Please can someone explain my water heating settings to me

LivWhit

OK, please bare with me, this is connected to Gas & Electricity. I'm living in a 2 bedroom flat which only uses electric, no gas. I understand that I have an immersion heater for my water which I use a timer to heat up. Currently I'll heat it up for about 3 hours during the off peak tarriff and then for about 2 hours in the evening to give hot water for washing up/showers. There's three of us in the flat so no matter how long we run it for in the morning by the evening we'll need to turn it on again for more hot water.

Anyway, I understand how the timer works (link to picture below). And you can see the current timer settings. And every so often we'll turn the blue circular disc thing to "on" when we've run out of hot water and need more.

img502.imageshack.us/i/img0481yl.jpg/ (Had to post like this as the site won't let me post links. Plese C+P into address bar)

Now what I don't get is the water heater switch to the left. I already have an immersion heater which is set by that timer so can someone please explain to me what the water heater switch is for? Is this to keep the water hot when the immersion isn't on? Is it a more economical way of heating water? Any help would be great as a huge chunk of electricity bill is down to heating water.

Thanks

Premier_2

Here's the picture



The switch can be doing one of two things as I can't see where it goes.

It may be the isolation switch to the timer (and hence the immersion). If that's the case, then the timer clock would stop with the switch turned off.

However what I suspect it is, is a switch to a boost heater.

Your tank will be one of two styles. The immersion (which you'll see as a boss on the tank) will either be top mounted or side mounted.
With side mounted ones there are typically two heaters, one mounted low down on the side of the tank (this will be controlled by the timer) and another mounted towards the top of the side wall. This is the boost heater as it only heats water above the heater. Typically it only gives enough hot water to fill a kitchen sink a couple of times. I suspect the switch operates that one.

In the event of a top entry heater, this may be a dual element one. A long element goes all the way to the bottom of the tank (so heating all the tank) and there is a shorter element that only heats the top portion. Again the switch may turn on the smaller element.
(You won't actually be able to see the elements as they are inside the water tank)

By overriding the timer, you will be heating the whole tank. If I am correct about the boost function of the other switch, it will only heat a portion of the tank. This will of course be cheaper but you have less hot water.

LivWhit

Thank you very much. I did think it was some sort of quick heat setting for just a small amount of water. Like you suggest it can't be to override the timer as that keeps ticking round whether the water heater switch is on or off. However, to provide a bit more assistance I've taken a few more pics (sorry to keep at this, it's just something that's really bugged and confused me whilst I've lived here).

This pic ( img694.imageshack.us/i/img0482he.jpg/ ) shows where the cable from the "water heater" switch goes. This is a bit more than half way down the water tank.

Also whilst I'm here please could you explain what this tank is: img576.imageshack.us/i/img0484t.jpg/ Is this merely something to do with the water heating system in general? It's just above the main water tank.

This is a better pic of the tangle of pipes underneath if it helps: img402.imageshack.us/i/img0483h.jpg/

Again, thanks.

EDIT: The other switch you can see to the left of the water heater switch in the last picture is merely to turn on the radiator in the bathroom.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I've stuck the pics on for you, easier to follow post.

molerat

There is a wire coming out of the wall on the right of the last picture, assume it goes from the timer to another immersion at the bottom of the tank behind the grey cover, this will be the off peak heater. The other switch will be the top heater for boost, heating up only the top half of the tank but on more expensive electricity. Using the timed switch to boost may cost more as it will heat more water.

I would try to increase the length of time you leave the off peak timer on for and see if it improves the amount of water you get but it does seem to be a small tank for electric only heated water which is really the root of your problems. The last time I had electric heated water the tank was 6ft tall and took about 2 days to get cold.

LivWhit

Thanks. I'm going to try running the timer for longer during the off peak tarriff. However, I think it's inevitable that it's going to need to be turned on later in the day. When I was on my own here for a while simply having the water heater on for 2 hours in the morning was more than enough but now with two women in the flat as well (one who likes having 2 fairly long showers a day) even starting the day with a full tank of hot water dosen't seem to be enough. The water in the tank does indeed seem to stay hot for a long time (found this out when I was the only one living here and was getting to grips with the timer) however due to it's size it dosen't have a large enough capacity for three people.

Thanks for all the help. You've help me put that nagging annoyance to rest.

Premier_2

LivWhit wrote: »

...
Also whilst I'm here please could you explain what this tank is: img576.imageshack.us/i/img0484t.jpg/ Is this merely something to do with the water heating system in general? It's just above the main water tank.

...

The small tank at the top is an expansion tank. It is needed as obviously as water heats up it expands needing more space.