storage heater problem, no power at night to charge

[Lurch]

As I said earlier, the circuits have been tested but not the actual supply to the board. Could be a loose terminal, or a dodgy switch.

Now we have discovered that this is the 2nd meter I retract my previous diagnosis.

 

[Murdoch]

Hello, sorry I  thought I put it in my 1st post- sorry it was a bit long  :Blushing

the heaters were not working when we moved in  2 weeks ago, so we had to wait for the electrician, who said it was the meter, and then for it to be changed by the supplier, and then the electrician to visit again and say it was the still new meter too, sorry for any confusion, I was in a bit of a panic after the visit this morning

Here we go ... the drip drip of very relevant information...

I too doubt 2 meters are faulty ...............

Where are you based OP?

 

[Greyhound]

Sorry again for any confusion, my 1st post was overly long - I was worried that it would be really unlucky to have 2 bad meters  and I wouldn't want to be on E7 without working storage heaters.

I would like the electrician to visit off peak to see, or if possible appoint our electrician for a second opinion/repair - he did bypass the storage heater board rather than check it fully as you said.

We rent so the electrician goes through a management company, the 1st visit he thought it was user error and didn't do any further checks as he said they were 'working earlier in the year so it has to be the meter' as the night readings hadn't changed

Ps we are in Somerset, near Bath 

 

[ProDave]

Yes my guess is the "electrician" tested the circuits going out from the off peak CU but did not test something as basic as the main switch or the integrity of the connection to the busbar.

There was probably nothing wrong with the original meter.

Time for a different electrician I think.

EDIT: just read the above repply. At least it's not you wasting money. If I was the landlord I would be insisting on a different electrician rather than keep paying the existing one who has failed to find the fault.

 

[Lurch]

Yes my guess is the "electrician" tested the circuits going out from the off peak CU but did not test something as basic as the main switch or the integrity of the connection to the busbar.

You don't need to guess, that's what he did.

 

[Greyhound]

Oh dear sorry to hear the original meter could have been ok   bit muddled after  moving house, but have to get it sorted so I appreciate everyone's help. 

Yes, last visit he did bypass the storage heater board to show us that each heater worked, he put the wire from each heater one by one into the 24hr board and checked the elements. Set the heaters as we had and left. 

All,this is good to know as we'll have to get another electrician in before it gets cold, will have to see what the letting agent says.

I apologise for any confusion, there have been a few visits and the heaters haven't come on since the new meter went in, he came back this morning and 'changed some plastic bits'.....whatever that means?! but I'm not hopeful, that was the 3rd visit (plus 2 from the supplier checking outside, and changing the meter).

He just said it was all he could do and for us to get the meter looked at again 

 

[ProDave]

It's not your fault.  you (or your agent) got an "electrician" and you trusted them to make the right diagnosis, but sadly in this case it sounds like they got it wrong.

Let us know the outcome. Hopefully you can persuade the agent that a different person is needed.

 

[Greyhound]

Thank you Dave & everyone, I am happy to say after all the help here, the landlord sent another electrician out, and he fixed it

As suggested, it wasn't the meter,  I think they said it was a fuse!  I was out at the time but I could see they replaced some of the wiring too, so I'm really glad I asked on here  

I could have been sent on a wild goose chase contacting the supplier again....and left worrying about whether we would have any heating (this has gone on for just over a fortnight now)

It was a bit warm, but the storage heaters came on this morning, lol - but at least they are now ready for when it gets cold, so thanks to everyone who replied, being in a rural area with no heaters was a worry and we didn't like to pester our new landlord, but it was all worthwhile.

 

[Lurch]

Champion. Appreciate the update, nice to know there are some competent people left. We only usually get people here who have been ripped off or want to do bad DIY!

 

[ProDave]

Thanks for letting us know. Perhaps you could post an "after" picture to see if we can spot what he replaced?

 

[Murdoch]

It's always a good idea top run storage heaters before it gets cold, to get the dust all burnt off...

 

[Greyhound]

Thanks Lurch, I appreciate all the help

I can imagine..... I only know enough about electricity not to attempt any DIY  I wasn't confident about questioning the work, which could happen to others as well, so I'm glad I found the forum   

Hello Dave, I'm not sure what he replaced as I was out, I would like to have seen what he did differently though.

• There were some thick grey cable and trimmings waste, so I thought something had been replaced. 
  
• There is more space around the red main switch on the night heater board -  it doesn't look like it is set as straight - but from the outside the wiring looks much the same. I thought maybe the work was under the rcd case, we only know second hand from the letting agent who mentioned a fuse,  which probably isn't very helpful as a diagnosis .
  
• As suspected earlier in the thread, the meter is ok (we hadn't called the supplier yet)
  

We just told the agent that the heaters were still not working and surely it can't still be the meter, so we asked if they could send another electrician, they mentioned another company - fortunately they have been very good.

the hatch is in a difficult spot,  and there's no latch, my son had to hold it open with a hiking stick so I could get the iPad in there before, so I feel sorry for anyone working in there  

 

[Greyhound]

Ps thanks Murdoch, there was a lot of dust  not just burning off, but quite a bit came out into the room as well

 I am a bit wary of checking the heating before it gets cold, we have had faulty gas boilers before and been left freezing, which they are not meant to do.....thankfully the letting agents we have now have been a lot more professional than previous landlords.