HOT WATER TIMER QUESTION

[Smileysmile]

Hi guys, For all you wonderful experienced heating experts out there.
I have a standard conventional boiler with airing cupboard tank that stores hot water.
I work shifts and it is only me in the house. I have at least one hot power shower in the morning and because I am domesticated I wash the dishes myself in hot water. The washing machine heats its own water.
My question is, my timer programmer has advanced settings to time when you would like the hot water to come on. I can time it to come on AUTO which is probably the best for me. But how long should it be on to allow enough water to be heated for my needs?
Should I put it on 24 HR or ALL DAY?

I have probably been wasting money in the last 10 years. So the water heats up and I have a full tank of hot water to last me a day?
It cools down so if it were on AUTO set the timer for it to come on 10pm every day so I have a full tank of hot water. It cools down over the next 24 hrs yet it takes more energy to heat it up to whatever the cut off temperature is.... how long should I have the AUTO timer on say from 10p?

I think you get the gist of it. AUTO, 24 HR OR ALL DAY?

Just me in the house. Could have made this easier and kept it short. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[rochdalegas]

In most cases its easier and more cost effective to run the hot water in conjunction with the radiators providing its on for at least a couple of hours a day it should be fine for your hot water needs.

 

[Mottie]

I might be doing things wrong but there’s just me and the Mrs at home and I leave our hot water on permanently. Dishwasher and washing machine heat their own water, the odd sinkfull washing up big stuff that won’t go in the dishwasher after tea and two showers every night - she has hers around 8:00pm and I have mine anytime after 10:00pm. I don’t think it makes that much difference if you have a well insulated hot water tank - we have a 150 litre one. I hear the boiler fire up after each shower - we both like a long shower - and I’ve never heard it fire up any other time. The heated water after my shower lasts right through to when she has a shower the following evening so putting it on a timer would be pretty pointless in my opinion as if we fancied a bath or shower in the middle the of the day and used all the hot water, we wouldn’t have to sod about overiding the timer to heat it up again. I’m sure others all have their own theories based on their circumstances, size of h/w cylinder and the heat loss from that cylinder.