Emersion heater thermostat

[Scorpion101]

I have a system boiler and a hot water tank with a immersion heater.

At present we use the hot water via the boiler to warm the tank. On occasion I've had to put the emersion on, or my children have, and have forgotten to turn it off. Leaving it continually bubbling away.

What I want to know is if there is anyway for the thermostat on the hot water tank that is connected to the system for the boiler can also be connected to the immersion switch? So when the tank reaches a certain temperature the immersion heater is turned off. Thanks in advance.

 

[Burnerman]

I guess anything is possible but not too easy here.....you would need your tank stat to control a high current handling relay which would drive the heater element.
Of course, the immersion will turn itself off when the set temperature is reached, so its not using electricity all the time.
John

 

[Scorpion101]

I've just discovered there is a thermostat built in to the immersion (face palm) doh! That would make perfect sense.

It was set to over 90°C so turned it down to something more reasonable.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Burnerman]

60 degrees is about the necessary setting.
I bet your electricity bills were sky high at 90, and surprised you could actually get near the water!
John

 

[Scorpion101]

Thankfully it wasn't used often (phew)!

I'm trying to figure out how best to use the hot water. We are a family of 4 and have 2 teenage daughters (you can see where I'm going here! )

At the moment the water tank is on a timer to heat in the morning and in the evening from the boiler. This method isn't working so I'm attempting to try leaving the hot water on all day (with the thermostat controlling the temp from the boiler). We'll see how we go.

I'm wondering though if it's worth while heating from the boiler as well as heating from the immersion heater at the same time? I hear a lot of one or the other but wonder if both is worth considering?

The reason I ask and my problem is that there only seems to be enough hot water for one person (teenage daughter) to have a shower. If anyone follows them then there is simply no hot water left and they are left waiting for the hot water tank to heat back up. My thought is that if I have the boiler and immersion heating to 60°C at the same time, it would be quicker? So not as much waiting around for it to heat back up.

I think ultimately I need a bigger hot water tank or a combi installing or wait for them to move out

We've not long moved in and I've had the boiler replaced but I just went like for like and went with a replacement system boiler.

 

[Burnerman]

I think it’s unusual for any teenager to take a shower less than 1 hour , and I guess the boiler just isn’t on long enough to supply more hot water.
The tank is well lagged, you could maybe lag the pipes too but consider leaving the boiler on most of the day, but the radiator thermostat turned down. You need the water temperature to be around 60 degrees for safety.
You could use a time switch for the immersion heater but I’d be inclined to use it just for boosting the water as necessary, ensuring to turn it off afterwards of course!
John

 

[flameport]

I'm wondering though if it's worth while heating from the boiler as well as heating from the immersion heater at the same time?

No - as well as costing far more, the immersion is feeble compared to the boiler.
If heating with the immersion only, it would take several hours to heat the cylinder.

What is the thermostat on the hot water cylinder set to (the rectangular white box near the bottom of the cylinder) ?
What boiler have you got, and what is the temperature on the boiler set to?

 

[Scorpion101]

No - as well as costing far more, the immersion is feeble compared to the boiler.
If heating with the immersion only, it would take several hours to heat the cylinder.

What is the thermostat on the hot water cylinder set to (the rectangular white box near the bottom of the cylinder) ?
What boiler have you got, and what is the temperature on the boiler set to?

The thermostat on the hot water tank is set to 60°C. The boiler is a glow worm 30r system boiler and it's generating heat at 75°C.

 

[flameport]

That should be fine. You may need a new larger cylinder, and the existing one could be clogged with scale.
For now, leaving the boiler on permanently should improve things, perfectly ok to have it heating the cylinder while hot water is being used.
Don't bother with the immersion heater, it will make very little difference for significant extra cost.