Storage heater not heating up but powered

jjjinx · Feb 25, 2022

Hi guys,

I'm on a job where one of the storage heaters isn't heating up. it is a dimplex model FXL18N 2.34kW.

There are two of these heaters in the property but one is not heating up. I've checked & bypassed the supply using peak supply to verify that electricity is getting into the heater.
At the elements 240v, resistance is 23.7 ohms.

The control / thermostat clicks when moved but no change in resistance at the element & there is no disconnection of electricity when the thermostat is turned to zero. I've duplicated the test at the other heater & exactly the same results.

No thermal trips as there is electricity at the elements live & neutral, can anyone think of anything else i've missed or can try?

Cheers Jon.

littlespark · Feb 25, 2022

Is there actual elements there?

I worked on one where there was only 2 out of 4 elements fitted.

If there’s voltage at the elements… (between L and N) and the elements are reading a resistance, (not dead short, not open circuit) then there is no reason why the elements don’t heat up. They won’t be hot instantaneously….

Some have resettable thermal trips, others are sacrificial, and would need replaced.

Can you photograph the control panel part?

Dartlec · Feb 25, 2022

As @littlespark says, if the element and not shorted then it should get hot - it's just a wire at the end of the day, nothing clever or sophisticated

If you can, bypass all the control part and wire the element directly into a plug - they often have ceramic terminals at the element side of the circuit.

If the elements are within the thermal blocks it may take a while before the heat is noticeable. May be worth removing the outer layer of blocks to check the condition of elements directly, but unless water has got in they don't often fail there in my experience.

I've had several issues with storage heaters not working in a couple of flats (Storad, not dimplex) and in each case it's been the heat overset that has tripped (a disk that pops up) - and in one case had failed completely...

jjjinx · Feb 26, 2022

littlespark said:
Is there actual elements there?

I worked on one where there was only 2 out of 4 elements fitted.

If there’s voltage at the elements… (between L and N) and the elements are reading a resistance, (not dead short, not open circuit) then there is no reason why the elements don’t heat up. They won’t be hot instantaneously….

Some have resettable thermal trips, others are sacrificial, and would need replaced.

Can you photograph the control panel part?

yes there is definitely elements there, thanks for your input. I'm quite versed with older storage heaters but this ones got me vexed.

jjjinx · Feb 26, 2022

[ElectriciansForums.net] Storage heater not heating up but powered

jjjinx · Feb 26, 2022

brianmoooore · Feb 26, 2022

If the resistance measured at one of the element's terminals is 23.7 ohms, then the wiring between all of them is OK, as are all of the elements. If you measured 240 volts across the terminals, then they will be heating up.
Have you checked that the 240 volts doesn't disappear after a short while?

jjjinx · Feb 26, 2022

brianmoooore said:
If the resistance measured at one of the element's terminals is 23.7 ohms, then the wiring between all of them is OK, as are all of the elements. If you measured 240 volts across the terminals, then they will be heating up.
Have you checked that the 240 volts doesn't disappear after a short while?

no only stayed there about an hour, I usually get some warmth coming through by then but i'm going to back & double check the results & report back. Unless i've missed something its a little strange, checked between L-E & L-N across the furthest element but as I said will double check.

Petej999 · Feb 26, 2022

jjjinx said:
yes there is definitely elements there, thanks for your input. I'm quite versed with older storage heaters but this ones got me vexed.

Thermal link open cicuit??, fuse open circuit, not switched ON

SJD · Feb 26, 2022

At the consumer unit / fuse box, if the heater is switched on, you should see the appropriate resistance (e.g. around 24 Ohm) between L & N for the outgoing circuit (be sure you have the correct circuit, and not seeing some other load). If not, then it is just a matter of working back through the circuit and the heater wiring itself. Faults tend to be an open circuit in the isolator/FCU, an open circuit internal thermal cut-out, faulty thermostat, also if there is any timer/contactor in the circuit not working.

If all appears good but the bricks don't seem to heat up, I've seen where the thermostat is faulty and operates shortly after powering up, so the heater hardly gets any heat charge.

brianmoooore · Feb 26, 2022

SJD said:
, I've seen where the thermostat is faulty and operates shortly after powering up, so the heater hardly gets any heat charge.

That's why I made my last post. I vaguely remember coming across the same at you once when fault finding a storage heater.

westward10 · Feb 26, 2022

You need to measure resistance at the supply terminals to verify the appliance circuit.

jjjinx · Feb 27, 2022

westward10 said:
You need to measure resistance at the supply terminals to verify the appliance circuit.

done that, then i measured the resistance at the element while turning the control, then I measured the voltage between L-N & L-E across the element

Mark K · Oct 27, 2023

SJD said:
At the consumer unit / fuse box, if the heater is switched on, you should see the appropriate resistance (e.g. around 24 Ohm) between L & N for the outgoing circuit (be sure you have the correct circuit, and not seeing some other load). If not, then it is just a matter of working back through the circuit and the heater wiring itself. Faults tend to be an open circuit in the isolator/FCU, an open circuit internal thermal cut-out, faulty thermostat, also if there is any timer/contactor in the circuit not working.

If all appears good but the bricks don't seem to heat up, I've seen where the thermostat is faulty and operates shortly after powering up, so the heater hardly gets any heat charge.

I think this maybe my fault. I stuck my snout near the vent and could feel a tiny amount of warmth after switching on but then it soon got cold again.- will open it up and check thermostat - thanks for you post.

Rockingit · Oct 27, 2023

Mark K said:
I think this maybe my fault. I stuck my snout near the vent and could feel a tiny amount of warmth after switching on but then it soon got cold again.- will open it up and check thermostat - thanks for you post.

You might want to be careful doing that - the last storage heater I had to actually fully replace had gone pop because the old boy had pee'd into it. Yep - you read that right! All the internal insulation blanket was sopping wet with urine. That was not a fun job.

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