[♠Winp®oClean♠]

The flange which Jason has used is not a mechanical flange & like he said, there were hardly any thread protruding through the hole.

The standard wydale tanks are 1/4" thick & with the mechanical flange there is ample thread to use.

Good pics though.

[SunShineCleaning]

If you do have one fitted, it should run off the correct cable and have its own fuse in the fuse box. Unsafe otherwise.

Correct cable is correct but own fuse is nonsense!

I consulted a fully qualified & experienced sparky (my best mate) about the whole thing before I did it.

Have a look at this then.

http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4158&p=0

http://sparky.uku.co.uk/installations/immersion_heater.htm

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/immersionheater.htm

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

If you do have one fitted, it should run off the correct cable and have its own fuse in the fuse box. Unsafe otherwise.

Correct cable is correct but own fuse is nonsense!

I consulted a fully qualified & experienced sparky (my best mate) about the whole thing before I did it.

Have a look at this then.

http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4158&p=0

http://sparky.uku.co.uk/installations/immersion_heater.htm

In the middle of the night, which is when this immersion heater will be "on" there will be no other high consuming units running also.

You should not run anything else from the same socket though. I use a plug in RCD on mine but even if I didn't the worst that could happen is the fuse would blow.

[wpclean]

You would think one company would sell the tanks with a unit already fitted, I am sure they would sell plenty

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

If you do have one fitted, it should run off the correct cable and have its own fuse in the fuse box. Unsafe otherwise.

Correct cable is correct but own fuse is nonsense!

I consulted a fully qualified & experienced sparky (my best mate) about the whole thing before I did it.

Have a look at this then.

http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4158&p=0

http://sparky.uku.co.uk/installations/immersion_heater.htm

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/immersionheater.htm

There's nothing there to suggest if done properly this would be unsafe. However, it's up to each individual to make certain that what they do & use is correct & safe.

The immersion element I have has a resettable thermostat & safety over-heat cut out.

You need heat resistant cable from the element to the plug. From this plug you run an extension cable which will be rated at 3kw or higher & be fully unwound when in use. Do not run any other electrical items from the same socket as the one you use for the immersion. Use a quality timer unit & an RCD breaker plug in the house socket.

[Tom White]

Thanks, win, for a top post, mate.

Cheers.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Thanks, win, for a top post, mate.

Cheers.

Thank you.

[FCS]

for those considering it, I posted fuller details of how to go about hacking your tank in another forum, I understand it may well be bad form if I were to post a link to another forum, but if anyone wants to read it before taking the plunge, just google search for "cheap as chips hot water system"..

[lozsing]

putting in an immersion was the best thing i did last winter , paid for its self 100 times over.

[DeLuce]

I have done the same as Winpro last year. All my gear from Tool-station, mechanical flange, heat resistant cable, waterproof sealer and hole-cutter for drill. I researched topic fully from threads on the forum   , cheers. The biggest leap of faith is cutting the hole in your precious tank  , no joke, when I was doing it my heart was thumping, but it worked out nicely. By plugging it in for a few hours before bed time kept ice off and few hours before going out in morning, water warm enough to keep pipes supple and keep pipes from icing-up, works great. Mechanical flange  is better option than straight fix of element to tank because if element fails you can easily screw it out of flange and replace it

[Tom White]

Just a thought; what about your IBC.  If your water is frozen in there, how are you going to transfer it into your van?

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Just a thought; what about your IBC.  If your water is frozen in there, how are you going to transfer it into your van?

I'm DI only so don't have an IBC. Box your IBC & insulate it maybe?

[JSMC]

what about pump and hose to reel? doe sit keep water in these also at decent temp?

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

what about pump and hose to reel? doe sit keep water in these also at decent temp?

With a 400ltr radiator in the van NOTHING freezes in it!

[AuRavelling79]

Just a thought; what about your IBC.  If your water is frozen in there, how are you going to transfer it into your van?

Why not insulate your IBC (like I did two years ago) and put an element in that?

[Tom White]

Just a thought; what about your IBC.  If your water is frozen in there, how are you going to transfer it into your van?

Why not insulate your IBC (like I did two years ago) and put an element in that?

I'm lazy!

I will though, thanks!

 

[JSMC]

would like to try this but dont wanna knacker my tank. electricity and water also a deadly mixture

[Seymour Sunshine]

I'm not really an expert, but a bit of fizzicks here.

1 - Using an immersion heater. To be efficient, the heater needs to be fitted near the bottom of the tank. Convection inside the tank will spread the heat fairly evenly throughout the tank. No matter what the size, all the heat will go into the water and very little of it will be lost by radiation.

But the bit that will be lost by radiation will probably keep the chill off the rest of the gear in the van.

2 - Using a radiator or fan heater. This is going to be a very expensive way of doing things. Most of the heat will simply disappear out through the sides and top of the van. Very little of it will get conducted through the (insulating) plastic of the tank and into the water.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I'm not really an expert, but a bit of fizzicks here.

1 - Using an immersion heater. To be efficient, the heater needs to be fitted near the bottom of the tank. Convection inside the tank will spread the heat fairly evenly throughout the tank. No matter what the size, all the heat will go into the water and very little of it will be lost by radiation.

But the bit that will be lost by radiation will probably keep the chill off the rest of the gear in the van.

2 - Using a radiator or fan heater. This is going to be a very expensive way of doing things. Most of the heat will simply disappear out through the sides and top of the van. Very little of it will get conducted through the (insulating) plastic of the tank and into the water.

That's pretty much spot on!

I tried the heater in back of van but it wasn't very effective. Heat rises & most is lost through the roof & side panels. None seems to penetrate the tank either.

With the immersion, the water gets hot which heats the plastic tank. The water & tank stay warm for much longer than I ever expected, surprisingly, virtually all day.

[Sean Dyer]

do you use the 27 " or the 11" ive got a 500 litre upright will 27 " be to big??

also do you have a link to the cable i need etc im gonna order the flange and immersion now, also what drill bit do you need?

Cheers very much

sean