Heated Towel Rail

[alicia]

Hi

I wonder if anyone would be able to advise. I bought a heated towel rail from Leroy Merlin a little over two years now and all has been well. However, yesterday, just before jumping into the shower, I went to put the heater on and .......nothing. Well, not exactly nothing, the the button suddenly went red (as I think it normally does) and then went off with a pop .....not sure if it has short circuited or something. But end result is that it is no longer working. I dug out the instruction book but it doesn´t name the manufactuer or give telephone number or contact address. The Leroy Merlin doesn´t give much detail either, apart from what I think is a product or stock number. The towel rail itself has a small silver label with a few details such as "Equation Compacto" and Type TB040T2C - but the label is on the side of the towel rail close up to the wall so it is difficult to read the details. I tried to reflect the details back with a mirror but it wasn´t that successful. Not sure what to do now. I assume after two years the guarantee has expired. If I don´t know make or manufacturer how can I buy new replacement control panel!! The instruction books mentions the towel rail can be programmed with De´Longhi infrared Remote Control (which never came with the towel rail as I assume my model didn´t qualify for it. The blooming thing was almost two hundred Euros so don´t want to replace it, just need the new control panel. Would anyone be able to offer any advice perhaps. Been a horrible month this month as pipes on roof leading from tank/solar panels are leaking water through the roof. Although the plumber has said he will come today on that one. Fingers crossed.

[chrissiehope]

Hi Alicia,

Did a google for the Type no, and found this site
http://www.lcie.fr/datacert/pdf/NF-ELEC ... Locaux.pdf

it's a French site, which makes sense, as Leroy Merlin is a French company. There are 145 pages in the pdf, but if you use the Find facility, you will see that virtually every DIY/Brico shop appears to sell something with this code, so it looks as tho it has been imported in bulk (probably from China ).

I suggest you contact places like Aki, BricoDepot etc, as they may still have some info. The only other thing I can think of is to search google images for a similar one, or try a UK manufacturer who may be able to help

Hope this helps
Good luck

[Chunky Monky]

If I don´t know make or manufacturer how can I buy new replacement control panel!!

If the control panel is fried it could be the element has gone and shorted out. You need to get a qualified electrician to take it away and test it to find out exactly what the problem is. Keep it unplugged until it is repaired and tested professionaly.

[alicia]

Dear Chrissie,

Thank you soo much for posting. I went down the list you attached and found the model number and it gave a product name of "Algorel". I then did a "Google Search" and it came up with Algorel which seems to be French manufacturer of bathroom products etc (well as far as I can tell as I can´t speak French). So at least I have telephone number, address and email contact address as well. So a giant leap forward. I will call into Leroy Merlin first and speak with them but if no joy, then at least I have the possibility of contacting Algorel direct.

Thank you soo much once again. You are a very kind person for going to the trouble of both finding that list and then posting it.

[alicia]

Hi Chrissie,

Me again. Sorry. Disregard that last post. I have just re-read your post and realised what you were saying ie. that Algorel, Aki, etc are the Stockists so Algorel of course not the manufactuer. I feel a bit of an idiot now. But never mind. Thank you anyway.

[McT]

You may well have sorted this out by now, but if not it may be useful to know that these days most heated towel rails can be either plumbed into the central heating system, or heated with an electric element. The result is that the threads on all the connections (all but one will be blanked off) are for standard half inch radiator valves, so you can fit any element designed for a heated towel rail as long as you get one of the same wattage. Screwfix have them for £30-£40 (they now deliver to most of Europe), but I'm sure you'll be able to get one in Spain.

It's odd that even in Spain threaded plumbing fittings are all BSP (British Standard Pipe) sizes!

McT

[alicia]

Hi McT

Thank you for your advice. I am very appreciative. Unfortunately Towel Rail still not fixed. I think I have resigned myself to just buying another. I think the actual element inside the towel rail is OK it is just the control panel (is that the thermostat!!!!!! not sure) - if I could just buy a new thermostat/control panel of same wattage (think it is 400W) and screw that onto the bottom and then just plug in................that would be great. Probably though for technical reasons I suppose that not possible. Sorry to show my lack of knowledge of things technical. In an ideal world it would be great to just buy the new 400W thermostat from somewhere like Screwfix and then just change the plug over to Spanish one but of course that would be too simple.

Thank you anyway.

