Immersion Heater Nut Problem

[jwilson]

I want to change my immersion heater and have a large immersion heater spanner. I spent half an hour trying to turn it but it wouldn't budge. I left plenty of WD40 on it for 24 hours but still no luck, even using a hammer to try to turn it. I don't want to try too hard in case I split the tank (it's an old indirect heater in the attic and the element is at the bottom of the tank).

Is there anything on the market which would free up whatever is stopping me unscrewing the element?

 

[TicklyT]

A cylinder full of water will be better supported against brute force, you can drain it once you get the thing moving. If the flange does tear out of the cylinder it will get very messy very quickly.

Sometimes tightening the heater up a bit will break the seal, and allow it to be unscrewed.

Sometimes draining the cylinder and heating the immersion with a blowtorch will help.

Some drill a hole through the old heater , and use a jigsaw or padsaw to cut a slot outwards to the threads, allowing it to spring a bit. Or cut two or three more slots so it almost falls apart. Drain the cylinder first though

 

[theoutlaw]

I had to change mine this year when my heating died for a while.
I tried to get it out the normal way but it had been in there for eons.
I normally heat the water which help to loosen it up, but this time I had no hot water from anywhere.
I resorted to breaking down the old fibre gasket with a fine toothed junior hacksaw blade. I cut parralel to the flanges through the fibre washer.
Be careful not to go too deep with it, and keep it at the right angle to get between the flanges of the immersion heater and the cylinder.
After going round it a few times try the spanner again but dont over do it as you can buckle the tank.
Once you get it out clean the face of the cylinder and fit new element.
Hope this helps.

Tony

 

[namsag]

With theoutlaw on this . when ever it wont shock free if a blade will fit in i always use a hacksaw blade to cut away the washer and it releases dead easy with it gone

 

[Terrywookfit]

With theoutlaw on this . when ever it wont shock free if a blade will fit in i always use a hacksaw blade to cut away the washer and it releases dead easy with it gone

Not if some Barsteward has used a setting paste on the threads

I came across a few lately that were made in with red stag and hemp!

 

[muggles]

With theoutlaw on this . when ever it wont shock free if a blade will fit in i always use a hacksaw blade to cut away the washer and it releases dead easy with it gone

Not if some Barsteward has used a setting paste on the threads

I came across a few lately that were made in with red stag and hemp!

Yeah I've seen that too. How did you get over it?

 

[Terrywookfit]

The old favourite method of hole saw and hacksaw blade!

 

[Agile]

I usually succeed using one hand to apply torque and the other to give rapid hammer blows on the spanner.

The "spanner" is sometimes a 3' Stilson though!

Tony

 

[Terrywookfit]

I usually succeed using one hand to apply torque and the other to give rapid hammer blows on the spanner.

The "spanner" is sometimes a 3' Stilson though!

Tony

I bet you have a MEGA weigh in with scrap cylinders

 

[Agile]

The action is rather like the air impact wrenches which the tyre fitter holds with just one hand and they do the wheel nut up so tight you cannot get it off at all!

A tyre place in Cov actually advertises that they only do wheel nuts up by hand!

Tony