Hot water timer running too slow (Grasslin Ecosave)

Webxite

I have a Grasslin Ecosave timer which operates a Pandora Heatbank thermal store for our hot water. For some weeks now, it has been playing up. It was locked on 'boost' for a while, and after turning it off for 24 hours, that issue stopped, but since then the timer itself has been moving forward much more slowly than real time. 
I have two questions:
1) Do I have to replace this with the exact same thing? And if so, is it the sort of job we could do ourselves?
2) Could we replace it with something smart? How can I find out what sort of controls would be compatible with our system?

Le_Kirk

I found this one. Is this <<<<<<LINK the sort of thing you mean?  Found it by asking Auntie Google

fenwick458

1) no you don't have to use the exact same timer. as for doing it yourself that would depend on if you are capable...
2) yes you could. simplest option I can think of is to remove the timer and fit 2 x single sockets, one for on peak and one for off peak, then fit plugs on each of the elements and use 2 x smart plugs
you could then set the times up on the app. if you have an alexa you could control via that
I'm not sure how long the plugs would last switching 3KW, I have ben using one for a 2KW heater for 6 months and it's not broken yet
there might be better options, such as a smart 2 channel timer and 2 x 16A contactors 

Webxite

Le_Kirk said:

I found this one. Is this <<<<<<LINK the sort of thing you mean?  Found it by asking Auntie Google

If you reread my post, I wasn't actually asking where I could get one - having already spent an hour on Google, but thanks for your time anyway! I'm not all that keen on replacing a dud unit with another of the same, though perhaps 12 years of life is reasonable.

Webxite

fenwick458 said:

1) no you don't have to use the exact same timer. as for doing it yourself that would depend on if you are capable...
2) yes you could. simplest option I can think of is to remove the timer and fit 2 x single sockets, one for on peak and one for off peak, then fit plugs on each of the elements and use 2 x smart plugs
you could then set the times up on the app. if you have an alexa you could control via that
I'm not sure how long the plugs would last switching 3KW, I have ben using one for a 2KW heater for 6 months and it's not broken yet
there might be better options, such as a smart 2 channel timer and 2 x 16A contactors 

Hmmm... we're capable of rewiring a plug, and installing a new ceiling light. That's about it. Anything beyond 'turn everything off at the RCD and match the wire colours to where they were before' is probably beyond us!

We don't actually have Economy 7. I guess that switch was used because the builders thought they might install storage heaters, but our radiators are just standard electric ones. So we don't actually need an E7 timer. 

fenwick458

ok well if you are sure you don't have eco7 , just remove the grasslin timer and fit a single socket in it's place, put a plug on the immersion cable, and then fit a smart timer inbetween the 2

grumbler

fenwick458 said:

ok well if you are sure you don't have eco7 , just remove the grasslin timer and fit a single socket in it's place, put a plug on the immersion cable, and then fit a smart timer inbetween the 2

Are you suggesting to use only one out of two heaters?  I think a person "capable of rewiring a plug, and installing a new ceiling light" needs more detailed instructions.

Also, I don't know what you mean by 'smart' timer, but any plug-in timer can do the job - mechanical or electronic.

Possibly, it's worth installing even a hardwired timer instead of a socket, e.g.

fenwick458

grumbler said:

fenwick458 said:

ok well if you are sure you don't have eco7 , just remove the grasslin timer and fit a single socket in it's place, put a plug on the immersion cable, and then fit a smart timer inbetween the 2

Are you suggesting to use only one out of two heaters?  I think a person "capable of rewiring a plug, and installing a new ceiling light" needs more detailed instructions.

Also, I don't know what you mean by 'smart' timer, but any plug-in timer can do the job - mechanical or electronic.

Possibly, it's worth installing even a hardwired timer instead of a socket, e.g.

well I don't know if there is 2 elements or not, the OP hasn't said? but if there is 2, and they would like them to be controlled independently, just fit a double socket instead and plug each element in separately.
Yes any plug in smart timer would work or even a hard wired one, but the OP asked specifically about smart timers for it which is why I suggested it.

grumbler

Sorry, I missed the bit about 'smart'. A smart plug it is then - or a smart socket.

If it's a double socket, I think, it, theoretically, is not rated for 2x3kW loads, is it?