Immersion Heater Timer help

[blakea8k]

I have been getting really high electricity bills since i moved to my present house.

I have just looked at my electricity meter and it's spinning around really fast. I have just turned off the power to the Immersion Heater Timer and it has basically stopped.

Is this what is causing the high bills? I thought (naively maybe) that the gas heated this. I also noticed there wasn't any pins in this and from googling around it looks like there should be to control the time it turns off and on?

I also have a central heating programmer which is a Drayton Lifestyle Lp241 which i thought controlled the hot water, does this over ride immersion heater timer or is this something totally different?

thanks for any help

 

[Steve]

The central heating programmer will supply hot water to a coil in the cylinder, which then indirectly heats the mass of hot water around it.

It in no way controls the electric heater within the tank. This is completely seperate. Though the electric immersion heater will have a built in stat which will stop the heater coming on if the water is hot enough (and if its been heated by the boiler) There may be a seperate stat for the central heating coil too, to stop the boiler when the hot water is hot enough. Again, the two systems are not electronically linked.

The cheapest way to heat the tank is via the central heating. Gas is much cheaper per unit than electric.

Sounds like you need a new immersion timer anyway.

 

[333rocky333]

the tank would normally have hot water pipes through it to heat the tank water, and the immersion for back up only.

 

[blakea8k]

Thanks, should i turn the Immersion Heater off then as i don't really need it?

I have now found 3 pins for it (i think there should be 4). Should i put two of these in so it comes on at night for a couple of hours instead of turning it off?

 

[RF Lighting]

Just turn it off.

Assuming you have gas central heating, there is no need to ever switch the immersion on, unless of course your boiler packed up or something daft like that.

 

[Spark123]

I wouldn't bother with it at all if it is connected via the central heating, just keep it as a backup should the central heating fail.

Bah, beaten by Rob

 

[333rocky333]

Most immersions I have seen are usually off, the water heated during the day by the boiler will stay warm till the next morning when it will reheat.

Is there a stat strapped to the side of the tank, that is what controls the hot water usually.

May be worth checking the setting on that, there is also a slight chance a motorised valve has failed and your boiler not heating the tank.

Can you feel two hot pipes going in and out of the tank or see a valve nearby with wires to it.

 

[blakea8k]

thanks again

yes there is a temp control strapped to the side which is currently set to 60.

I think i will turn the heater off and see if there is a difference in the water temperature over the next week.

we dont use much hot water, will a couple of hours every morning be enough to keep the tank hot?

 

[Spark123]

Depends how well insulated the tank is and how much water you use, best way is to try it. If your cylinder stat is set at 60 the central heating will heat it up to that and then cut out so you can probably leave it on longer and just let it click in and out as needed.