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Electric Wall Heater Problem, grateful for advice

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  • 07-02-2019 2:00pm
    #1
    Calltocall
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭


    Hi Folks

    I have a farho electric wall heater which was working fine last week, brand new, only purchased last week. Yesterday when I switch to on on the heater nothing.......no power is getting through to heater. Now here’s the weird thing, the power switch (says fused underneath an orange light) on the actual wall lights up but then when i turn the on switch on the heater itself the light on the wall switch goes off??

    Any idea if this is an electrica/fuse problem or problem with the heater itself?

    Be grateful for any tips


Comments

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    #2
    Iandempsey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Iandempsey


    sounds like a problem at the switch


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    #3
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    Loose neutral connection (most likely at the switched spur)


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    #4
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Likely a neutral connection problem alright.

    Either at the supply side of the switch, or it could also be before the switch at the DB, or wherever the circuit is supplied from.


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    #5
    Tuco88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭Tuco88


    Bruthal wrote: »
    Likely a neutral connection problem alright.

    Either at the supply side of the switch, or it could also be before the switch at the DB, or wherever the circuit is supplied from.

    If it was a loose neutral on the supply side of the spur, would the neon fail to light which is not the case?

    Equally is it not every chance it could be the phase thats loose and not the neutral, Just wondering why people always say the Neutral?


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    #6
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Neon needing so little current to light, will light by phase on one side, and length of floating wire on other. Floating wire in this case being the open circuit, (or badly connected) neutral. So this indicates it's more likely a problem on the neutral.

    When the heater is switched on, the floating neutral now rises to phase voltage. Phase voltage now connected to both sides of neon and it won't light.

    If the bad neutral connection is from the load side of the switch or at heater, the neon will then have full supply and work normally with the switch on, but heater won't work.

    If it was phase open circuit before the switch, the neon would be unlightly to light. OP seems to say the neon lights when the switch is turned on, so overall, problem neutral is suggested.

    It might not be a purely floating neutral, but has a slight connection at the failure point. But opens/breaks down, with the heater load applied


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    #7
    Tuco88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭Tuco88


    Thanks Bruthal, didn't read the op post to well missed the part with the switch.
    Makes sence now.


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    #8
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Tuco88 wrote: »
    Thanks Bruthal, didn't read the op post to well missed the part with the switch.
    Makes sence now.

    It is also possible for a failed or bad phase connection at supply side or before the switch to cause the same thing. Just enough connection to light the neon, but breaks down when the heater load is on. In effect it brings the phase after the bad connection point down to N potential with heater switched on.

    So while it usually is the neutral in these cases with the symptoms here, its not definitely certain.


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