how to use storage heater without activating the included convector heater?

[Deleted member 123084]

Dear all, I have 3 unidare storage heaters that I d like to use minimizing electrical expense and I m struggling to understand how they work. I ve called unidare phone with no success and asked 2 electricians that could not provide help, thus I thought maybe someone from here could help. the instructions indicate how to adjust input (to regulate how "much energy it stores") and output (to adjust the time of day at which the heat emmited from the grille=boost is emmited). This is fed by night electricity. Instructions indicate additionally it can work as convector heater that uses day electricity (expensive) if necessary. instructions say this convector has a switch (on=convector runs/off=it does not run) and a thermostat to adjust to desired room temperature. Therefore, I understand that if I only want to use night electricity it should be enough to have them plugged with input/output on desired positions, NOT turning on the convector switch. But if I just do that, nothing happens and it remains completely cold. I can switch them ON using the convector switch, but in that case, it turns hot at any time of the day using electricity during day, and that s not what I want as that s expensive. Could anyone please provide help on how to make work ONLY the storage and NOT the convector? any help would be much appreciated thanks a lot, best regards
here the instructions I got

 

[westward10]

Does the heater have two supplies to it, for example two separate flexes from separate switches on the wall.

 

[suffolkspark]

Presuming you've left the wall switches on overnight? If you have and dont have any heat at all the next day then they're either all broken or aren't getting power. With the dials, set input to about 5, and outputs to zero.

 

[Deleted member 123084]

Does the heater have two supplies to it, for example two separate flexes from separate switches on the wall.

yes it does.

 

[westward10]

Can you hear a click when you turn the input control.

 

[Deleted member 123084]

Presuming you've left the wall switches on overnight? If you have and dont have any heat at all the next day then they're either all broken or aren't getting power. With the dials, set input to about 5, and outputs to zero.

thanks for your answer. But why should I set output to zero? first, there is no zero, but 1-6. second, I don t understand why that would help ¿? could you please explain?
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Can you hear a click when you turn the input control.

not really. I have checked on the 3 heaters I have in the house and none does make a clic. I add that when I moved in, I just turned on the convector switch setting its thermostat to zero, suppossing that was the way to make the heaters work. I paid a fortune on electricity and that is why this year I m making an effort to understand how these work.

 

[suffolkspark]

Because the output just controls a bimetalic stric and pushes down on a flap to let the heat out of the bricks, saying that thinking about it i think unidare are the buck to that trend and do also have some link relating to input aswell, either way... keep output fairly low so the heat remains in the heater for longer and should make it into the evening

 

[Deleted member 123084]

Because the output just controls a bimetalic stric and pushes down on a flap to let the heat out of the bricks, saying that thinking about it i think unidare are the buck to that trend and do also have some link relating to input aswell, either way... keep output fairly low so the heat remains in the heater for longer and should make it into the evening

ok. I will then try output 1, which is the lowest. But I setted it at 3 yesterday night and this morning the heater was absolotely cold... so I don t understand what s going on

 

[suffolkspark]

Put the input dial fairly high.... if all heaters remain cold in the morning somethings not right

 

[Deleted member 123084]

thanks for your answer. But why should I set output to zero? first, there is no zero, but 1-6. second, I don t understand why that would help ¿? could you please explain?
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not really. I have checked on the 3 heaters I have in the house and none does make a clic. I add that when I moved in, I just turned on the convector switch setting its thermostat to zero, suppossing that was the way to make the heaters work. I paid a fortune on electricity and that is why this year I m making an effort to understand how these work.

I just noticed that the thermostat DOES CLIC when I turn it. does that help somehow?
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Put the input dial fairly high.... if all heaters remain cold in the morning somethings not right

hum, ok I ll tray that. I just noticed the thermostat clics when I turn it. if I m interpreting the instructions right, the thermostat only has an effect on the convector function, but now I am considering it may activate something? another combination would be to turn the convector switch ON but leaving the thermostat in zero, but I m not sure on the effects of that. would that make the heater use day electricty instead of night one? by the way, if I use the convector at night, would that use night electricity because it s night time? or day because the "cable" goes to the day electricity "circuit"?

 

[Dave OCD]

I'd also check the distribution board that supplies the night time or 'off peak' power and make sure all the circuit breakers are turned on [in the up position], and check that all the switches adjacent to the heaters are also on.

 

[Davisonp]

What tariff are you on with your supplier? You should be on Economy 7 or something similar. Also, do you get hot water overnight? That is common in properties using storage heaters and would show the overnight power supply is turning on over night.
I have come across situations where people have cancelled economy 7 and of course the overnight supply does not come on.

 

[Deleted member 123084]

What tariff are you on with your supplier? You should be on Economy 7 or something similar. Also, do you get hot water overnight? That is common in properties using storage heaters and would show the overnight power supply is turning on over night.
I have come across situations where people have cancelled economy 7 and of course the overnight supply does not come on.

I have economy 7, there are 2 electrical panels and on them it s written which corresponds to what and it says storage heaters in 3 of them. I do have a hot water heater that does work heating water at night (and I have checked it is actually working that way).In the heater, when I switch on the convector switch the light is on, so they are getting electricity (if I understood all correctly, they are getting "day" electricity"). So, I suspect they may not be getting night electricity?

 

[suffolkspark]

Possibly.... or all 3 could have tripped the thermal cut outs inside, this can happen if they have been covered at some point with clothes, or if the thermostats stick on

 

[Deleted member 123084]

Possibly.... or all 3 could have tripped the thermal cut outs inside, this can happen if they have been covered at some point with clothes, or if the thermostats stick on

Could you suggest any additional test I may conduct to figure this out? Last year I used them with the convector switch ON, so they worked but I paid a fortune. This year with the convector switch OFF, only one heater gets warm at night and exhales hear around the day. should i call an electrician? Unidare does not answer the phone. In fact I am not sure if they still exist as I can not find anything online about them