Got a Redfyre oil fired boiler for central heating and hot water and use immersion occasionally. The boiler has a rotary varying thermostat low-medium-high. I run the thermostat at just above low. There are no other thermostats in the house apart from the themrostat physically on the immersion element.
I live in soft water area.
The hot water cylinder is vented and there are no blockages.
I fitted a new Horstmann electronic timer 5 years ago that has a boost function that I like to use a fair bit.
Recently replaced hot water cylinder and immersion. Original approximately 25 years old and don't think immersion was ever replaced. Replaced water cylinder like for like as far as possible but new immersion, (will find make and lenth and advise) has new reset function (unfortunately). One thing that is different is that the new cylinder top is flat and the original had a domed shape top to it. This means that the immersion heater housing sits just that little bit closer (approx 2" closer) to some stored towels on a rack which now sit approximately 5" above. The tank lagging (not foam but is a like a more traditional fibre type with a plastic polythene type outer) does not cover the immersion heater housing.
Problem is that I have to reset immersion every one to two days.
Wiring is fine, clean and secure and no shorts although I am using 2.5mm butyl cable. Should I perhaps use ordinary twin and earth as recently a plumber advised that he doesn't see butyl used much these days?
One thing I did notice that on offering immersion into cylinder, not a great deal of lateral movement of immersion would result in immersion touching the central heating coil. Presumably the immersion should fit inside the central heating coil without any problem? Or should the immersion heater lowest siteing point be a minimum distance above that area?
Also, when unpacking immersion, I noticed half-way down the shaft of the immersion was a red plastic securing-clip/seperator that I thought perhaps stopped the thermostat and heating element clattering together perhaps during transit. I threw this bit away before fitting the immersion. I was worried the thing would break off at some point, float to the top of the water and then block a pipe. Should I have perhaps left this thing on? Is the function of this item to perhaps keep the distance between the heating element and thermostat static? In which case, oops!
I don't as yet want to go down the line of replacing immersion or therostat until I have ruled out any other possible causes as I've read that too many people do this (sometimes 3-4 times) to no avail.
Is it perhaps just a simple case of the new immerions with the reset button don't like old redfyre oil fired boilers and trip as a passtime as a result? I have set the boiler to its lowest setting whereby any lower and the house does not get warm enough on freezing days and the problem still occurs.
As yet, I haven't had a day over this winter period where I haven't used the boiler purely relying on the immersion for just hot water so I can't as yet rule out that the boiler heats the water too much to result in the immersion heater tripping.
I have set the immerision heater to max and at 60 degress and the same occurs although if the boiler is overheating the water to the extent that the immersion needs resetting, I can't see that the temperature setting on the thermostat would make much difference.. I will try turning the power off to the immersion permanently whilst using the boiler for central and hot water and see if the reset button trips. Presumably the immersion and thermostat doesn't need to be energised in order for the reset button to trip?? Surely it's just a passive device??
Lastly, the supply voltage in my village does get as high as 255vac and we have power-cuts at least every 10 days and sometimes 2-3 times a week..Could this cause a problem??
I have a temperature probe on my spangley new multimeter. I don't know how accurate these things are but will check the temperature of the hot water and advise results asap.
Finally, hurrah, the cable for immersion is just long enough from the controller to the immersion housing. It is not stretched however is slightly tight because the new cylinder was that bit taller. It gets slightly warm to touch when it's in use but then I would expect it to a certain extent given that it must draw 15 amps or slightly more as I can't remmeber the exact power rating of the immersion itself. Should the cable itself be longer and slacker and should I perhaps be using 4mm twin and earth anyhow instead of being a tight and reusing the butyl that I fitted when I installed a Horstmann electronic timer 5 years back??
Any help please I would be most grateful... Thanks Rob.
Right, I'm off for a bath....
I live in soft water area.
The hot water cylinder is vented and there are no blockages.
I fitted a new Horstmann electronic timer 5 years ago that has a boost function that I like to use a fair bit.
Recently replaced hot water cylinder and immersion. Original approximately 25 years old and don't think immersion was ever replaced. Replaced water cylinder like for like as far as possible but new immersion, (will find make and lenth and advise) has new reset function (unfortunately). One thing that is different is that the new cylinder top is flat and the original had a domed shape top to it. This means that the immersion heater housing sits just that little bit closer (approx 2" closer) to some stored towels on a rack which now sit approximately 5" above. The tank lagging (not foam but is a like a more traditional fibre type with a plastic polythene type outer) does not cover the immersion heater housing.
Problem is that I have to reset immersion every one to two days.
Wiring is fine, clean and secure and no shorts although I am using 2.5mm butyl cable. Should I perhaps use ordinary twin and earth as recently a plumber advised that he doesn't see butyl used much these days?
One thing I did notice that on offering immersion into cylinder, not a great deal of lateral movement of immersion would result in immersion touching the central heating coil. Presumably the immersion should fit inside the central heating coil without any problem? Or should the immersion heater lowest siteing point be a minimum distance above that area?
Also, when unpacking immersion, I noticed half-way down the shaft of the immersion was a red plastic securing-clip/seperator that I thought perhaps stopped the thermostat and heating element clattering together perhaps during transit. I threw this bit away before fitting the immersion. I was worried the thing would break off at some point, float to the top of the water and then block a pipe. Should I have perhaps left this thing on? Is the function of this item to perhaps keep the distance between the heating element and thermostat static? In which case, oops!
I don't as yet want to go down the line of replacing immersion or therostat until I have ruled out any other possible causes as I've read that too many people do this (sometimes 3-4 times) to no avail.
Is it perhaps just a simple case of the new immerions with the reset button don't like old redfyre oil fired boilers and trip as a passtime as a result? I have set the boiler to its lowest setting whereby any lower and the house does not get warm enough on freezing days and the problem still occurs.
As yet, I haven't had a day over this winter period where I haven't used the boiler purely relying on the immersion for just hot water so I can't as yet rule out that the boiler heats the water too much to result in the immersion heater tripping.
I have set the immerision heater to max and at 60 degress and the same occurs although if the boiler is overheating the water to the extent that the immersion needs resetting, I can't see that the temperature setting on the thermostat would make much difference.. I will try turning the power off to the immersion permanently whilst using the boiler for central and hot water and see if the reset button trips. Presumably the immersion and thermostat doesn't need to be energised in order for the reset button to trip?? Surely it's just a passive device??
Lastly, the supply voltage in my village does get as high as 255vac and we have power-cuts at least every 10 days and sometimes 2-3 times a week..Could this cause a problem??
I have a temperature probe on my spangley new multimeter. I don't know how accurate these things are but will check the temperature of the hot water and advise results asap.
Finally, hurrah, the cable for immersion is just long enough from the controller to the immersion housing. It is not stretched however is slightly tight because the new cylinder was that bit taller. It gets slightly warm to touch when it's in use but then I would expect it to a certain extent given that it must draw 15 amps or slightly more as I can't remmeber the exact power rating of the immersion itself. Should the cable itself be longer and slacker and should I perhaps be using 4mm twin and earth anyhow instead of being a tight and reusing the butyl that I fitted when I installed a Horstmann electronic timer 5 years back??
Any help please I would be most grateful... Thanks Rob.
Right, I'm off for a bath....