[Dave Willis]

Minus six this morning but my tank was full to the brim with thirty three degrees of pure water. I'm loving this immersion game.
Warm water all day, constant warmth no poxy boiler tripping out, no gas to turn on and off and no worries of an explosion 100yds around the back of a house whilst an unattended boiler fires away! Should have done it years ago. 

[AuRavelling79]

Indeed. First use of the immersion for me this winter too. On again tonight.

[dazmond]

Minus six this morning but my tank was full to the brim with thirty three degrees of pure water. I'm loving this immersion game.
Warm water all day, constant warmth no poxy boiler tripping out, no gas to turn on and off and no worries of an explosion 100yds around the back of a house whilst an unattended boiler fires away! Should have done it years ago. 

dave did you have to upgrade your electrics when fitting it?

or is it just a normal standard extension cable you use to heat the water up overnight?

cheers

[steven ainger]

Ive been using a lpg water heater for about 9 yrs but have never used an immersion.
My concerns using an immersion would be using the warmest water at the coldest part of the day ( normally first thing )
Somedays in the winter i will clean some shops at 7 in the morning, & even with my water slightly warm the windows creak, i would worry using hotter

[Lee Pryor]

You will also find when we reach the summer that water less than about 60 degrees makes no difference at all to first cleans, fascia and con roofs. Only when it's about 65-70 do you really see any difference, then it's a big difference! Of course if it's warm just to help through the winter then an immersion is good. I too would say the lack of temp control could be an issue but I doubt 30 is hot enough for that. We ran at 45 today with no problems

[AuRavelling79]

@Dazmond

When I first fitted an immersion (3KW) in my previous van I just used a 13 amp extension lead but found that plugs got very warm and would scorch a bit around the pins after being on a few hours.

So I've upgraded to 16 amp "caravan" sockets.

[Windy Miller]

@Dazmond

When I first fitted an immersion (3KW) in my previous van I just used a 13 amp extension lead but found that plugs got very warm and would scorch a bit around the pins after being on a few hours.

So I've upgraded to 16 amp "caravan" sockets.

Granville, do you use the immersion heater only for the cold weather benefits of stopping equipment freezing up or do you think it makes a difference to cleaning quality as well?

[Tosh]

Water at 30°C won't make any noticeable to cleaning efficacy and efficiency. That's barely above the temp of the Med in the summer. It'll help to get out in the morning on days like today but nothing much else.

[DeLuce]

@Dazmond

When I first fitted an immersion (3KW) in my previous van I just used a 13 amp extension lead but found that plugs got very warm and would scorch a bit around the pins after being on a few hours.

So I've upgraded to 16 amp "caravan" sockets.

I also had the 3kw with the same dodgy problem. Couldn't upgrade the electrics in my shed, so went to a 2kw element. Obviously, it needs to be on longer to get the temp up, but still works a treat without my plug going into near meltdown. I now sleep better at night 
Yes Dazmond, you need stronger cable for running the 3kw element (and the 2kw probably). There's a good thread on here sometime ago about the 16amp conversion.

[Dave Willis]

If you want hot then you'll need a boiler. Personally I think 45+ is asking for trouble when its minus six. I don't use hot in the summer so the immersion suits my needs.

[Windy Miller]

Thanks for the quick replies Dave and Slack Bladder 

[Tony dunmall]

I used the thermo II one man for many years would hit the start of the hose at about 28c I never had problems with any thing breaking

I think 2011 was coldest down here about -9 through days still no issue that year although fan jets didn't like it much,

I used hot to keep working, to be honest I find the additives as effective as hot, ( although they don't stop it freezing ) the hotter temp has a tendancy to eat through the extreme brushes and equipment

Missed hot today but the heater seemed to work for an hour or so

Now I've got rid of it, probably means be a cold winter, haven't needed it last few years

[dazmond]

Minus six this morning but my tank was full to the brim with thirty three degrees of pure water. I'm loving this immersion game.
Warm water all day, constant warmth no poxy boiler tripping out, no gas to turn on and off and no worries of an explosion 100yds around the back of a house whilst an unattended boiler fires away! Should have done it years ago. 

you ll probably melt your plugs/electrics now and set fire to your van while your asleep!

[EandM]

-2 yesterday morning in East Devon then working outside in t-shirt and jeans - Sun was ferocious and it was absolutely baking until 3pm!

[Stoots]

Can someone point me in the direction of what immersion heater you lot are using ?

Thanks

[jonboywalton75]

Personally I've used an old duvet to cover stuff in the van overnight so far this winter
Jets needed thawing on a couple of mornings
Other than that no problems
Sometimes the solution is easier than you think
Only been down to - 3 so far in Cheshire though

[Tom White]

Third morning in a row with the immersion heater; it almost keeps all the frost off the windscreen too.

Not going out till about 9.30 am though.  We were out earlier yesterday and all was cool and the gang in the sunshine, but around the back of our first property, one of the pole hoses froze up.

A short while later it must've warmed up a degree or two and it was no problems.

[NWH]

That warm water in the tank won't stop all the hoses freezing in the van though

[Dave Willis]

Mine were fine this morning -6.5 didn't even empty the hoses last night including pole hose.

[SeanK]

I wonder at what temperature does bull poo freeze ? lol.