dual heat towel heater - wiring requirement?

[DDS]

Hello

As part of some refurbishment, I have had fitted a towel radiator in place of the original radiator, fed from the GCH hot water supply. So that it can be used during times when the central heating is off, it also has a mains powered 300W electric element. This is in a utility room by the way, at least 2m away from a set of taps and a sink.

The element has a flying lead, which I want to fly off to an unswitched fused wall outlet like this:

is "MK Connection Unit Unswitched 13A + Flex Outlet")

However, the contracting electrician who is doing the wiring may be suggesting that the outlet needs to be a switched socket, and thus we have to have a fused BS1363 3 pin plug on the end of the flying lead.

(This is via the main kitchen fitting man who's contracted the work to him so there may be accidental Chinese whispers at play)

Seeing as the flying lead from the element is positioned at the bottom of the towel radiator, I've had fitted a single switch at a sensible height - that switch is wired to control whatever outlet we end up with. It would seem foolish to have a switch which then controls a switched single socket - whereas if the switch controls an unswitched fused outlet like I want, it would seem correct.

This may all be confusion but, in order to garner opinion from people who know a lot more than me - what do you think? I can then discuss things after the weekend with the kitchen company.

thanks in advance

[ARWadsworth]

Use a switched fuse spur and not an unswitched fuse spur.

But note that the switched fused spur MUST be "before" the single switch you have installed.

[js.b1]

Will it be used often on the electric supply?

I ask because you may want to change the switch to an push-button runback timer. You push the button repeatedly to increase the runback time which is indicated by progressively lit LEDs.

At TLC-Direct website...

- SM TGBT4 - 15min, 30min, 1hr, 2hr runback timer

- SM TGBT5 - 1hr, 2hr, 3hr, 4hr runback timer

=A315.50 ex VAT & delivery and should pay for itself quite well compared to a 300W towel rail left on too long.

Another brand is Electrisaver, there are a few out there - shorter E15, E30, E45 min runback timer.

[grimly4]

He's talking out of his arse. An unswitched fused outlet like you show is perfect, but you must have a means of isolation - fit a wall switch outside the bathroom. This is the way I did it recently - I took the feed from the ring main, to get the benefit of RCD protection.

(edit - come to think of it, it's probably easier for him to bullshit you than to do it right - his way achieves isolation but what a c*ck.)

[DDS]

That's a very good idea. Thanks - I like TLC Direct and I shall look into that suggestion. I don't know if it'll be used on mains power much but, for the sake of 15 quidsworth of runback timer, I may as well fit one.

Thanks again.

[Frank Erskine]

I'll be honest and say that I've never ever heard of a "runback timer". What is it?

[John Rumm]

It turns something on for a period, then turns it off again later. These range from fixed duration to user selectable variable duration. Can be as simple as a pneumatic light switch, or a more sophisticated digital device.

[Frank Erskine]

Thanks John.

[John Rumm]

In fact reading that, there is an ambiguity... It ought to read *you* turn something on, and it turns it off some time later.

[js.b1]

There are some interesting automatic ones.

Dimplex PX9700 combine a PIR to trigger a high Comfort Temperature for a set runback time after someone leaves, then lapse to a lower Setback Temperature. They are very expensive however, useful commercially if bulk heating is otherwise left on and costs a fortune.

[Dave Liquorice]

You know now, the term is derived from before the days of electronics.

You'd wind up a mechnical device and it would "run back" to the rest position over a period of time. Either by an escapment mechansium (clockwork kitchen timer) or by having spinning paddles slow the return down due to air resistance or as in telephone dials spring load brass pips running inside a cup to provide friction.

[grimly4]

My tumble drier has one - don't know about current models.