Immersion problem

[Prime Design]

Hi lads,

My client is having problems with her peak and off peak immersion. She claims she isn't getting enough hot water. I turned both thermostats up but she is still having the same problem. They are new elements but I tested them anyway and they are working fine. I'm wondering if the problem is a plumbing issue, maybe the tank isn't being filled up fully. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Hi lads,

My client is having problems with her peak and off peak immersion. She claims she isn't getting enough hot water. I turned both thermostats up but she is still having the same problem. They are new elements but I tested them anyway and they are working fine. I'm wondering if the problem is a plumbing issue, maybe the tank isn't being filled up fully. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

How olds the cylinder?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Is the off peak immersion at the bottom?

 

[davesparks]

How is the off peak supply controlled, timeswitch or teleswitch?
Have you checked the overheat cutout in the stats?

 

[cprfenom]

How have you confirmed that the element is ok?

 

[Leesparkykent]

How have you confirmed that the element is ok?

Hi lads,


My client is having problems with her peak and off peak immersion. She claims she isn't getting enough hot water. I turned both thermostats up but she is still having the same problem. They are new elements but I tested them anyway and they are working fine. I'm wondering if the problem is a plumbing issue, maybe the tank isn't being filled up fully. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?


The OP above ^

 

[Octopus]

Hum..... off peak - is the E7 actually kicking in? have they recently changed suppliers?

Peak - what is the temperature set at?

 

[davesparks]

How new is new? I had to replace an immersion which was only a month old a couple of years ago. The idiot who did it the first time round fitted a copper immersion heater instead of incalloy or titanium, no surprise it had enough it had rotted through.

 

[Prime Design]

The Cylinder looks around 15-20 years old. I haven't had direct contact with the landlord yet, only the tenant.
I know it's incorrect but on arrival both top and bottom element were plugged into a double socket controlled by a double pole switch on a dedicated circuit for an immersion protected by a 16A MCB. The water pump is being fed from the same circuit. I've quoted to remove all sockets from that circuit, reinstate the off peak immersion to the economy 7 supply, reinstate the peak immersion and install a socket for the pump from the ring via a 3A fused spur.
I tested for continuity between live an neutral, I can't remember the reading but I did get continuity, then I tested for continuity between live and earth and then between neutral and earth and didn't get a reading.
I didn't check the cut out in the stat, is that the same as the reset button?

 

[cprfenom]

The term new doesn't mean squat. Hence why I asked how he had confirmed that the element was fine

 

[davesparks]

What do you think the reset button actually re-sets?

Did you IR test the elements?

 

[HandySparks]

... and install a socket for the pump from the ring via a 3A fused spur.

Why?

I tested for continuity between live an neutral, I can't remember the reading but I did get continuity...

What sort of value would you expect?

I didn't check the cut out in the stat, is that the same as the reset button?

Yes, although sometimes they're a separate component.

 

[cprfenom]

To be honest, you need to confirm that the thermostat is working as intended also.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Hi lads,

My client is having problems with her peak and off peak immersion. She claims she isn't getting enough hot water. I turned both thermostats up but she is still having the same problem. They are new elements but I tested them anyway and they are working fine. I'm wondering if the problem is a plumbing issue, maybe the tank isn't being filled up fully. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

Does this mean she's getting some hot water but not in great quantity?

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Re: the new elements, are these new due to the same issue?

 

[Deleted member 72666]

The Cylinder looks around 15-20 years old. I haven't had direct contact with the landlord yet, only the tenant.
I know it's incorrect but on arrival both top and bottom element were plugged into a double socket controlled by a double pole switch on a dedicated circuit for an immersion protected by a 16A MCB. The water pump is being fed from the same circuit. I've quoted to remove all sockets from that circuit, reinstate the off peak immersion to the economy 7 supply, reinstate the peak immersion and install a socket for the pump from the ring via a 3A fused spur.
I tested for continuity between live an neutral, I can't remember the reading but I did get continuity, then I tested for continuity between live and earth and then between neutral and earth and didn't get a reading.
I didn't check the cut out in the stat, is that the same as the reset button?

Now this bit confuses me! Are you saying that both elements are fed from the 2 gang socket at the same time via a 16 amp mcb? If so has she mentioned the tripping of the breaker? Or am I reading this all wrong?
Also when you checked for continuity did both elements read roughly the same?

 

[Octopus]

Is it me or is this all sounding a bit odd?

Both elements connected to a 2g socket on a dedicated circuit.

What controls when they are switched on and off?

 

[Prime Design]

I didn't IR the elements
I'd expect a zero value when doing continuity
I would remove the pump from the immersion circuit so the immersion doesn't interfere with the pump under fault conditions and vice versa.
I was never told what the reset button actually resets, I usually just press it anyway, I don't know why I didn't press it today.
E7 works, I turned it on to confirm power supply even though both elements were plugged into a double socket.

 

[Octopus]

How did you turn on the E7 during the day?

 

[davesparks]

Why didn't you IR test the elements?
A resistance of zero when testing the element would be a dead short and result in a loud bang when switched on, use the equation associated with ohms law to work out what resistance you should get.

Why should someone have to tell you what the reset button is for, can't you manage to do your own research or even use some common sense to work out what could possibly be contained in a thermostat which may need to be reset?