How long for Immersion to heat water?

[budest]

I'm living in a new build (2014) and I've used the immersion heater once and not since as it seemed to take forever to heat the water. So I just use the 1hr heating option on the oil heating clock.

But it's got me curious again so I tried the other day when the water was cold and after an hour I wasn't impressed with the water temperature especially not compared to the oil water heating. Having never been a user of an immersion I am not sure if this is right or something is wrong. Contacted landlord who sent out a heating engineer who checked the temperature setting on the water storage tank and said it was set to high already. He also said it can take these things a few hours to heat the water. Is that true? Just want a second professional opinion.

Not sure if this image will help you any.

As always, a big thanks in advance.

 

[flameport]

2 or 3 hours would be typical, depending on the size of the cylinder.

It's only there for when the oil / gas heating is broken, it will be far more expensive to heat using electricity.

 

[JohnD]

An immersion heater can warm water from "cold" to "bath" at the rate of about 1 litre per minute. A white cylinder might have a capacity round about 200 litres. If the element is near the top it will heat a small amount quickly, if at the bottom it will heat a large amount slowly. It will take longer in winter than in summer as the incoming water is colder. A bath uses about 100 litres of water; less if you are fat.

During the heating period, it will be costing you about 30p an hour for the electricity. Once it reaches target temp, the thermostat will turn the element off. Electricity is the most expensive way to heat water.

The boiler is much more powerful so can heat the water faster (and more cheaply).

 

[budest]

2 or 3 hours would be typical, depending on the size of the cylinder.

It's only there for when the oil / gas heating is broken, it will be far more expensive to heat using electricity.

Then that has confirmed what the engineer said also. Thanks for your reply.

 

[budest]

An immersion heater can warm water from "cold" to "bath" at the rate of about 1 litre per minute. A white cylinder might have a capacity round about 200 litres. If the element is near the top it will heat a small amount quickly, if at the bottom it will heat a large amount slowly. It will take longer in winter than in summer as the incoming water is colder. A bath uses about 100 litres of water; less if you are fat.

During the heating period, it will be costing you about 30p an hour for the electricity. Once it reaches target temp, the thermostat will turn the element off. Electricity is the most expensive way to heat water.

The boiler is much more powerful so can heat the water faster (and more cheaply).

Thanks for detailed response! That has given me a much clearer picture of how all this whole thing operates.

 

[Agile]

You say the landlord sent an Engineer.

But I would say what kind of engineer leaves the red pressure gauge indicator at 2.5 bar when it should be set at 1.5 bar? Its only an indicator to assist you to know at what pressure to set the system as shown by the black pointer.

You can rotate the red pointer to 1.5 bar yourself.

The filling loop does not comply with the Water Regulations 1999

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

what kind of engineer leaves the red pressure gauge indicator at 2.5 bar when it should be set at 1.5 bar?

Who says?

 

[ianmcd]

You say the landlord sent an Engineer.

But I would say what kind of engineer leaves the red pressure gauge indicator at 2.5 bar when it should be set at 1.5 bar? Its only an indicator to assist you to know at what pressure to set the system as shown by the black pointer.

You can rotate the red pointer to 1.5 bar yourself.

Tony

Talking nonsense as usual Tony in this case the red pointer is being used to warn that the pressure is approaching the point where the PRV will operate

 

[Agile]

Well thats a new purpose for it.

One that I have not heard suggested before.

You need to get the FAQs on this site updated then.

For everyone else its placed by the filling loop to assist the occupier to fill the system to the correct pressure which is normally 1.0 to 1.5 bar.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

Or perhaps its placed where the owner is never to pass. I have a red line on my car rev meter - it's not a sodding target.

 

[ianmcd]

Well thats a new purpose for it.

One that I have not heard suggested before.

You need to get the FAQs on this site updated then.

For everyone else its placed by the filling loop to assist the occupier to fill the system to the correct pressure which is normally 1.0 to 1.5 bar.

Tony

well here you go Tony every day is a school day, file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Pressure_Gauge_Leaflet%20(1).pdf

 

[Agile]

That seems to be a file location on your computer.

But we don't have access to your files.

It needs to be uploaded to this site.


You will apparently be surprised to see that the answers to that question on Yahoo Answers agree with my assessment of the use of the red pointer!

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081209080258AAsZWy9

 

[ianmcd]

my apologies Tony here is the correct link why the manufacturer wants to argue with yahoo is beyond me
http://www.plumbingforless.co.uk/files/ww/merlin/ALTECNIC - WI-577 Pressure Gauges - Datasheet.pdf

 

[Steelmasons]

I certainly don't agree with your assessment nor the answers given on "yahoo".....what trade professional would visit "yahoo" in order to further their knowledge???
Red pointer should be set just below PRV lift pressure.

 

[Dan Robinson]

or set pressure of a safety valve or pressure reducing valve.