Please help with electric hot water problem!

[BigCat]

I have all electric heating and hot water with a cylinder with two elements and a cistern above it.

It has been working for some time on just one element (off peak - nighttime). Then that one packed in.

I decided to drain the system down and install two new elements. This seemed an easy task and I had done it before in other systems a few times.

All went well, but the elements got hot and a few minutes later packed in.

I had followed the wiring instructions that are simple enough and checked and double checked it. I put the fault down to not checking the tank was filled before turning on the power. The tank is slow to fill - the ball valve needs attention.

I ordered two more elements and fitted them, this time being sure the tank was full of water and the hot taps ran okay, fed from a pipe above both elements and the tank had stopped filling. Same thing happened again - the elements got hot and then pack in minutes later.

I am getting desperate as I am trying to sell the flat and have a buyer who wants to specifically check the plumbing and heating - this I have delayed as I am away. I could make an allowance and reduce the price even more and lose even more money but completion of the sale is months away and I am worried I could lose the buyer.

I do not understand what is going wrong as I am using the same power supply to new elements. Please HELP! I have no money and cannot get somebody out who might charge hundreds to sort it out.

 

[seco services]

when you say they packed in what happened to them ?
what are they running from eco 7 timer etc ?

 

[BigCat]

when you say they packed in what happened to them ?
what are they running from eco 7 timer etc ?

Thank you for reply seco.

They got hot quickly. I could feel the heat by touching the outside casing and then within five or ten minutes they had stopped working.

One is connected to regular mains with no timer and the other to off-peak that comes on about 11pm.

I found that the regular supply is dead, so I connected the off-peak to one element and then another, both elements had the same problem, then I replaced them again ensuring the cylinder was full and same thing happened.

 

[seco services]

I found that the regular supply is dead, so I connected the off-peak to one element and then another

you didn't connect them both to one cable at the same time did you ?

 

[BigCat]

I found that the regular supply is dead, so I connected the off-peak to one element and then another

you didn't connect them both to one cable at the same time did you ?

Hi seco

Thanks for the reply. No. I connected up two new elements for the first time and the top one got hot and stopped working soon after. The bottom one did not heat up. So I tried the top cable (off-peak) on the lower element and that worked for a short time.

Then I repeated the entire exercise again, ensuring the tank was full and again two new elements packed in after a five or ten minutes. That is four new elements I have wasted.

 

[seco services]

can't really answer that one. as i've never heard of it before.

but the off peak should be the bottom cable
peak or boost is the top cable.

has the element actually blown. no continuity on the elements ?