[Techman]

Due to an expected interruption in the gas supply in this area during the coming week, which could be for a day or more, I decided to crawl into the furthest, deepest and darkest corner of the loft yesterday to retrieve my Valor EV2 electric convector heater. I haven't had it running for many years, so took it outside to blow the dust and muck from it.

The problem I always remembered with this heater was that the thermostat would cut off after a short time and just cycle on and off, even at its highest setting, which was a nuisance if you wanted it to run continuously to heat up a room from cold. I've never looked inside this heater before and didn't realise that it had a decorative red lamp fitted, as this has never worked. The bulb has obviously blown and it's a two handed job to remove it as the holder rotates in its bracket and there's not room to get two hands in there below the element. As can be seen in the last picture below, the left hand element asbestos support is broken in half. This doesn't seem to be causing any problems to its running and must have always been like it, so probably best left well alone.

I blew all that visible muck that can be seen from the bottom of the units innards with my long reach blowing wand and powered the unit up outside to let it burn off and get rid of the stink before using it inside. Later yesterday evening I adjusted the thermostat so that it just clicked on at its coolest setting - as it was before, it could be turned completely off when turned below about half setting, and it now functions as it should.

A quick google search today reveled that there's absolutely nothing written about this model of heater on the net, so here's its moment of fame!

I've had this heater for many years and the reason I kept it is that I quite like its period looks and the fact that it shares its cabinet design with a paraffin version. I have several Valor paraffin stoves, but not the version of this particular model. I'm guessing that it dates from the early 1960s - if anyone knows any different, then please let me know. I actually doubt that it will actually be needed next week, but the gas supply cut and possible cooling down of the weather next week just gave me an excuse to bring it down from the loft and mess about with it!