Glass element for Bathroom Heater?

[Ger]

Hi Group, hope someone can help please.

Yesterday my very elderly (93) living-alone neighbour asked me to look at a problem she had. The heater in the bathroom no longer worked. I visited the bathroom (so to speak) and saw the heater mounted high on the wall (very high ceiling) with a pullcord. Probably at least 30 years in situ. The element seems to be made of glass - approx 30" in length. No obvious manufacturer name. No ladder! No breakers tripped.

Two questions please:

1. If I get up on a ladder, will the element likely be easy to remove?
2. What chance I'll be able to get a replacement (assuming the element is the problem)?

Any suggestions, comments much appreciated.

Ger

[BigWallop]

The radiant heater elements are still available from most electrical wholesalers, just take the old one with you so they can match it up. They are normally fixed to the body of the fitting by nuts and bolts. The top nut will be the one actually holding the element in place, so only undo this one and try not to loosen the others.

The bolt will be inserted through a ceramic insulator in the body of the fitting and it is important not to break these as they actually stop the element connections from shorting out against the casing.

The front grille is easily removed by either unscrewing the little bolts at the ends, or pressing in the tabs which go through holes in the edges of the casing.

[PoP]

You might like to look at the elements on TLC Direct:

[fred]

In article , BigWallop writes

You may still be able to get the wire element bit on it's own, you certainly used too. Wattage as a function of length or per the spec plate that will prob be on the back of the fitting.

[fred]

In article , PoP writes

Marked 'fragile' I notice, the silica glass is very easily broken, esp after a life of heating & cooling. Also 12 quid, a good reason to get just the wire elem, sold coiled up in a packet.

[Ger]

fred. PoP, BigWallop, many thanks. Think I'll tackle it!! :-)

Now, being a bit slow. The site you reference tells me I can buy the Wall Heater (expensive option) or just the (fragile) Element (cheaper option).

But then Fred adds:

"......Also 12 quid, a good reason to get just the wire elem, sold coiled up in a packet"

What, what, is this a third option??? Explain please!

Ger

[fred]

In article , Ger writes

Yes, you can (could) just buy the coiled heating wire and rewire the glass tube (easy job). The element wire is a stretched coil down the length of the glass tube. These _used_ to be available from the little electrical shops you found in high streets all over the place. Finding a supplier these days may be a little more problematic. It's a while since I had to do one in this way, so can't recommend a supplier or indeed say for sure that you can still just buy the wire.

[Ger]

Fred, many thanks. All is now crystal clear. Will go hunt for the wire and failing that the full element.

Thanks again

Ger

[Bob Minchin]

Hi Ger,

Try CPC at

sure you get all the URL. VAT is extra but usually very keen prices.

They have a post free threshold of £30 vat ex but sell so much useful stuff, I find it difficult not to spend £30!!

If desparate you can allways fill up the order with vacuum cleaner bags or some other consumable items

[Ger]

Thanks Bob, that'll be Plan B :-))

> Make sure you get all the URL. VAT is extra but usually very keen prices. >

[Ger]

In conclusion . . .

I measured the damn element and it's 24" between fitting points.

All the elements on that Farnell/CPC web site are metric :-(((((((((((((

Ger