[McT]

Alicia,

The element and the control panel, if there is one, usually come as an item. Do you really need a control panel? I would guess that it allows you to set on and off times and the temperature. The temperature setting is a waste of time - when would you want it anything other than as warm as possible? Modern elements use a system called Positive Thermal Coefficient and don't need a thermostat (and the heater can be filled with water, not oil). The power reduces as the water gets hotter, so it wouldn't actually be using 400w all the time making a timer less necessary.

Here's one chosen at random from ebay: 400w Towel Rail Element

It's £27.50 + £9.99 delivery to spain. If you wanted one with a control panel I'm sure they can be had, but for significantly more I would think.

BTW, the thought of a towel rail with a remote control amused me. There will be ones that automatically update their status on Facebook next!

McT

[McT]

I should have made it clear that all you have to do is take the rail off the wall, turn it upside down, unscrew and remove the old control panel/element assembly, screw in the new one and either connect the wires in the connection box (as per the UK) or fit an EU plug and plug it in.

If you have about half a meter clearance under the rail, you could leave it in situ. Drain it by taking out the blanking plug opposite the element, then replace the element as above and fill the radiator 90% full of water (to allow for expansion) through one of the top blanking plugs.

McT

[alicia]

Hi McT

Thank you soo much for going to all the trouble of explaining how to repair the Heated Towel Rail. A friend has taken the towel rail off the wall and removed what I think is the "thermostat" (you know the part that has the "on/off" switch and the "maximum/minimum" temperature dial and which also has the cable with the plug coming from it. Where the part has been "unthreaded from the actual towel rail, are two electrical connections. I haven´t seen any element part as such. Thank you for the ebay link regarding the element though in your post. Not sure now what to do as I don´t know if the towel filled with water or oil? How would you know? I saw a electric element thermostatic Controller kit which can be purchased from Amazon - which possibly might do the trick. I think I probably would prefer the thermostat controller option as that is what the towel rail had previously Although the option of just the heating element is a possibility as that will just heat the water up with it being co-efficient as you mentioned. Not sure if I´m making sense but hope so. This is the link on Amazon if you wanted to take a quick look. It is only 300W as opposed to 400W but would that make a difference? Thank you McT for your knowledgeable advice.



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Elemen ... mostat+kit

[El Cid]

Maybe it's a silly question but why do you use a heated towel rial. Is it to heat the towels or to heat the room?

The reason I ask is that if you want to heat the bathroom you can buy electric fan heaters that mount on the wall. They are 2kw with timers and remote control. They heat up the room in minutes.

They look like mini aircon units and cost as little as €35 in Aki.

Sid

[oliveview01]

We tried a heated towel rail, we left it on overnight, in the morning the room was hardly cool, let alone warm, we had not mounted it on the wall, we just stood it against the wall to try it. We took it back and bought the type you have mentioned Cid, we hardly use it, when we do it is just for 5 min at the most and the room is nice and warm. I say 'we' I should say 'I' hubby says he does not need it

[chrissiehope]

Hubby fitted heated towel rails in both the upstairs bathroom and the downstairs shower (in wet room). This is the one we mostly use - it is approx 2m square and has a north facing wall - together with a small oil-filled radiator, it really takes the chill off in the colder months, and helps keep the towels dry (horrid having to use damp towels to dry your hands !)

[Chunky Monky]

(horrid having to use damp towels to dry your hands !)

Or anything else!

[McT]

Alicia,

Whatever came out when you friend removed the existing element was what the radiator was filled with. I suspect water - but remember, don't fill to the top. Leave a 10% expansion gap.

Both the thermostatic type as per your Amazon link and the PCT type will fit the bill. Your choice. I would go for the PCT type - more efficient and less to go wrong. But stick with the original wattage.

McT

[alicia]

Hi McT

Thank you so much for all your help. Before reading your post I felt a little despondent but feel a great deal more hopeful now. So thank you Mr McT.

Sid, I use the heater for a bit of both really, both to warm and dry the towels and take the chill off the bathroom, especially during winter time. Although truth be told, it is not wonderful for taking the chill off as another lady mentioned. Still, at least the towels are dry or rather, they were. Hopefully now though with Mr McT´s help, I can fix the blooming thing rather than have to go and purchase a completely new one.

Thank you everyone though for all the help of which I am deeply appreciative.