Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Dave Willis on August 27, 2015, 06:36:12 pm
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How do you power the immersion element?
Because Iv'e been thinking about this - surely the cable needs to be much thicker than normal to handle the wattage yes? But right back to the circuit board rather than a normal socket?
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Best ask a local sparky to sort you out as you should really have a sperate circuit on the board to run it also right size cables etc too.
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I use artic flex which is designed to handle the current, I'm in a commercial unit and my circuit breakers are 32a a 3kw immersion draws 12a so I have one per breaker domestic housing maybe different, but whatever it is your immersion shouldn't be shared with other appliances
Darran
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That's what I thought - you would run the risk of frying your household wiring.
My Son's an electrician but he's only on grunting terms.
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I try not to risk anything other than my sanity by posting on this site :D
Darran
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16 amp breaker in consumer unit. Cable from this via a 16 amp timer to a 16 amp socket (mine is external on outside of house). From this socket run a 16 amp extension cable which will meet a 16 amp plug on the end of the immersion element's cable. Job done. ;D
All readily available and pretty cheap to buy. Employ a pro sparky to do it though.
In winter I pull up on drive, plug cable into outside socket, set timer indoors- usually to come on at around 3am for around 4 to 5 hours and that's it.
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Hmm, be quite a big job in my mansion. The fuse box is a long way from the garages, probably need to take the floorboards up in the west wing.
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Hmm, be quite a big job in my mansion. The fuse box is a long way from the garages, probably need to take the floorboards up in the west wing.
Can't you just drill a hole from where the fuse box is, run the cable through that and all the way around the house to where ever you want it?
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When I first went immersion I just used 13 amp extension (completely unwound) and 13 amp socket but things did warm up a bit as in blackening of pin sockets in plug over a couple of years or so.
So me and my bro. changed it all to 16 amp sockets and 16 amp cable and its been fine for two years.
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Hmm, be quite a big job in my mansion. The fuse box is a long way from the garages, probably need to take the floorboards up in the west wing.
It's not a big job mate, it'll be nothing for your Son to do. ;)
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I've seen 2kw immersion heaters, would one of these be a better bet, ie not having to rewire from outside socket back to fuse box?
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not sure Dave yes the power is lower but I think it's more about the amps - if a 2kw draws less amps then yes you will have a bigger safety margin ( but don't take it as gospel )
Been speaking to some electricians on a forum, I can get a distribution box thar plugs into my 3 phase socket so I can run 3, 3 kW heaters from it :D
Darran
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Cheers Darren ;D
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I got an electrician to install an rcd and an outside 13 amp socket. Bought a 3kw immersion element to fit in the tank, and it is on my to do list ;D
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I got an electrician to install an rcd and an outside 13 amp socket. Bought a 3kw immersion element to fit in the tank, and it is on my to do list ;D
You need to get him back & change it to a 16 amp socket ;)
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I got an electrician to install an rcd and an outside 13 amp socket. Bought a 3kw immersion element to fit in the tank, and it is on my to do list ;D
You need to get him back & change it to a 16 amp socket ;)
No. I asked two sparkies, and both said it was ok, at least I think it is 13, will check when I get home. It was yoir earlier posts that helped me get set up ;D
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I got an electrician to install an rcd and an outside 13 amp socket. Bought a 3kw immersion element to fit in the tank, and it is on my to do list ;D
You need to get him back & change it to a 16 amp socket ;)
No. I asked two sparkies, and both said it was ok, at least I think it is 13, will check when I get home. It was yoir earlier posts that helped me get set up ;D
But do these sparkies realise that this equipment will be drawing these amount of amps for a continuous period of Four hours & more? If they do, you need a third sparky!! ;D Or... you could always risk burning your house down. ;)
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Plenty of 2kw portable electric heaters used in homes with no problems but if your concerned why not get two 1500w immersion heaters and run them from two extension leads, plus make sure the fuse is rated less than the lead as it will go first.
Get heavy duty extension leads used for commercial work and not the cheap rubbish from the likes of B+Q.
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Plenty of 2kw portable electric heaters used in homes with no problems but if your concerned why not get two 1500w immersion heaters and run them from two extension leads, plus make sure the fuse is rated less than the lead as it will go first.
Get heavy duty extension leads used for commercial work and not the cheap rubbish from the likes of B+Q.
No don't! Just do it the correct & safest way to begin with. Employ a pro' sparky to rig it out with 16 amp gear & use a 3KW element. Do not risk burning your home down- trust me I'm talking from experience, it almost happened to me using a 13 amp socket/plug & extension cable!
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If it's on the same ring main you'll still be overloading with 2 heaters on it.
Darran
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That's my point. Artic flex and a 16amp socket aren't much good if the wiring back to the fusebox isn't rated for the extra load?
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The heater takes things quite close to the limit 12 amps - so not much leeway, using a 16 amp socket and heavy duty flex makes it safer than the standard stuff, your ring main will take it, however if it's on the same ring as kettles, TVs etc, you run a risk.
