FINALLY got the immersion heater out - and it looks fine! Any point replacing?

Question

After bashing, banging, heating and tapping and buying and expensive box spanner, I finally got what I thought would be a heavily encrusted "short reach" immersion heater out, only to find that it was a long reach, in better nick than I thought. Got a coating of green stuff though!

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does it look OK, or should I replace it now it's out? The reason I wanted to look at it was that it didn't seem to be heating a full tank, BUT, turning it up made the water boil. If half the element was gone, then surely current wouldn't flow, so...

Anyway, I'm guessing it's about 10 years old? For one, it says "made in Great Britain" (Satchwell Controls, Slough) - and nothing is made here these days, and the other thing is that it is measured in degrees F.

Stuart · Accepted Answer

Does it look O.K. ....?...Are you joking ..lolNow that you have gone to all that trouble bin it and buy a new one.They are not that expensive ..Stuart

Bob Eager · Answer

> I'd replace it while it's out...not that expensive!Sure that's not what's on the thermostat? The bit down the middle that slides out? Satchwell do thermostats but not, I think, heaters.

tony sayer · Answer

In article , Jonathan writesI'd change it their not that much and around 10 years its quite likelyto fail.That bit of corrosion where it meets the mounting boss looks a bitsuspect......

Beelzebub · Answer

>Euwwwwww!Replace it (as others have said).  Shouldn't be that much more than £20 ish,from B&Q.  Make sure that if you're in a hard water area, you get thecorrect immersion type - pure copper elements don't last as long.  Also makesure that you remember to fit the gasket and wrap the threads in PTFE tape.DAMHIK, IJD,OK!

Martin Wiseman · Answer

Hi,If it's marked in Fahrenheit then surely it's got to be a lot older than 10 years. I'd expect it to be more like 20 to 30 years.Martin

Chris Bacon · Answer

Replace it. I don't like the pimple that you can see on it. Nothingwrong with it apart from that 'cept the colour.

Andy Wade · Answer

The 'stat may well be much older than the element, having been re-used a few times...

FINALLY got the immersion heater out - and it looks fine! Any point replacing?

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