Storage heater advice

[martyj]

Hi Dave, thank you again for your reply.

i think I understood right, I used a screwdriver on the bit in the photo? I did bot hear any obvious clicks though

martin

 

[ProDave]

The white bit in the foreground has that tang sticking up, insert a flat screwdriver bit underneath that at the same angle as the tang. You are poking down into the trip mechanism where it is not clear exactly what you are doing, but you should hear a faint click if it has tripped and the click is the mechanism resetting.

 

[kerching]

From PDs description I think he is referring to this bit....but I don't do,storage heaters very often so,am probably wrong as usual

 

[martyj]

Thanks guys. Gave that a go, didnt really seem to do much that I noticed, seems quite flimsy so didnt want to be too heavy handed?

 

[ProDave]

I don't think there's much more we can help without any test gear. It may well be that it hadn't tripped and there is some other fault.

 

[martyj]

No worries, thank you. I’m guessing the best thing is to call an electrician out or is there a better (cheaper) way to go about it?

 

[ProDave]

Yes an electrician should be able to sort it quite quickly,

 

[martyj]

Hi Dave, I had a quote from a local electrician and it was £90 inc vat for the first hour, which would probably fix or detect issue I know, but seems very steep.

Thinking of getting a multimeter, e.g https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas830b-digital-multimeter-600v/75337

and having a look myself.

is there a guide i can look at or an old post as I literally have no idea!

thank you,

Martin.

 

[ProDave]

£90 per hour FFS  Where are you central London?

This is the sort of job I would do for just my hourly rate as long as I didn't have to travel too far or could do it on the way too or from another job.

Try another electrician.  If you "do " facebook, then ask on there for a recommendation.  I don't do it myself but aparently so I am told I am recommended there a lot when people ask for an electrician.

Yes that multimeter should do all you want for diagnosing this fault.

 

[Murdoch]

£90 per hour inc VAT - wow ................. its probably an indication that he doesn't want the work ................ I couldn't even get this around here in leafy Surrey.

Maybe try a couple more sparks

Pop your postcode in here ...

http://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/

 

[martyj]

I live in Essex, near Chelmsford. It was £70 plus vat for the first hour, so a bit less than 90, but still. I put a post on facebook and thats where this guy came from, annoying that i dont have any electrician friends!

 

[Evans Electric]

£90 /  hour  !!!    was it one of those agency/   funny phone number jobbies  where a bunch of no- marks sit in a warm office and send  an agency sparks out to you , to whom they pay rubbish money .  ?  

£90 / hour !!!! Thats  £ 3600.00  for  a flat week !!!!   

 

[ProDave]

There used to be an electrician from Essex on here, perhaps he will pop up and come and do it :innocent

 

[Sharpend]

There used to be an electrician from Essex on here, perhaps he will pop up and come and do it :innocent

I believe he has moved west away from Essex!!

 

[Murdoch]

I believe he has moved west away from Essex!!

to Wiltshire maybe  :slap

 

[Murdoch]

£90 / hour !!!! Thats  £ 3600.00  for  a flat week !!!!   

Well, the OP has said its £70 + VAT

So £70 x 20 = £1400, still not too shabby (thats assuming you can get 20 people per week to pay you £70 for 1 hours work..

 

[martyj]

I got the impression it was a guy who had a few people working for him rather than an agency! Used the website suggested above and a guy is coming to have a look for free and then will quote for the work, thats what he said when i asked what his call out charge was!  :Salute

 

[Evans Electric]

That sounds better .    The last time I heard £90 /hour was from BT   ..if the fault was  your extension wiring . 

The way their charges are going up  its probably £190/hour now . 

If  a contractor sent an electrician in the new year  , he would be paying him a minimum of £15.46 /hour   .  There are many costs involved in employing someone  but if you  adjusted that  to , say   £ 35.00 ..would that be a reasonable charge out figure  for a firm to send a man  & van . ?      Theres holiday pay , pensions  , H&S , insurances etc  to be added .

These days I can only work out my own rate . 

 

[Murdoch]

IMHO £35 for the first hour is too low if you are doing small jobs day in day out.

 

[Evans Electric]

Yes  ...it usually involves a lot of driving about , say , fetching a spare part  etc .