Horizontal immersion heaters - any good?

[Oldshape]

The guy fitting my boiler next year seems to have a preference for horizontal immersion heaters.
It's a bio mass (Wood pellet) boiler.
I need an immersion heater for several weeks before the boiler is fitted. Then the immersion will be used as the store from the boiler - as well as back up.
On the net, I've found only a few opinions on the Horiz. tanks.....all negative.
Anybody got first hand knowledge?

By the way, I have plenty of headroom in the attic to put a 300 litre vertical. And a party wall + construction to stand it on.

 

[LeeH]

I presume it's because of the convection of the heated water at the bottom of the tank pushing the cold downwards towards the element? Probably just more efficient and you get a full tank of hot with little or no cold spots.

I have a 200l tank that's heater from a solar diverter and as soon as you fill the sink the temp readout on the solar controller dips instantly. As the PT1000 is at the bottom next to the element.

This is on a sealed/pressurised system if that makes any odds. No header tanks. Much much better hot water pressure then a combi/vented system.

 

[UKMeterman]

Horizontal tank, or horizontal imersion element?

 

[davesparks]

Yes a horizontal immersion heater (fitted at the bottom of a vertical direct cylinder) is a good thing as it will heat the whole cylinder of water whereas the vertical ones fitted into the top of an indirect cylinder will rarely heat the whole cylinder.

Although this information will be completely useless if what you actually wanted to know is whether a horizontal cylinder is of any use!

 

[PEG]

Sounds more like a buffer,than a store...
I fitted a horizontal O/V cylinder at my folks,which has a horizontal immersion and a plate for the primary.
All the reputable cylinder manufacturers have technical departments,and are usually very helpful.

Having said that,i do remember ringing Gledhill once,and i think they passed the phone to the bloke re-stocking the vending machine...