immersion heater wiring repair

ajbell

I have replaced my immersion heater element but in doing so I snapped the wire attached to the live post.
What is the best way to re attach?.
Can it be soldered or can I just wrap it around the post?.

brightontraveller

ajbell wrote: »

I have replaced my immersion heater element but in doing so I snapped the wire attached to the live post.
What is the best way to re attach?.
Can it be soldered or can I just wrap it around the post?.

Neither replace the element.... Solder is there for electrical connection not as some seam to think a substitute for a faster/grip etc also flux solder differs e.g Acid and Rosin etc the cost of element replacement is minuscule against the potential risk with attaching yourself with solder

keith969

A picture might help.

Normally the element has a wire from it to the post. At the element end it's held in by a screw, and at the post end by a clamp. There's no soldering needed, if the wire end that connects to the clamp has broken, just loosen the clamp nut, strip the wire insulation about 1cm, twist round the post and tighten the thread so the wire is gripped by the clamp.

ajbell

The clamp is the neutral terminal.
The live terminal has the wire attached permanently to the post.

Le_Kirk

Do you mean the wire from the switch or the wire from the element to the post?

keith969

ajbell wrote: »

The live terminal has the wire attached permanently to the post.

Just gone to have a look at mine.

I think I understand - you've broken the wire which is soldered onto the live pin of the element, which connects to the thermostat (indirectly in my case via an insulated turret)?

In which case you'll need to resolder it. If you've got a decent soldering iron and some rosin cored solder it is straightforward.

ajbell

I mean the post that sticks out and has a short piece of wire that goes into the thermostat.
The piece of wire has broken off the post.

ajbell

How do I go about re attaching it?.
Do I just clean up the terminal and apply solder?.

keith969

ajbell wrote: »

How do I go about re attaching it?.
Do I just clean up the terminal and apply solder?.

Yes, unless the terminal is old and crudded up all you probably need to do is strip the insulation from the wire, tin it and the terminal, then solder them together. Wrapping the tinned wire round the terminal with a pair of long nosed pliers may be easier than trying to hold the wire while soldering, and is less likely to result in a dry joint.

ajbell

Sorry to sound ignorant but what is "tinned".

ajbell

It's OK I just read about it.