Hot water off but water still hot.

Louscorp

I recently moved into a rental. One night I turned the hot water off as I thought I could hear noises from the emersion which is upstairs next to my bedroom (the water is operated downstairs and can be set to either 'continuous', 'off', 'once', 'timer') I forgot to switch it back to 'timer' in the morning but the water was still hot and has been since but is still set to 'off'. The central heating is operated at the same place but when switched 'off' is actually off! Can anyone explain the reason that the hot water doesn't turn off? The boiler is in a separate room behind the kitchen, the heating and hot water control pad is on the kitchen side of the wall, which must be connected to the boiler on the other side of the wall. As mentioned there is also an emersion heater upstairs. The property is a cottage and is bit dated!

theoretica

Is the immersion heater definitely off?  Sounds like that control unit manages the boiler, but the immersion will have a switch somewhere else.

Louscorp

I havetheoretica said:

Is the immersion heater definitely off?  Sounds like that control unit manages the boiler, but the immersion will have a switch somewhere else.

I haven't touched the immersion, have only used the boiler controls in the kitchen, When I switch the heating off the immersion makes a few noises.

Louscorp

theoretica said:

Is the immersion heater definitely off?  Sounds like that control unit manages the boiler, but the immersion will have a switch somewhere else.

So the immersion heater should be switched off? It must have been on when I moved in. I'm a little confused...

[Deleted User]

Hi,

, is this electric or gas, you say immersion then boiler, are you using both, electric and gas?

Louscorp

[Deleted User] said:

Hi,

, is this electric or gas, you say immersion then boiler, are you using both, electric and gas?

I'm not sure! The boiler is downstairs, I have only been operating this and thought that this was operating heating and hot water but I now think the immersion must be heating the water whether it is switched on or not via the boiler? The immersion is upstairs (electric I imagine) this I haven't touched since moving in. 
I have lived in properties with both immersions and boilers in the past but they have always been in the same cupboard and have always controlled hot water and heating via the boiler.

Ebe_Scrooge

Louscorp said:

theoretica said:

Is the immersion heater definitely off?  Sounds like that control unit manages the boiler, but the immersion will have a switch somewhere else.

So the immersion heater should be switched off? It must have been on when I moved in. I'm a little confused...

In a typical, bog-standard set-up, the boiler provides heat for both the central heating and the hot water, which can usually be timed to come on at different times of the day via the programmer.  Under normal conditions, it's cheaper to let the boiler heat the water as it'll be using gas or oil (hopefully!).

But then you also have an immersion heater within the hot water tank.  It's nothing more glamorous than a damn great electric kettle element, which heats the water in the tank.  Under normal conditions, it should be switched off, as the boiler will provide the necessary heat.  But if your boiler breaks down, you can switch on the immersion to heat the water (assuming your electricity supply is OK).  It costs a lot more to heat the water doing this, as electricity is far more expensive than gas or oil - but at least you've got hot water until your boiler is fixed.  There will be a switch somewhere marked "Immersion" or "Hot water" or something, very often located near the control panel or else near the hot water cylinder itself.

Hope this helps to clarify

Louscorp

So I went and had a look and the immersion is on full power! I have turned it down but now wonder if I should just turn it off? When I moved in the inventory clerk showed me the controls in the kitchen but didn't give any instruction regarding the immersion. I didn't even realise I could turn this off an on. I presume if I turn the immersion off the boiler will control the hot water instead or do they work together?

Louscorp

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Louscorp said:

theoretica said:

Is the immersion heater definitely off?  Sounds like that control unit manages the boiler, but the immersion will have a switch somewhere else.

So the immersion heater should be switched off? It must have been on when I moved in. I'm a little confused...

In a typical, bog-standard set-up, the boiler provides heat for both the central heating and the hot water, which can usually be timed to come on at different times of the day via the programmer.  Under normal conditions, it's cheaper to let the boiler heat the water as it'll be using gas or oil (hopefully!).

But then you also have an immersion heater within the hot water tank.  It's nothing more glamorous than a damn great electric kettle element, which heats the water in the tank.  Under normal conditions, it should be switched off, as the boiler will provide the necessary heat.  But if your boiler breaks down, you can switch on the immersion to heat the water (assuming your electricity supply is OK).  It costs a lot more to heat the water doing this, as electricity is far more expensive than gas or oil - but at least you've got hot water until your boiler is fixed.  There will be a switch somewhere marked "Immersion" or "Hot water" or something, very often located near the control panel or else near the hot water cylinder itself.

Hope this helps to clarify

Thank you, this is very helpful! Should I have been shown this when I moved in or was it up to me to figure it out? I'm not the sharpest when it comes to this kind of thing.

Bendy_House

Louscorp said:

So I went and had a look and the immersion is on full power! I have turned it down but now wonder if I should just turn it off? When I moved in the inventory clerk showed me the controls in the kitchen but didn't give any instruction regarding the immersion. I didn't even realise I could turn this off an on. I presume if I turn the immersion off the boiler will control the hot water instead or do they work together?

That seems to be the answer.

The immersion is really a back-up provider, only used when you need super-fast how water, or when your boiler is kaput. You wouldn't normally use the immersion heater as leccy costs a lot more than gas (at the moment...)

Instead of 'turning down' the immersion, it should be switched fully off. (How did you 'turn it down' anyway - via the wee 'stat in the round housing?)

For more info, please post a photo of the boiler controls, the hot cylinder and its surroundings, and any close-ups of important bits - where the immersion cable goes to, for example.

Louscorp

Bendy_House said:

Louscorp said:

So I went and had a look and the immersion is on full power! I have turned it down but now wonder if I should just turn it off? When I moved in the inventory clerk showed me the controls in the kitchen but didn't give any instruction regarding the immersion. I didn't even realise I could turn this off an on. I presume if I turn the immersion off the boiler will control the hot water instead or do they work together?

That seems to be the answer.

The immersion is really a back-up provider, only used when you need super-fast how water, or when your boiler is kaput. You wouldn't normally use the immersion heater as leccy costs a lot more than gas (at the moment...)

Instead of 'turning down' the immersion, it should be switched fully off. (How did you 'turn it down' anyway - via the wee 'stat in the round housing?)

For more info, please post a photo of the boiler controls, the hot cylinder and its surroundings, and any close-ups of important bits - where the immersion cable goes to, for example.

I turned it down using the dial you mentioned. There is another button there that switches another control from one bar to two bars to three bars. I was on three bars so have switched it to one bar and the humming noise coming from the immersion reduced when I did so! I'll take some pics and post! I think this silly error may cost me a fortune. Oh dear.