Enviwarm

[jedisparks]

Hi folks,

I just wondered if anyone has come across or worked upon Enviwarm heaters before?

I was at client's house the other day, just finishing off, getting ready to go on to my next job. They said "while you're here...., can you see if you can fix my heating please?" I say "Okaaayyy, I'll take quick look but don't have much time today".

Anyway I take a look and it is one of the old warm air heating systems where you have a central electric heater unit (massive) and a vent in each room. I've seen plenty of these but in my 16 years of sparkying have not experienced the joy of working on such contraptions.

It is made by Enviwarm. Had a prod and a poke, supply is there, room stat switches on and supply comes back from there too. there's a supply on the terminals that supply the elements (I think). Only 120 volts on the terminals supplying the fan (I think). Time is running on, so I say I will look into it.

Now, this thing has got to be at least 40 years old, is it worth tampering with (a potential can of worms scenario)? Currently it just heats the downstairs, they have storage heaters upstairs. I have suggested another option to the client. As this thing is in the lounge, enclosed in a cupboard the size of a typical airing cupboard, I suggest that it would be worth considering taking it out, loosing the cupboard (giving a bigger living room) and installing a couple of storage heaters downstairs instead.

He says "Ok, can you give me a quote for that too".

In summary:

1)Is this old kit worth meddling with?

2)If I take out the old one is there likely to be any asbestos in it, or where could i find out?

Thanks for reading.

 

[jedisparks]

Hi Folks, just thought I would bump this one.

Any opinions on working on old warm air systems? Nightmare? Avoid like the plague? Any experiences? Enviwarm?

Big thanks in advance.

 

[jedisparks]

Hheeeelllloooooooooo................is there anybody therrrreeeee..................???????????????????????????

 

[Top Cat]

Hi jedi

I have done a lot of work on Creda electricairs but it has been about 30 years since i worked on Enviwarm and then i only did a few.

Yes you can get spares. Enviwarm Heater Spares at Capri Electrical

What are the symptoms?

 

[jedisparks]

Thanks Top Cat,

It was a few weeks ago now and I didn't spend long on it, but what I did find was a 230 volt incoming supply. They had a room thermostat and that was switching a supply back ok. There are a couple of biggish contactors in there that remained de-energised when the stat was switched on. The fan didn't operate and I found that there were only 120 volts at the terminals supplying the fan. I followed the supply from the thermostat onto a strange cylinderical object that was positioned horizontally above a flap, in front of the fan housing which i assume is meant to open at some point. At that point I conceded that a) I was meant to be somewhere else (convenient) and b) that I didn't really know what I'm looking at, so I will go away and see waht I can find out.

So this is where I'm at. I have no experience of working on this kit so I don't know what I can tell my client about potential costs etc. They do have economy 7 heating elsewhere in the house. So I have suggested taking out the Enviwarm and installing a couple of storage heaters instead. As the unit is smack bang in the middle of the lounge wall, it would really open the room up too.

 

[Top Cat]

Hi jedi,

As regards to the fan and the cylindrical object, that is the fan speed controller (if it has a wire raped round it and take off points ) so you can make the fan go faster or slower depending where you take your feed to fan off. This may be why you are getting 120 V.

I would say it is worth checking a couple of things before you get rid of it.

There should be either some thermal links or thermal mechanical trips that operate if the unit gets too hot. They are usually sited behind the front main panel or on the base of the unit (maybe under a plate).

The thermal links are just a piece of solder that the power goes through that melts when it gets too hot.

The thermal mechanical trips have a spring clip that you reset with a screwdriver.

If this link has operated then you will not get a supply to coil of contactor.

You could probably prove this by manually holding down the contactor and seeing if you get a load reading. Trouble is it is a different set up for E7 and the old style "OFF PEAK"

If you want to rip it out i know the Creda models had no asbestos and 90% sure the Enviwarms did not.

Allow for a skip, those blocks inside are bloody heavy!

 

[jedisparks]

Magic! Thanks for those tips. I will have another look at the heater with those points in mind.

Thanks again.

 

[poppypiesdad]

Do not remove , its too much trouble /hassle and possible asbestos dangers , disconnect , isolate and fit storage heaters , up here in fife it was either gas warm air , or everwarm monsters .

Jamie