Immersion heater timer

The immersion heater stopped working the other day and I tracked it down very quickly to the timer/controller, so I got a new one from Screwfix (

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Pretty much identical to the previous one with slightly simpler wiring. Still has a similar lack of provision for connecting the earth though, which seems dodgy.

Just for a change (!) I read the instructions, which very clearly say that the connection (a screw terminal, just like a bit of choc block) should only be made with solid core cable and not stranded. This seems a bit odd, as the connection would (it seems to me) come from a switched outlet to the timer, then go on to the immersion heater element, both of these needing heat-resistant flex.

So, to my questions: Does this mean the wiring should go - Switched outlet - flex - junction box - solid cable - timer - junction box - flex - element? (seems a bit over board to me, but I can't envisage feeding solid cored cable out of the outlet or to the element) If so, what sort of junction boxes would be good? (if a choc block type of screw terminal shouldn't take stranded flex at the timer, surely the same applies in a JB, or am I missing something?

I probably wouldn't usually give this much thought but the problem was caused by what looks like the flex coming from the old timer burning out. Presumably there had been some mechanical strain on the flex (and there is no strain relief on these timers) that broke a few strands, leading to increased resistance etc etc.

Any views from the experts?

Cheers

Reply to
GMM
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A timer would normally be fixed to the wall, so wired *before* the cord outlet to the element. I realise this might make more work.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

=A0 London SW

I take your point Dave and this one is fixed to the wall, although not sunk in a back box (the terminals are under a shroud at the bottom, as they would be for a flex to loop in and out). The unfortunate thing (to me) is there don't seem to be any alternatives available in the sheds/Screwfix, etc. (There might be some from other sources but I was just trying to crack this off over the weekend.

Reply to
GMM

To use flex into a connection designed for solid core, you need a ferrule.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Could be, but also common is that the switched contact gets some resistance after a while (particularly high current ones like this), and conducts the resulting heat back to the connection, which then burns the insulation (and might also cause connection deterioration). With shower switches, it's probably 50/50 original poor connection, verses switch contacts burning out (which is why I always recommend getting a good quality switch for high current applications, and not the cheapest on the shelf).

You need bootlace ferrules on the flexible conductors. You might be able to buy a short length of high temp immersion heater cable made up with ferrules on (not that I've looked as I would crimp them on myself, but it seems like a common requirement). Maybe a small electrical shop would make it up for you?

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

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probably do the job.

The OP would have to chop it down as the terminals on the timer are probably very short.

Reply to
ARWadsworth

I've never looked at ferrules like that but I'm sure it could be sorted. I'm still a tad concerned, now that I've been thinking about it, about the idea of having a flex (actually 2 flexes) dangling in the airing cupboard with no strain relief. I guess I could clip it to the wall or something, so a stray pack of bog rolls chucked into the airing cupboard doesn't cause another problem. Funny how these things get taken for granted until something happens........It was lucky nothing caught fire, looking at the amount of scorching and the state of the flex.

Reply to
GMM

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