[Dave Willis]

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?

[Smudger]

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

[Dave Willis]

I guess they have to run off their own circuit to prevent overloading.

[ChumBucket]

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.

[heath verrall]

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

[slap bash]

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.

[Jonny 87]

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.

[ChumBucket]

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?

[samson]

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

[Jonny 87]

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?

[Smudger]

+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

[ChumBucket]

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!!

[KS Cleaning]

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.

[Dave Willis]

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 

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?

[Jonny 87]

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.

[mark m]

if anybody is after a 350 lt tank with a immersion heater fitted I am taking mine out sometime next week

[tlwcs]

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