Immersion Heater Element problems

[edrobbo8]

Hi All,

Got a problem with a big job we've been doing. Firstly, I'm a spark and not a plumber, but the guy we are working for asked me to get a plumber to fit an immersion heater for hot water to wash his horses off.

So my mate who's a plumber installed a 205 litre indirect cylinder, with a 3kw immersion element. It's on a timer to come on at various stages throughout the day, and all was good for the first 3 weeks after he fitted the tank.

Then the first element went, he came down to change it and it looked like it had been in there for 15 years. 5mm of build up on the element. He put another one in, and fine for another 3 weeks. Then that one blew.

So I fitted a titanium one 2 weeks ago, at a cost of around £80 (I know a rip off but they were the only local people who had one). It is a very hard water supply as it is from a spring and they said at the wholesaler to fit titanium.....but this one has lasted less than the copper ones?!

What would you do in this situation???

I'm fed up with having to sort out the thing every 3 weeks!!!

 

[Pete999]

Tanks to big, element to small, water to hard imo

 

[telectrix]

maybe fit a water softener. take the calcium carbonate out.

 

[PEG]

How are they failing? Is it in the same manner for each one fitted?

 

[snowhead]

The problem is the Spring water.

It needs analysing and then suitable treatment and filtration setting up.
Don't be surprised if the cylinder fails next, unless it's stainless.

My Son's house is on spring water and that has heavy deposits of Iron in it when it comes out the ground.

 

[PEG]

The problem is the Spring water.

It needs analysing and then suitable treatment and filtration setting up.
Don't be surprised if the cylinder fails next, unless it's stainless.

My Son's house is on spring water and that has heavy deposits of Iron in it when it comes out the ground.

In which case,the element will have an appreciable amount of built-up matter or other clues,which would indicate the problem.The time-scale between failures is very short for this type of problem NOT to be apparent. I did have a similar issue,where water was drawn from a stream of dubious origin,for the purpose of dog washing.The various impurities,which at a guess,would be cess-pit outfalls,run-off from equestrian yards,and general vegatable matter,formed an interesting sculpture on the element,but over months,not weeks.

 

[edrobbo8]

Thanks for the replies. I have told him to have his water properly analysed as it is just a joke! Hopefully he will see sense or I will be training him in how to change elements. Needs a proper softener set up I think!

 

[ayjay]

why is an indirect cylinder fitted
has it got an anode
are any metal pipes mixed with copper ones
why would the water capacity of the cyinder or size of the element matter poster 2
4x?

 

[Pete999]

why is an indirect cylinder fitted
has it got an anode
are any metal pipes mixed with copper ones
why would the water capacity of the cyinder or size of the element matter poster 2
4x?

Lots of water to heatup with a 3kw heater probably on continually hence the repeated burn out

 

[dingledong]

Even if on continuously 3 weeks seems very quick to go wrong ! !

 

[Pete999]

Even if on continuously 3 weeks seems very quick to go wrong ! !

Well you may be right mate but if the water is very hard 3 weeks on continuously it's taking a bashing just a thought really

 

[HandySparks]

Well you may be right mate but if the water is very hard 3 weeks on continuously it's taking a bashing just a thought really

Why should the heater be on continuously, unless they leave the tap running? Surely it'll just be on until up to temperature, at which point the thermostat will switch it off.

 

[Pete999]

Why should the heater be on continuously, unless they leave the tap running? Surely it'll just be on until up to temperature, at which point the thermostat will switch it off.

I was just trying to say a tank that size with a 3KW heater, washing horses would be on more time than its off a lot more usage than a domestic environment, just a thought that was all

 

[ayjay]

so pete--(with respect) a 3kw immersion will fail if its over-worked/on all the time?
noone washes horses at night do they-- therefore the stat will cut the power?
imo no anode and/ or mixed piping /electrosis splitting the element casing
seen it a few times

 

[showerman]

May I suggest that you contact manufacturer of the elements for their thoughts .
Titanium heaters are sometimes specified for types of acid and " other nasties "
so am puzzled the same as op , best of luck in overcoming problem .
Ps , I have had problems with water starvation causing heaters to fail , it should not
happen in theory but worth checking ! Ken .

 

[Lucien Nunes]

The culprit sounds like the heavy coating of stuff building up on the element, if it is as thick as the OP describes. That can cause rapid overheating and will damage a titanium element as much as an inconel one.

Wrong kind of water, it seems.

 

[ayjay]

then why don.t the manefacturer state this on the instuctions ? eg " not for use with hard water or it will only last for a short time"?
many places have hard water there must be zillions of immersions that only last 3 weeks!

 

[Knobhead]

If it’s indirect there must be a header tank. You can get dysenteric water treatment to add in to the header.

With it being an indirect cylinder there is a way around the problem. Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I’ll send a drawing. Sorry I won’t post it in open forum.

 

[ayjay]

tony you saw my question! hallajuja--- or one of them the indirect cylinder /calonifier
what about an anode or lack of

 

[Knobhead]

Absolutely nothing to do with chemical or galvanic treatment. Added to which it’s reasonably cheap and maintenance free.

This is why I asked the OP to contact me directly. I won’t put it in open forum. A good plumber can make the bits needed, a good electrician will get it to work.