Immersion Heater Timer Switch Help Wiring

[migkiller]

Hi,

i need some advice on the wiring of a Immersion heater timer switch. I Have Purchased a Drayton Tempus 1 Timer Switch which states that its rated to 3 Amps Working Current the immersion heater element that its wired up to is

3 kWatts @ 240Volts this according to my calculations is 12.5 Amps Current.

I Tried to wire a Tempus 1 up before and it just melted it!
Could anyone please tell me what i can do or a specific Type or brand of Time Switch i could buy rated to or above that current.

Thanks Andy

 

[ChrisR]

WHat you need will probably be called, spookily, an Immersion Heater Timer, though you can get a general purpose thing rated for 13A as long as there's a 13A fuse. If the supply comes from a 15A line from the consumer unit you'll need a switch rated for that.

 

[migkiller]

Thanks, Couldn't find one in my local b&q. Ordered 1 online.

Thank you ChrisR

 

[Dan Robinson]

Can I ask why you risked a fire when you knew that you were sticking 4 times the rated current down the timer?