Immersion heater wiring

David Hearn · 2010-04-30T13:46:54+00:00

Our old hot water cylinder (inherited with the house) came with an immersion heater wired via a 13amp plug. This hasn't been used by us for years (since the thermostat blew, boiling the water and shooting it into the loft!). It's been unplugged ever since.I'm planning on replacing the hot water cylinder, and therefore need to decide whether to fit an immersion heater or not. I'm thinking to fit one, but not actually wire it in yet (or ever!). I have no intention of ever wiring it into a plug! I know that's totally wrong...Anyway, if I remember correctly (I haven't looked at it for a couple of years), the socket which the immersion heater used to plug into was on the one of the lighting circuits, which is wired into a 16A MCB (plug in type for old fuse box). The other light circuit has, I think, a 6A MCB.Is it permitted (I doubt it's recommended) to replace the existing socket with a suitable double isolator immersion switch and wire the immersion in that way? It's the only source of power in that cupboard, and would be the easiest way of getting power to the immersion heater.I just want to think about things for the future, rather than actually going ahead and doing anything about wiring it in now.ThanksDavid

Apr 30, 2010 23 Replies

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John 16 years ago

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@n15g2000yqf.googlegroups.com...

Perhaps he has 340v mains? :) Then he'd be right.

Done detention!

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Tim Streater 16 years ago

Two 1500W elements in parallel gives you 3kW. If you wire them in series they give you 750W only in total.

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Andy Wade 16 years ago

Pass. Possibly related to a change from old BS to newer BS EN (harmonised) standards, or quite possibly someone noticing an ancient rule that never had much scientific basis.

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spamlet 16 years ago

Oops: just browsing back: I hope you noticed the slip of the brain and didn't try to empty the tank via the *cold* tap on the bath! Hot tap of course!

:-(

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