Hot water tank not keeping heat

ForestBluebells

Bendy_House said:

By 'element', I presume you mean that top 'thermostat' section, which is what appears to be at fault - fingers crossed.

The actual 'element' - the immersion part that's screwed into the tank - will hopefully be still ok.

The bit that sits outside that has burnt. I’m hoping that works otherwise I’m a bit screwed as the plumber is fitting me in but he’s not qualified to do these systems so said he would only do this but won’t drain it and the guy who is qualified won’t touch it after someone not qualified has but he can’t see me until January 🤷‍♀️ I didn’t want to wait that long so I really hope this works 

Bendy_House

FBb, that immersion heater is in TWO main parts.

The first is the ACTUAL immersion heater element, which is screwed into the side of the tank, and is watertight. That's the heating 'element', like wot you have inside an electric kettle. To replace this needs the cylinder to be at least partially drained - the water level inside the cylinder needs to be below the round hole where the element goes in - and this, in turn, requires a G3 cert person who is qualified to work on unvented systems like yours.

That's one part. It probably looks a bit like this.

Then there's a completely separate part which is the 'thermostat', and this is what controls the water temp. It's also where the electrical supply first goes to. This does NOT touch the water, but the long thin sensor part simply slides into a matching sleeve in the immersion part - you can see this sleeve in the pic above.

The thermostat part does NOT need a plumber as it has no contact with the water. It only needs a sparky. From your photo, it's also the part that has been scorched. Best case scenario, then, is that 'all' the sparky has to do is to replace the thermostat part, as this will be quick and relatively cheap. It looks like this:

ForestBluebells

I honestly don’t know what he’s replacing he just said he could come this morning and it’s £75 plus labour. I’m pretty sure he said he wouldn’t drain it so most likely just the thermostat? I’m sure he said he wasn’t qualified but he tried several contacts and none could fit me in any time soon so he will do this bit but if that doesn’t work I’d need to find someone else…. If they will then work on it as the neighbours husband got upset and wouldn’t touch it if someone non trained had even though I did explain he wasn’t doing anything that requires the training 🤷‍♀️

I hope it works today 🙏

NSG666

As far as a I know and have been able to find there is as distinction between what is required for installing an unvented cylinder and what is required for maintaining one. For the former the installer must hold a G3 qualification and and either needs to be a member of a certification scheme or get it signed off by Building Control. In order to maintain an unvented cylinder the person only needs to be competent.

Yes unvented cylinders have the potential to be lethal but someone would need to be pretty incompetent to create a danger when maintaining one.

ForestBluebells

NSG666 said:

As far as a I know and have been able to find there is as distinction between what is required for installing an unvented cylinder and what is required for maintaining one. For the former the installer must hold a G3 qualification and and either needs to be a member of a certification scheme or get it signed off by Building Control. In order to maintain an unvented cylinder the person only needs to be competent.

Yes unvented cylinders have the potential to be lethal but someone would need to be pretty incompetent to create a danger when maintaining one.

It actually says on my cylinder a competent or qualified person so I don’t see why the qualified person was being so weird about it. Ultimately I don’t want to wait months in winter without hot water if I can avoid that 

ForestBluebells

It’s working now I’m going to have a shower to test it out but it feels hot from the tap again ☺️

Section62

ForestBluebells said:

It’s working now I’m going to have a shower to test it out but it feels hot from the tap again ☺️

Good news

Was that just by changing the thermostat part?

ForestBluebells

Section62 said:

ForestBluebells said:

It’s working now I’m going to have a shower to test it out but it feels hot from the tap again ☺️

Good news

Was that just by changing the thermostat part?

I assume so he didn’t take long 

coffeehound

Good result 👏

Bendy_House

Great result, FBb. For both you and the sparky.

You got away with the best case scenario, and he got a nice little earner for a straightforward job.