Immersion heater query

[jackecole]

What causes an immersion heater element to split? Sometimes in more than one place? Is it the water? or just wear and tear?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Its the hardness of the water.

Andy

 

[xr4x4]

In my experience, age.

Ones that are used a lot tend to go more often.

 

[jackecole]

thanks for your reply

Anyway what happened is I changed my bottom element as it was open circuit, no continuity. No hot eater from it (Economy 7). Now I find that the top one is also faulty (and dripping a bit through the thermostat pocket)! Not that I use this one much at all, hardly ever!! I wish I checked this at the same time as my bottom one! Is it common for both to go together or close together? They are both in the same water I suppose.

I put in the first side entry one the other night. An incoloy type, which is supposedly better for hard water?

 

[HERTS P&D]

The incoloy are better than copper, on a dual fit cylinder you should always change both at the same time, it saves time draining down twice.

Andy

 

[jackecole]

Thanks for your advice, I wish I had now!!

As the top entry cylinder is also not right at the top, and I am going to use a rubber bung inside the cold feed as the gate valve is not working, and also the drain off valve is not working !! so I will have to siphon out from the top of the cylinder again. But I'm going to get a bit wet!! Any good ways to deal with this, more easily..... last time I drained it down fron the bottom element !

 

[jackecole]

sorry last post I have just re-read - although the top element is not right at the top of the cylinder, when I siphon out the top I won't get that wet! Just had a long day!!!!!

I'm going to change the stiff gate valve as well on the cold feed when doing this, are they standard size, or will I need to maybe re-pipe a bit if new one is shorter? I'll have a look when I get the new one I think.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Turn your mains off, drain down cold water tank, remove defective gate valve and fit a full flow lever valve.

Remove pipe work from top of cylinder and place a hose into the cylinder and run off to a lower position, drain as much as possible. You might have to remove the top immersion to put the hose into the bottom of the tank. Once all the water has been drained out, remove the bottom immersion and vacuum out all the scale at the bottom of the cylinder. Remove the drain off cock and dig out the old washer and refit a new one.

Then refit back together. Turn on water, remove any air/check for leaks, then have a beer.

Hope that helps.

Andy

 

[jackecole]

Thanks for your advice!

What I did:

Bunged cold feed inside cold water tank to save draining all down
Undone nuts from top of cylinder (threaded and compression) and put hose into cylinder to bottom

Siphoned out a fair bit to fit new isolation valve, as gate valve was half way down cylinder

Removed old heater, fitted new one

I noticed last time I replaced the bottom one, there was quite a lof ot crap at the bottom, but didn't remove it all. Wish I did now!!