Immersion heater help

aj9648

How do Immersion heaters work exactly??

I have had loads of problems with mine recently. I usually set the time to come on at 5.30am and off at 7.00am, but I cannot get any hot water at all for some reason. The only way i have managed to get hot water is by using the boost button. Even then it takes half hour to heat up and by the time the boost shuts the water turns cold instantaeously, especially in the shower, but not in the kitchen.

Any ideas what problem could be?

Thanks

espresso

aj9648 wrote: »

How do Immersion heaters work exactly??

I have had loads of problems with mine recently. I usually set the time to come on at 5.30am and off at 7.00am, but I cannot get any hot water at all for some reason. The only way i have managed to get hot water is by using the boost button. Even then it takes half hour to heat up and by the time the boost shuts the water turns cold instantaeously, especially in the shower, but not in the kitchen.

Any ideas what problem could be?

Thanks

It sounds like you have a problem with the main immersion heater, probably needs a new element. The boost switch normally controls a separate element fitted nearer to the top of the hot water cylinder for smaller quantities of hot water.

Premier_2

An immersion heater works just like a kettle, an electric element heats up so heating the water. Just like a kettle, heating the water is not instantaneous.

There are 2 lengths of immersion heater, 11" & 27" long.

The shorter one is usually used for side entry into a hot water tank. depending on the size of tank, cylinder may have 2 immersion heaters fitted; one located at the bottom (often operated on E7 electricity only) and heats up the entire tank - a higher mounted one is used for boost purposes and only heats up part of the tank.
(Only water above the heater is heated as hot water rises)

The longer type is used for top entry into a hot water tank. This heats the entire tank.

But you can get a dual element immersion heater which is top mounted. It incorporates a long style element to heat the entire tank and a shorter element often used for boost purposes.

Heres a dual element one (ignore the thick brown curly pipe at the bottom used for gas boiler alternative heating purposes)
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/cylinder.gif

If sounds like you have a broken element which is quite a common occurrence in hard water areas after a few years.

A new immersion heater is not very expensive, typically £10-£20 each, but unfortunately the cost of a plumber is if you can't carry out the work yourself.

aj9648

yeah I live in manchester and have a dual element and I suspect the bottom one has gone

how much does it cost for a plumber to fix it - I have no idea how to even start on a job like that !!!!