Water boiler not plugged in correctly?

spokeneasy

Hello,

I have recently moved into my first flat and need advise on my Water boiler.
The whole flat is electric. The boiler has 2 switches, 1 never works (followed the wire and it actually isn't fixed to the boiler) and the other 1 I use to give me hot water, otherwise it is just permanently cold.

I use to live in a rented flat years ago where is was all electric and the water boiler has 2 switches. 1 which remains on and keeps the hot water ticking over, the 2nd as a booster incase hot water runs out (if someone stayed in the flat)

But this one just doesn't seem to have the 1st switch wired in to keep the boiler ticking over and so I have to switch on the booster every couple of days so I have hot water, otherwise it is just cold.

A. How much would it cost to get someone to look at and fix the wire correctly? And whom would I need to contact?

B. Is this actually causing an extra surge in my electric bill?

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense!

molerat

I assume you mean water tank not boiler. There are usually 2 switches on an all electric property tank. One goes to the lower heating element and is automatically switched at off peak electricity times and the other to the top element for boost during peak rate times. Are there 2 elements on the tank? Does the wire go to the bottom element ? Are you on an E7 tariff, if so then heating water during the day is costing you more. Someone may have disconnected the off peak wiring for some reason. An electrician is needed to look at it.

unclebulgaria

You have a hot water storage cylinder with two immersion elements. The top one will be a booster element operated manually, the bottom one will be the main one that comes on when switched on by a timer or basic switch. It sounds from your description that someone has probably disconnected one of the wires to save on electric.
You would be advised to call an electrician out to find out if the timer exists and whether it could be reconnected. Yes you'll use more electric if you have both elements on at the same time.
Sorry didn't see above post.

macman

Why would someone disconnect the main element, unless it was hard-wired without a switch? And the OP has told us there is a switch? Only scenario I can think of is that maybe the switch is broken, but jammed to 'on', in which case the disconnected flex is live? Or the main element is faulty, maybe shorting out, and was disconnected without repair? Impossible to know.
So as above, OP needs to get a sparky in to investigate, reconnect and ideally fit a timer, so it can be set to run for 2 or 3 hours overnight on cheap rate, and only using the boost as intended, as a top up.
This assumes that the tariff is E7 of course.

molerat

Most likely scenario that I have seen before is replacement single element tank fitted on the cheap.

zaax

Plumber problem, if a replacement heater is needed he will have the spanner.