UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum (https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/index.php)
-   Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items (https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=142)
-   -   Belling Champion no.81 heater (https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=143141)

Mandie H 18th Jan 2018 3:18 am

Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
5 Attachment(s)
Would wood stove polish be suitable to revamp this heater? It's no. 81 but pre patent.

Is there anything else I should replace other than the cable and bulb?

Thanks.

Brigham 18th Jan 2018 1:10 pm

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
This is a splendid example of the Champion No. 81.
I find these earlier types much more 'satisfying' than the later pressed-steel '91' versions.
You may well have to change the flex; you don't seem to have the original!
Once you have the bottom off, you will find enough of the old flex to give you an idea what it looks like. Modern equivalents are usually black with yellow fleck, or black with white fleck. These don't look good with the predominantly white type currently used on electric irons.
The bulb may very well work. The heater almost certainly will.

Herald1360 18th Jan 2018 1:19 pm

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandie H (Post 1008981)
Would wood stove polish be suitable to revamp this heater? It's no. 81 but pre patent.

Is there anything else I should replace other than the cable and bulb?

Can't think why not. Both are cast iron and get hot!

More just a case of evicting spiders and general crud. Check internal wiring carefully for any signs of damage/dodgy insulation. If anything looks like asbestos, it probably is. DON'T disturb it, left to its own devices it won't hurt.

Mandie H 19th Jan 2018 8:00 am

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
Thanks.
Good job I like spiders :-)
Had quite a lot of asbestos exposure over the years so I'll be vigilant. (Was brought up in a steel house with a blue asbestos roof?)
Will go order the stove paint now :-)

Mandie H 19th Jan 2018 8:05 am

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
I have a later one with the pressed steel chimney. It is bronze in colour. I replaced the flex on that one with a grey iron flex.
I shall get a black iron flex for this one. The flex was cut when I got it. A friend bought a bundle of things at auction and the heater was included.
I shall replace the bulb with a 25W yellow bulb.

Herald1360 19th Jan 2018 11:09 am

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
Put it in "Success stories" with a good picture when it's all pristine and glowing nicely 8-)

Brigham 20th Jan 2018 10:51 am

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
You seem very confident that the bulb won't light!
I have various different bulbs in my examples. An ordinary 'fireglow' type gives spectacular results; you feel warm as soon as it's plugged in.
A ruby red bulb is nice in a bedroom. I have some ex-admiralty 'night vision' ones, and the deep red is very comfortable on a winter's night.
You can't go wrong with these, as far as heat is concerned. An all-time great design.

Paul_RK 20th Jan 2018 2:57 pm

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
A nice scarce model too, I'm so glad you're not planning one of those dastardly conversions into the world's least efficient lamps!

With the early Champions I don't think many folk chose to pay the extra cost of the half-power switch and the lamp when buying smaller models. I have quite a colony now - a couple of 83As, a 2A and an 82A, an early and a very early (and lethal) No.1, and a pair of 79s - but haven't yet come across an 81A (which yours is, because of the optional lamp and switch).

Paul

emeritus 21st Jan 2018 5:19 pm

Re: Belling Champion no.81 heater
 
Re the comforting warm glow, our cat used to bask in front of the red glow from the coal effect of our old Belling radiant electric fire, even when none of the elements were switched on.


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 9:17 pm.

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.