Plinth heater

[Marmitelover55]

We have a new kitchen extension which includes a hydronic (connected to central heating) plinth heater. I am very disappointed with it though as the amount of heat that comes out of it is minimal, and the new kitchen is cold .

There is a switch to turn on the fan which can be set to hot or cold and another switch for 0, I or II. If on 0 a very little warmth can be felt, but if set to I or II then the fan just seems to blow cool air .

Does anyone know if they are just generally crap or whether ours might be faulty? It is a Smith's one if that helps? Thanks very much.

0 will be off and the others the fan speeds

It should be plumbed into the central heating so heat up with the radiators and then blow the heat out

Don't think they are amazingly warm but we had one in the last house and it always seemed to put enough heat out to take the chill off the kitchen

Thanks for your reply. Yes 0 is just on with no fan, but I thought turning the fan on to I or II would mean more heat came out rather than less ...

Mine are electric so probably relevant?
They are hot or cold & 0 - 5, which is temperature rather than fan strength. I rarely go above 2.

It should mean more heat comes out rather than less

Do you know how your heating is plumbed in ?

If most of the central heating is copper pipe and the plinth heater has been T pieced into the system and the plumber has used the plastic piping for easy and flexibility rather than soldering copper with a couple of flexy pieces on the end it could just be a lack of flow through it from the smaller bore of the plastic piping restricting hot water flow

Not sure how it was plumbed in but don't remember any soldering... Should I ask the plumber to come back do you think? He has already been back once to balance rads and may not be keen for another visit...

Well ultimately if you paid a plumber to fit it and it doesn't work then he needs to come back whether he wants to or not

If the rest of your heating is plumbed in using plastic piping then using plastic for the plinth heater won't be the problem, if everywhere else is plumbed in copper and only plastic is to the plinth heater then I would put that as being the fault

He may be able to get around it by balancing everything again and making sure the plinth heater is getting decent flow through it

But yes you need to get him back again

Thanks, yes rest of heating is copper pipes. The builder paid him rather than us, so will maybe ask him first.

turn off ALL the radiators in the house, and turn the plinth on. Is it now hot?

Thanks pigletjohn - not there at the moment so will get back to you when I have tried that - thanks