Immersion tripping

[matz]

Our immersion heater has started tripping. I don't know how old it is but it does'nt look new. We have it on 24/7 working on the cylinder stat. It seems to trip out after filling our big american top loader washing machine that use hots water from the cylinder rather than heating its own water.

Is it safe to say the element is on it ways out and a new one will sort the problem or could it be something else. Sorry if the query's a bit vague.

Thanks in advance

 

[bathjobby]

What exactly is tripping ? Is the element top or side of cylinder ? are you in a hard water area ? Do you have a multi meter and know how to use it ?

 

[kevplumb]

Is it safe to say the element is on it ways out

yes change it

 

[matz]

Top mounted element, yes a hard water area but havn't a clue with the MM. Looks like a new one tomorrow then

 

[kevplumb]

27"" SHOUT if you want to know how to do it

 

[Paul Barker]

Notwithstanding the fact it is probably the element, there are other things to consider. The supplies to many immersions are in poor condition, depending how old your house is. Both switches on close to the cylinder and maybe one in the kitchen would need visually checking. Particularly check the flex from the switch near the cylinder and the immersion itself. This must be wired in heat resistant flex, very cheap cut to length, almost certainly would be best renewed. A work colleague of mine in this town was found dead lying flat on his face in his bedroom some 7 years ago. He was due to turn up to work on a night shift (paediatric nurse like I was at the time), so the hca went to his flat to see what was up. She found him dead.

In the ensuing investigation (in which we were all certain it had been carbon monoxide poisoning) the final conclusion it was fumes from the smoldering immersion heater flex. Apparently at that time there had only been one other case in the country of this very rare but fatal occurance (synthetic rubbers platsics and pvc's give off very dangerous fumes when they burn).

What made it worse was he had been feeling funny for weeks and had had a gas fitter in and an electrician to investigate, neither had found anything wrong. I think the electrician was prosecuted and found guilty of manslaughter but don't know what the sentence was. It would have been a high profile case at the time, someone reading this may know.

Paul my namesake was a great loss to the children of Scarborough and to us his colleagues.

BE VERY CAREFUL or get a professional to put an insulation test on your immersion circuit. In law you shouldn't change it yourself any more. I hope I have shown you how important it is to be competent.

 

[matz]

Sorry to hear of your colleagues death. Now you've got me worried!
I've changed a couple of these in the past. This one is in a 12 year old property and I would just switch off at the mains, remove the element with a spanner, renove wiring from switch and replace with a new one then switch back on. What makes the casing smoulder? lying against the bare tank?

Its a simple job isn't it?

 

[ChrisR]

Its a simple job isn't it?

Ha ha ha ha ha ho. One for the epitaph surely. There is no such thing as an assurance of a simple job in plumbing.
I did one today. After turning the water off, it STILL took me an hour, which is daft with the right tools and having done "several" before. Had to suck water out trough the hw exit once I'd got the pipes out of the way, so I could heat the old plug. Had to cut a section of insulation off, of course. Used a 600mm spanner. I couldn't shift the plug until it was glowing, then it undid really slowly. There was jointing compound all over the threads, since new. If it had been a newer cylinder, the force I used would have taken the boss out of the cylinder.

Sure, it's a simple job.

 

[matz]

ooops, now the shower doesn't work Its a Aqualiser (gravity fed) and its only running cold or tepid at best. The immersions been running for an hour now, theres piping hot water from the taps but none from the shower.

This has only occured since the immersion started playing up.

How can this be!!!

 

[ollski]

In the ensuing investigation (in which we were all certain it had been carbon monoxide poisoning) the final conclusion it was fumes from the smoldering immersion heater flex. Apparently at that time there had only been one other case in the country of this very rare but fatal occurance (synthetic rubbers platsics and pvc's give off very dangerous fumes when they burn).

I've been to a couple of carbon monoxide alarm incidents which have been cause by electrical burning fumes from washing machines.

 

[bathjobby]

Its less than £20, change the element ! (and spare us the stories of doom) ! Normal safety precuations apply.

 

[matz]

all changed. A bit tight but came off in the end. Trouble was, I flexed the pipework to the CH pump during the rewiring and it sprang a leak and un beknown to me (well, the extent of the leak anyway) and I ended up with water through the lounge ceiling

btw the element was truly knackered!

Thanks for the advice..........