2 water heater switches

[mummyemma]

Hi

have recently moved house and have discovered I have 2 water heater switches. One is upstairs by the hotwater tank so am guessing is the imersion heater and is currently off.

The second is downstairs in the utility room next to the boiler and says water heater on it. I have no idea what this does can anyone shead some light.

If it helps it is an ideal classic boiler with an electric timer that i use to set my hot water and heating.

 

[mickyg]

if they are both off and your boiler still works then its possible they are both for the immersion heater in series.

 

[mummyemma]

Sorry bit clueless what is a series. Seem to get hot water if they are both off and havent tried if both on as done want a big bill

 

[seco services]

in series is inline.

you will get hot water your using your boiler aren't you ?

 

[mummyemma]

yes i am, i have never switched the immersion one on, I have recently put the other on but it did not seem to make a difference so have switched off again.

 

[Burnerman]

Curiously enough, there's a house near to me with the same two switches.
For the immersion heater to work, both switches need to be on if they are wired in series....the owner of the house in question isn't particularly mobile so she left the upstairs switch permanently on - she controlled the immersion heater with the downstairs one.
I've also seen water heater switches used for other applications...outside lights, for example!
John

 

[picasso]

your getting hot water because the cylinder is hot, leave the switch off next to the boiler and you will run out of hot water (probably), does the timer go off when you put the switch off ?

 

[mummyemma]

No it doesnt the timer has a separate switch, I think its like someone said above two switches for immersion one wont work without other so will just leave them both off and see what happens think i have done it before and it was fine

 

[mickyg]

sounds about right. Seen it quite a bit around here, maybe just a regional thing. The idea is that the one next to the tank is left on all the time and only used as an isolation for working and the other used to turn it on/off.