Immersion heaters

[RichardS]

It seems that the immersion heater has packed up in our rented flat, so I'll have to pop round there and sort it out.

Well, at least I think it has. Symptoms are only luke warm water available from the tank (water heating is electric only) - how should I test for a fault on the heater, or the thermostat?

Question is, are all immersion heaters the same size? It was a new one fitted when the flat was bought, about 7 years ago. If the heaters are a standard size then I can get one before going round to investigate, and probably a thermostat as well - local electrical warehouse are normally willing to take unused items back (I get a lot of stuff from them..)

Any pointers would be welcome.

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[Andy Hall]

it's odd that it's luke warm. Is this the residue of when the heater was working or that the mains is a bit warmer or that the cylinder has warmed itself from the room overnight? Hard to say I guess.

It could be the thermostat or the heater element or simply that fuse or breaker has gone. You will need a continuity tester to check which.

Generally the fitting is, but they can be different lengths for different cylinder sizes etc.

You'll need an immersion heater spanner as well - cheap enough, and of course some way to at least part drain the cylinder below the fitting

- using a hose and the drain c*ck at the bottom of the cylinder.

Undoing the heater can be a bastard, and you need to make sure that you don't buckle the cylinder.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Dave Liquorice]

So I've heard, getting the thing to move with the tank still full of water is supposed to be better than (partially) empty. Use all the normal tricks like trying to tighten it a bit first etc.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Like all these things, I reckon shocking it free is the best bet - use one of those ring spanners and whack it with a hammer. Applying a steady large amount of torque is more likely to split the cylinder.

[Lurch]

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 16:51:34 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)" strung together this:

Ring spanners are crap, they'll bend with a heavy hand, never mind hammers. A decent box spanner is much better.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'll take your word for it. My ring spanner is pretty old - dunno what they're like now.

[Will]

I use a box spanner, with a pair of 3ft 6ins stillsons(sp?) for applying torque... I find that it is somewhat easier to persuade them to move with this arrangement, which is fine as long as you have a "feel" for what you are applying, force wise. I still had to warm an immersion up yesterday with a blowtorch, it had been fitted with mastic around the fibre washer, which had set hard and glued it in place.

The problem I see with the ring spanners, in this situation, is that it is difficult - if not impossible - to apply a torque to the heater without an associated linear force, which tends to cause the tank to buckle more readily...