Dimplex Fxl24I Storage Heater Fault

[Vivienne Digress]

As mentioned in the topic title, I live in a sheltered housing building and have a Dimplex Storage heater in my lounge that runs on an Economy 7 system.  This winter, when I turned the heater on it was fine and had no issues.  It was charging well and evenly between hours of 12am to 6am.   Just the last two weeks or so, it has been sounding an alarm every time the charge begins and once it trips out the alarm is gone.  It is a high pitched constant alarm much like a fire alarm only quieter.  I have had 3 engineers out hired by the landlords and none have heard of it before nor can they find anything wrong.  Not sure here myself and am wondering if the thermal cut out switch could cause this and if yes, does anyone know if this model has a reset feature.

Any ideas, advice, help would be fantastic.  Thank you all.

 

[NozSpark]

Did they do any testing or strip the heater down to look at the elements?

 

[Vivienne Digress]

Hi NozSpark

yes they tested for power fluctuation since we had recently had new communal lighting fitted and also took the entire heater system apart including the bricks and checked the element for heat and functionality.  The noise seems mainly to come from the input dial or right next to it near the booster switch, hence my suspicion.  All tests came back as ok and normal.

 

[ProDave]

That is just a basic storage heater as far as I know, no fancy electronics.  Just a heating element and a thermostat.

So I would say there is a problem with one of the heating elements or even the thermostat, and something is arcing and making the noise.

Since all the electricians have been in the daytime, they won't have seen the heater energised so won't be able to properly diagnose the problem.

They either need to come in the middle of the night (unlikely) or they need to temporarily connect some flex and a 13A plug to the heater so they can power it up in the daytime and then they will be able to hear and find the fault.

So sadly, as is often the case, you need a better electrician.

 

[Vivienne Digress]

That is just a basic storage heater as far as I know, no fancy electronics.  Just a heating element and a thermostat.

So I would say there is a problem with one of the heating elements or even the thermostat, and something is arcing and making the noise.

Since all the electricians have been in the daytime, they won't have seen the heater energised so won't be able to properly diagnose the problem.

They either need to come in the middle of the night (unlikely) or they need to temporarily connect some flex and a 13A plug to the heater so they can power it up in the daytime and then they will be able to hear and find the fault.

So sadly, as is often the case, you need a better electrician.

Hi

ProDaveI did an audio recording of the alarm sound just to inform the next poor Jack who attends this job.  I am able to apply boost and fan during the day however the poor engineer will have to put up with waiting for a spell while he sips tea.  The issue is something that even the Dimplex head office cannot understand nor ever heard of.  It is a total mystery to me.  If it helps... the input dial does spark when i turn it up or down so could this do it?

 

[Vivienne Digress]

Hi

ProDaveI did an audio recording of the alarm sound just to inform the next poor Jack who attends this job.  I am able to apply boost and fan during the day however the poor engineer will have to put up with waiting for a spell while he sips tea.  The issue is something that even the Dimplex head office cannot understand nor ever heard of.  It is a total mystery to me.  If it helps... the input dial does spark when i turn it up or down so could this do it?

I currently stand at the point where I have turned the heater off and sit here with no heat even though the engineers that have been said it was safe to use.   I am intrigued as to what could cause this noise and in my search for an answer I hope to help other engineers with the issue in the future.  

 

[ProDave]

Okay, the boost with a fan is a completely separate fan heater unit stuck on the front. electrically it is completely separate to the storage heater bit.  By the sounds of things that is still working normally.

I have heard immersion heaters make a noise a bit like you describe when they are well and truly shot, so that's what I suspect.

The only way to fins out is to power it up and listen to what is making the noise as I have already explained.  Surely the other electricians must have realised that?

 

[Vivienne Digress]

Thanks ProDave,  I will forward your suspicions to the next engineer and make sure I also hand him a copy of the manual.  I Love the 'well and truly shot' comment and agree with you.  Lets hope this issue can be sorted by the next engineer.