Question about Electronic 7 Horstmann

[peggyxoxo]

Hi everyone! I just moved a new flat last week and this is my first time using boiler heater. And I am confused with the use of that timer. I have never looked into it until hot water running out yesterday. After pressing 'BOOST' (Pic 1), I got the hot water after awhile. In the next day, when my partner had a shower, the water running out again. So we tried to reset the things.(Pic 2) FYI there are day & night electricity are separated in my building.

-ON time 9PM
-OFF time 12PM
-BOOST SELECTION: slide to TIMED BOOST

I observed from time to time today that the BOOST ON light is constantly red. Is it normal? Is there anything going wrong? I feel confused with this. It would be lovely if someone could figure it out and sort out the most energy efficient way. Thanks!

 

[telectrix]

read the instructions fot boost timer operation. you need to set the on/off times using the clock buttons. ( and tell 'im/'er or gender neutral not to spend so much time drowning in the shower ).

 

[Avo Mk8]

First thing to say is that timer is a Horstmann 7 "Maxistore", different from the current model, and over 20 years old. It's not a model I am familiar with, and so far I have been unable to find a copy of instructions or the circuit.
Can you tell me if your hot water cylinder has two immersion heaters on it, one near the bottom, and one about half way up?
Do they both have wires connected, and do both wires go to the Horstmann timer, or does the bottom one go to a separate switch?

There are various possibilities such as:
timer is set wrongly
timer is broken
a switch is off somewhere
an immersion heater has failed
I could go on!

Can you provide a picture of the tank and where the wires go?
And do you have the instructions for that timer?

 

[peggyxoxo]

First thing to say is that timer is a Horstmann 7 "Maxistore", different from the current model, and over 20 years old. It's not a model I am familiar with, and so far I have been unable to find a copy of instructions or the circuit.
Can you tell me if your hot water cylinder has two immersion heaters on it, one near the bottom, and one about half way up?
Do they both have wires connected, and do both wires go to the Horstmann timer, or does the bottom one go to a separate switch?

There are various possibilities such as:
timer is set wrongly
timer is broken
a switch is off somewhere
an immersion heater has failed
I could go on!

Can you provide a picture of the tank and where the wires go?
And do you have the instructions for that timer?

Hi,

Thank you for your help! My partner tried to reset everything this morning and finally the red light on BOOST ON was gone. But we are still quite confused with the setting.... My boiler and timer are located in separated storeroom so I could not see if both wires are connected... Below is the manual we searched online and we read again and again but still very vague for us. Cheers, Have a lovely day.

HORSTMANN ELECTRONIC 7 USER INSTRUCTIONS Pdf Download - https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1469338/Horstmann-Electronic-7.html

 

[Avo Mk8]

Thank you for the information and pics.
Your Megaflow cylinder has two grey panels on the side, each (theoretically) covering an immersion heater.
Normally (can't vouch for how yours is wired), the lower immersion heater is powered from off-peak electricity, and heats during the night (probably 12.00 midnight to 7.00am), and the upper immersion is operated by the boost button, and it only heats the top bit of the tank - so it heats fairly quickly, but a small amount of water.

It sounds like the bottom immersion heater is not getting power for some reason, or the element has failed. That is the immersion that needs to work for you to have enough hot water for a shower!
I think anything you do by way of setting times and clicking switches will only affect the boost (upper) immersion, and will not give you a full tank of hot water!

I would expect your Horstmann timer to be switching on the lower heater at night through its pre-set internal timer settings, which the instructions refer to, and should be 12.00 to 7.00am. One of your photo's show the off-peak indicator glowing, so there seems to be power at the Horstmann.

It's possible that the lower immersion heater has failed. Or the timer. It would be a simple job for an electrician to establish if the immersion heater is OK, but requires test equipment. I think you need to get someone to check this for you.

 

[Avo Mk8]

Hi Peggyxoxo
I agree the manual is not very clear.
It probably makes more sense once you are familiar with the fact there are two immersion heaters, the "off-peak" one at the bottom (and there is some text about the timing of that being pre-set by the installer etc), and then there is the upper "boost" immersion, and most of the text is about that one.
If you haven't already done it, it might help to reset the programmer as per the instructions, pressing all the buttons at once etc. It's quite possible after all this time the programmer is faulty and has stopped turning on the off-peak immersion. The instructions point out that the off-peak indicator light still comes on even when you turn the main switch off! So even though the light is on, the programmer might not be supplying power to the lower off-peak immersion heater.
I really think you need an electrician with test equipment to resolve this

 

[peggyxoxo]

Hi Peggyxoxo
I agree the manual is not very clear.
It probably makes more sense once you are familiar with the fact there are two immersion heaters, the "off-peak" one at the bottom (and there is some text about the timing of that being pre-set by the installer etc), and then there is the upper "boost" immersion, and most of the text is about that one.
If you haven't already done it, it might help to reset the programmer as per the instructions, pressing all the buttons at once etc. It's quite possible after all this time the programmer is faulty and has stopped turning on the off-peak immersion. The instructions point out that the off-peak indicator light still comes on even when you turn the main switch off! So even though the light is on, the programmer might not be supplying power to the lower off-peak immersion heater.
I really think you need an electrician with test equipment to resolve this

Thank you so much for your explain! I know how my boiler runs now! Yes we just reset the programmer. I will observe it and see it works.