Old Asbestos Containing Storage Heaters.

Farmboy:

I'm unsure about the validity of that list. I asked Dimplex about one of their storage heaters, and they assured me that it was manufactured after they stopped using asbestos, yet the model number is not in the list. Probably better to ask each manufacturer as each heater is encountered.


F

It is not so easy to obtain glass fibre sleeving these days. Screwfix does not stock it.

Zoomup:

Farmboy:

I'm unsure about the validity of that list. I asked Dimplex about one of their storage heaters, and they assured me that it was manufactured after they stopped using asbestos, yet the model number is not in the list. Probably better to ask each manufacturer as each heater is encountered.


F

Yes better safe than sorry. I must admit that most of the storage heaters that I have installed or opened up when fault finding have had glass fibre as internal insulation, sometimes as loose sheets other times encased in a small packet. They are very dusty things when opened so a face mask is a wise precaution, because storage heaters draw in dust due to convection currents.  I once took out some warm storage heater bricks and placed them on a customer's carpet whilst replacing a long storage heater spiral element. Because the bricks were warm they "ironed" rectangular patterns into the customers carpet. The customer was not pleased at all.


The heater that I looked at yesterday was an old Unidare model from the '70s I believe. The long spiral ni-chrome element was of very solid construction using heavy gauge wire, much beefier than others that I have see like Dimplex. There was a break at the neutral end of the element and a blob of metal where the wire had melted at the "cold tail". If the blob was of melted ni-chrome it would have had to reach a very high temperature to melt, about 1,400 deg. Celsius I believe.  I added a new cold tail using a porcelain connector. It is not so easy to obtain glass fibre sleeving these days. Screwfix does not stock it.


Z. 

 

 I once took out some warm storage heater bricks and placed them on a customer's carpet whilst replacing a long storage heater spiral element. Because the bricks were warm they "ironed" rectangular patterns into the customers carpet. The customer was not pleased at all.

AJJewsbury:

It is not so easy to obtain glass fibre sleeving these days. Screwfix does not stock it.

This kind of stuff: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/cable-sleeves/6681245/?


   - Andy.

 

 I asked a heater manufacturer about a modification that had been made in one of their heaters by an installer some years ago and the manufacturer said that if anything negative happened with the heater, such as a fire, they would have nothing to do with it because the heater had been changed from their original design. So, do you make a problem for yourself by adding/altering it.


 

 

Legh Richardson:

 I once took out some warm storage heater bricks and placed them on a customer's carpet whilst replacing a long storage heater spiral element. Because the bricks were warm they "ironed" rectangular patterns into the customers carpet. The customer was not pleased at all.

Crikey, I hope you were wearing asbestos filled gloves or using industrial sized fire tongs!

You might suggest that the client replaces the carpet with natural fibered material


Legh

 

 

OMS:

LoL - go, Z - sticking it to the man, one porcelain connector at a time ?


OMS