For all Immesion heater users

thedeester1

Hi im pretty new.

Anyway my gas heating boiler broke down recently and Ive been using the Immersion heater.

I actually came here from google after finding the thread about the best way to use the Immersion heater. Leave it on 100% or use it to heat the water your gonna use.

My problem is I took out the Electric shower and plumbed in one to the hot water to save money. I was heating water with the boiler then people werent using it as they were taking electric showers. So since the boiler broke down we have been leaving the Immersion heater on all night because no one wants to get up at 4:30am to heat the water for morning washing and showering.

People suggested a timer on the Immersion heater but the ones i found were the type that strap to the tank and have 2 flexible cables. My tank is in the Loft and the switch is on the landing.

Ive been looking for ages for a timer to replace the switch on the landing without having to rewire or start knocking holes in walls.

Today I found this:

Horstmann - Electrisaver E15 (sorry not allowed to post a link but you can Google it)

l ordered one today. of course it should be fitted by an electrician (not a problem for me since I am one). Its gotta be a money saver so I thought Id post it.

thedeester1

I realise that the insulation of the tank makes a difference. I also know how the stat in the immersion heater works. Ive had to turn this up so that there is enough hot water for every one ie so they have to mix cold to make the hot water go further, since my immersion heater only heats the top 14inches of a 4ft tank. My thought is that if the water is only on the timer for 1 hour in a morning its not using the electricity it takes to tick over the immersion heater on the stat all the time its left on through the night.
Even with the insulation around the tank the water does cool sufficiently to drop off the stats lower limit about every hour..Ive checked it this weekend (yes ive had a dull sunday with a beeping volt meter attached to the Immersion heater and listening for the beep through the loft hatch ). So in an 8 hour night the hot water is getting 8 little top ups. Ok these are only small top ups but I figure no top ups as opposed to 8 small top ups will save on some electricity.

Gloomendoom

andrew-b wrote: »

I can see the switch would be handy in an all-electric heating system though which is in constant use ..but in a gas boiler central heating system where the immersion is used in emergency i don't think it's worth it.

We have one. It means the gas boiler can be turned off completely in the summer.

27col

If you feel the outside of a cylinder that has the solid insulation you will hardly notice that it is warm This is proof of the efficiency of the insulation. If you try this with a cylinder that has a loose jacket you will feel a large amount of heat near the tank. If cylinder with solid insulation is left on all night there will be virtually no heat loss. As far as I'm concerned I would leave the heater on all the time. It will only use electricity to top up any heat losses, which in the case of a solid insulation will be minimal, unless the water is used for a shower. I do the same when the system is being heated by gas. You can just forget any mucking about with timers and you have instant hot water available at all times. If you have a loose insulation jacket then the losses will be much higher and a different mode of usage might be required to reduce heat loss from the cylinder.

poppasmurf_bewdley

If you want to save money, determine which is the hottest use of water you need in your home, and set your tank thermostate to that temperature. ie. if washing up is the hottest use of water, set the stat to the temperature for that water.

It amazes me how many people set the stat to very hot and then add cold water to bring the temperature down.

mikey72

Good tip, just bought the E30 for myself.