. The bricks are very dense and very tough. You would have to try quite hard to break one. And believe me, you would not want to drop one on your foot!!

DITTO!

 

[kme]

Concur!

 

[kipper]

Sorry about the late update everyone. I'm afraid we were terribly silly and went with the new heater in the end - installed by a different engineer (also found on the Dimplex website) -quite desperate for heating at the time especially with the temperatures being what they are now.

The engineer took the old heater away, but now I am wondering - in hindsight - if perhaps we should have kept it for e.g. the basement or something so that it could be used in the winter?

 

[Apache]

Sorry about the late update everyone. I'm afraid we were terribly silly and went with the new heater in the end - installed by a different engineer (also found on the Dimplex website) -quite desperate for heating at the time especially with the temperatures being what they are now.The engineer took the old heater away, but now I am wondering - in hindsight - if perhaps we should have kept it for e.g. the basement or something so that it could be used in the winter?

Always good when people feed back on problems!

Wouldn't have been a bad idea keeping the old one, hind sight is wonderful thing....



You got it sorted and you are warm - that's the main things!