heater electrical sparking?

[Steven Longstan]

Hi chaps,

ive had a call out to an electrical curtain type heater which the client said is sparking.

Upon inspection i cant find anything apartarnt.

However ive noticed that the isolator used on this signal phase supply is a TPN isolator. Ive recommended they change this to a DP isolator. Is they any way possible this could cause the spark?

im thinking no but i cant seem to find anything else it could be.

 

[Pete999]

Hi chaps,

ive had a call out to an electrical curtain type heater which the client said is sparking.

Upon inspection i cant find anything apartarnt.

However ive noticed that the isolator used on this signal phase supply is a TPN isolator. Ive recommended they change this to a DP isolator. Is they any way possible this could cause the spark?

im thinking no but i cant seem to find anything else it could be.

It's only a device for breaking 4 poles

 

[Leesparkykent]

Hi chaps,

ive had a call out to an electrical curtain type heater which the client said is sparking.

Upon inspection i cant find anything apartarnt.

However ive noticed that the isolator used on this signal phase supply is a TPN isolator. Ive recommended they change this to a DP isolator. Is they any way possible this could cause the spark?

im thinking no but i cant seem to find anything else it could be.

Why may I ask?

 

[Steven Longstan]

well the tpn is 3 pole and the way it wired with the neutral it like on a single pole gets isolated were as it should be a double pole isolation.

just trying to rule out if this could be anything to do with the sparks.

 

[Simonslimline]

Why may I ask?

To waste some money ?

 

[Steven Longstan]

Why may I ask?

well i thought the whole point in having an isolator in a single phase supply was to isolate both poles not just the one?

 

[Leesparkykent]

If you want to Achieve double pole isolation why don't you use one of the poles for the neutral?

 

[telectrix]

If you want to Achieve double pole isolation why don't you use one of the poles for the neutral?

too sensible.

 

[Steven Longstan]

If you want to Achieve double pole isolation why don't you use one of the poles for the neutral?

yeah i suppose so.

however back to the original question. the fact the neutral is continues and not part of the isolator should not make a blind bit of difference and therefore shouldnt have anything to do with this reported sparking should it?

 

[telectrix]

no it should not.

 

[Steven Longstan]

no it should not.

exactly what i thought.

has anyone else ever had any issues with these curtain heaters doing this?

 

[Des 56]

Using my extensive Sherlock Holmes experience "was this sparking occurring only at night Dr Watson" lol

 

[Steven Longstan]

no during the day after it had been on for about 2 hours.

Im thinking the client is possibly over reacting with the sparking and think it was more like a spark as she said it has happened a couple of times over past couple weeks. just one slight spark that caught the corner of their eye

 

[Steven Longstan]

i dont want to write the heater off and quote to replace it if something of nothink

 

[Pete999]

i dont want to write the heater off and quote to replace it if something of nothink

Pardon

 

[telectrix]

probably a slight arc on the thermostat contacts as it switches in and out.

 

[Steven Longstan]

this is what im thinking it just the element doing a slight spark.

Is this deemed reasonably safe if it just this

pain in the %$&* thow when you got to drive 40 miles to attend site

 

[telectrix]

any rate, the heater should not be sparking unless it's qualified. has it got 2365, NVQ, etc.?

 

[Pete999]

any rate, the heater should not be sparking unless it's qualified. has it got 2365, NVQ, etc.?

Or the innocuous Part P qualification

 

[Steven Longstan]

what do you mean has it got?

 

[davesparks]

well the tpn is 3 pole and the way it wired with the neutral it like on a single pole gets isolated were as it should be a double pole isolation.

just trying to rule out if this could be anything to do with the sparks.

Why does it need DP isolation? And if it does why not use one of the unused poles for this?

Recommending unnecessary work is fraudulent and is the territory of cowboy tradesmen.

 

[davesparks]

well i thought the whole point in having an isolator in a single phase supply was to isolate both poles not just the one?

What does it say in your regulations book? The relevant section is called 'isolation and switching' (funny that eh?)

 

[Geordie Spark]

If you want to Achieve double pole isolation why don't you use one of the poles for the neutral?

Careful now. Don't you go getting the poor lad all confused - he's new here & is still groping about in the dark as it were.

Give him a couple of days to lull him into a false sense of security :welcome2: :grouphug: and then GO FOR IT!!! :89::94::30::boxing_smiley::13::59::90:

 

[davesparks]

As far as the sparking goes, is there something trapped in there? Is it the spark when the thermostat operates?

 

[Steven Longstan]

Why does it need DP isolation? And if it does why not use one of the unused poles for this?

Recommending unnecessary work is fraudulent and is the territory of cowboy tradesmen.

my posts is about making sure im not suggesting changing the heater so it clear im not looking to recommend any unnecessary work.

cant you be more welcoming buddy?

 

[davesparks]

cant you be more welcoming buddy?

To someone who's OP states that they have recommended a TPN isolator be replaced with a DP one and then asks if this could have caused the sparking in the heater? I think not!

 

[Steven Longstan]

To someone who's OP states that they have recommended a TPN isolator be replaced with a DP one and then asks if this could have caused the sparking in the heater? I think not!

i had actually said i dont think it was the case but wanted to 100% rule it out.

come on dave im new here dont be scaring me off the forum

 

[Scotford14]

Thermostat in the heater will sometimes click in and out causing a small spark as Tel said earlier on.
This is sometimes visible. I am currently staying away due to work. The accommodation has a small electric heater in the room. The heaters must be 4/5 years old and at night a slight spark is visible as the room temperature fluctuates.

 

[camerabloke]

Popcorn ready

 

[snowhead]

Having worked on hundreds of over door heaters over the years, I can guess the problem.

Does this heater have a filter on the Air inlet?

And or when was the heater last stripped and cleaned?

 

[Simonslimline]

Don't think he is going to answer any more questions.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Has he gone???


And that was before he was introduced to Tony ..... He just had no stamina.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I must of missed something?

 

[Simonslimline]

Has he gone???


And that was before he was introduced to Tony ..... He just had no stamina.

Give him some credit, he managed 13 posts :77:

 

[Geordie Spark]

I must of missed something?

Aye ....... our greenhorn has gone AWOL.

(Greenhorn is slang for an inexperienced person.)

 

[telectrix]

and there i thought it was a gangrenous knob.

 

[Jonspark]

Should be helping him out, not making fun

 

[telectrix]

he's had reasonable suggestions. when these are exhausted, why not have fun?

 

[davesparks]

Should be helping him out, not making fun

'Should be' ? Where does this should be come from? A group of electricians come here for a chat and to share advice, experience, knowledge etc. As with any such gathering in real life if some unknown person comes along asking plain daft questions they will get laughed at!

People seem to think this is some kind of free public service to hand out electrical installation advice!

 

[rapparee]

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NeMrttj8Ucg[/video]