Connecting Electric Storage Heaters

[keneyke]

I have three electric storage heaters which operate on Economy 7. Each is connected via a fused 13A plug to a 3Kw digital timer plugged into a 13A socket and set {presently) fo 0001 to 0800 daily. They (and the replaced ones) have operated safely and efficiently for 24 years like this! I was recently told that this connnection is ILLEGAL and I might have problems when and if I sell the property. None of these heaters exceed 3Kw and all are the modern, slimline type. My home is only 25 years old with a ring circuit & MCBs on the consumer board. Can anyone please clarify this matter for me? I would appreciate any knowledgeable responses. Thanks

[ianmunt]

They should have been hard wired via a fused spur outlet and normally switched via the meter rather than with individual timers

[raysparx1]

Hi. do you have seperate consumer unit or split board for economy 7 side? ie, and each point is wired directly back to unit, if you do all you need to do is change sockets to 20amp dp switches or fused spurs, if you don't they should not be just plugged into an a ring main socket, get it checked, Ray

[Disco Fever]

It's not illegal it's just not good practice. The heaters are fused correctly and if you were overloading the ring mains then the MCB's would trip.

You really need to have another MCB board fitted to the meter so the economy 7 will switch on and off the storage heaters and the heaters need to have there own circuit rated at 16 amps each and connected via a switched fused spur unit or a 20 amp double pole switch then from these you have to use TQ or heat resistant flex.

Colin the sparky.

[matt1e]

you don't necessarily need a new board it depends on your metering and type and size of consumer unit you have.
some meters just have inbuilt set of contacts that are switched automatically and used to energise a din-rail mounted contactor that can fit in your fuse board though I do prefer the separate board option that colin has mentioned

[Disco Fever]

As matt1e says some meters have a contact that can control the storage heater MCB board but this has to be connected by the local electricity board....