To my (limited)knowledge items like ovens and immersion heaters are run directly to a fuse (rcd) board
Darran
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I guess they have to run off their own circuit to prevent overloading.
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It has to originate from it's own 16 amp breaker in the consumer unit. From this you then fit a 16 amp timer (for obvious reasons) then go through the wall to a 16 amp eternal socket. From this 16 amp socket you can run a 16 amp extension cable, mine's 15m and although I don't actually require 15m I do have it fully uncoiled when I use it. In the van I have proper immersion cable from the element with a 16 amp plug on the end- this is what I plug the 16 amp extension cable into. ;)
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How do you power the immersion element?
Because Iv'e been thinking about this - surely the cable needs to be much thicker than normal to handle the wattage yes? But right back to the circuit board rather than a normal socket?
I have it from a old socket then out to a fitting on the outside wall, worked for years like that, never had any probs.
The lecky fitted,a time set socket,
Hope this helps
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If it does not trip the fuse or breaker then see the the wire is hotting up if its not then surely its should be fine. I pluged it into my garage and it worked fine, but I did put a heavy leed on it.
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I do like the idea of an immersion, but it seems like a,it of hassle.
Especially as all I do now is turn a gas bottle on and flick a switch for hot water on demand.
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
+1
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
Your right what you say.
At the minute though I have all those benefits by just sticking in an oil filled radiator in the back of the van.
The benefits of on demand LPG heaters is that I can adjust the water temperature at the touch of a dial.
Sometimes if I'm starting early and its say -2 degrees, I wouldn't want to be cleaning with water that was any hotter than 15 degrees to prevent the risk of thermal shock.
With an immersion I couldn't do that. Then if I did go out with a tank full of 15 degree water, surely by lunch time it would be cold?
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+3
For the immersion heaters basically that amount of water only drops a few degrees over 5 hours and usually by midday the temp has risen from below zero.
By having to heat the van overnight then heat your water your paying twice for what the immersion does once
Darran
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
Your right what you say.
At the minute though I have all those benefits by just sticking in an oil filled radiator in the back of the van.
The benefits of on demand LPG heaters is that I can adjust the water temperature at the touch of a dial.
Sometimes if I'm starting early and its say -2 degrees, I wouldn't want to be cleaning with water that was any hotter than 15 degrees to prevent the risk of thermal shock.
With an immersion I couldn't do that. Then if I did go out with a tank full of 15 degree water, surely by lunch time it would be cold?
You can control the temp of the water via the built in element thermostat or the length of time you have the element on for. To be honest, for me how I do it, by the time the water gets to the brush it's luke warm. The water stays warm all day in the tank- it even surprised me just how long for!!
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
+4
I used to have the purefreedom diesel system, but thanks to Chumbuckets advice I now have an immersion which heats the water at a fraction of the cost.
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Anyone care to put the link up on how to fit the element - I know there was one on here a year or two back - either Tosh or Chumbucket did it. I might then have both options - gas and immersion 8)
I guess it depends on how long your arms are regarding how low you can get the element - or could you make a tool up to turn the nut thingy inside?
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For me the main benefit of the immersion is the 500ltr radiator I have in the back of the van in winter!! This equates to less hassle as I don't need to bring anything inside in order to prevent freezing. Ready for work in the morning regardless of outside temp, nice soft hoses all day long etc etc. It extends the scope of temperatures you can work in during winter & prevents anything in the van from freezing. It's not difficult to do neither is it expensive- including the sparky's fees it would pay for itself after Two days for most people. Not a big price to pay for the above benefits eh? ;)
Your right what you say.
At the minute though I have all those benefits by just sticking in an oil filled radiator in the back of the van.
The benefits of on demand LPG heaters is that I can adjust the water temperature at the touch of a dial.
Sometimes if I'm starting early and its say -2 degrees, I wouldn't want to be cleaning with water that was any hotter than 15 degrees to prevent the risk of thermal shock.
With an immersion I couldn't do that. Then if I did go out with a tank full of 15 degree water, surely by lunch time it would be cold?
You can control the temp of the water via the built in element thermostat or the length of time you have the element on for. To be honest, for me how I do it, by the time the water gets to the brush it's luke warm. The water stays warm all day in the tank- it even surprised me just how long for!!
Hmmmmmm.
Think you might be converting me chummy.
I didn't realise the heat loss was so little over the day.
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if anybody is after a 350 lt tank with a immersion heater fitted I am taking mine out sometime next week
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I use the element 2/3 down in a 500 ltr tank, but have used an l5 in the last van.
Both have benefits.
The immersion does leave an area of cold below the element that brings down the overall temp of the water.
It does create a warm block to prevent a big freeze but you still need a fan heater or oil filled radiator to use at the weekend when the van is not in service. There lies another problem for me, if I set the timer to heat between 1am to 6am I still feel the van should have a fan heater to protect the system until the immersion creates the warmth
With gas, you still need the heater to protect against frost but you never run out of hot water.
Tony