Mystery Immersion heater switches

[statstastic]

Hi,

I've got two, yes two, immersion switches on my living room wall. Behind the wall that they are on was an immersion heater tank in a cupboard. The tank and all wiring the other side of the wall has been removed in the past.

The mystery is that the white switch light is on all the time, which is what I would expect, but the red switch light comes on for about half an hour at 6-7am. Given that this red switch doesn't appear to be connected to any sort of timer - I presume the wiring runs inside the wall down through the floor and into the main unit in the kitchen below - what on earth could be going on?

Untitled

• statstastic
• 26 Feb 2015
• 2

Thanks for reading.

 

[deadshort]

Hi,

You would have had two immersion heaters 1 on normal 24hr and the second on off peak cheaper over night rate, the power to that is controlled by the supplier. That's the reason it appears to have a life of it's own

You can switch it off at your fuse box if you wish.

Regards,

DS

 

[statstastic]

Thanks for your reply, it's really helpful. I was going to get an electrician in to move the switches lower down the wall and then have a faceplate fitted. Then I noticed the red switch coming on intermittently...
It really helps to know what's going on before I call the electrician round.

 

[JohnW2]

It really helps to know what's going on before I call the electrician round.

Would it be possible for you to provide photo(s) of your electricity meter(s), consumer unit(s)/fuse box(es) etc.?

Do you have night storage heaters - and do you know what electricity tariff you are on?

Kind Regards, John

 

[unclebob1]

I think JohnW2 is getting at possibly an economy7/10 setup (regardless of you still being on the tariff!)

 

[JohnW2]

I think JohnW2 is getting at possibly an economy7/10 setup (regardless of you still being on the tariff!)

Very perceptive

Kind Regards, John

 

[oceansoul]

You've just had me going crazy, thinking i was mad. I was sure i have seen those pictures before, and read an almost identical thread.

Well i wasnt:
//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/what-would-you-do-with-these-switches.428126/

 

[statstastic]

You've just had me going crazy, thinking i was mad. I was sure i have seen those pictures before, and read an almost identical thread.

Well i wasnt:
//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/what-would-you-do-with-these-switches.428126/[/QUOTE]

Haha, well spotted! That was my first post when we started the work. I didn't know the red switch was coming on and off at that point and thought I was seeing things the first time I saw it! I've used the old photo, but I've had the radiator and pipework replaced since then. I'm ready to start on the electrics now

 

[statstastic]

It really helps to know what's going on before I call the electrician round.

Would it be possible for you to provide photo(s) of your electricity meter(s), consumer unit(s)/fuse box(es) etc.?

Do you have night storage heaters - and do you know what electricity tariff you are on?

Kind Regards, John

Hi John,

There are no storage heaters or anything. We've just had a new combi boiler put in. Here's the fusebox and meter in the kitchen...

Untitled

• statstastic
• 14 May 2015
• 1

 

[deadshort]

Hi, yes you only have one breaker from the Off Peak supply, the one at the right hand side if you switch that off no more flashing red lights !
DS

 

[JohnW2]

There are no storage heaters or anything. We've just had a new combi boiler put in. Here's the fusebox and meter in the kitchen...

As DS says, it looks as if you have an off-peak supply for just that second immersion switch. As I implied, you should check what electricity tariff you are on - since you have no storage heaters, if it's a dual-rate tariff (like Economy 7 or Economy 10) you might be paying a lot more than you need for your electricity. Do you know if there were ever any storage heaters in the house?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

If your hot-water cylinder is well insulated, as it should be, and of adequate size, it will hold a bathful and will stay hot all day (or until used). What colour is it?

If you have a gas boiler, it will be quicker and more economical that the electric immersion heaters, so you can turn them off except when the boiler is out of action.

 

[statstastic]

We had a cupboard the other side of the wall with the switches which contained an emersion tank/hot water tank. When we moved in in January we had a new combi boiler fitter in the kitchen. At that time the heating engineer removed the emersion tank in the cupboard plus a water tank in a bedroom cupboard. There are no other water related containers in the place, bar the pipes to and from the sinks/ toilets, etc.

I don't think we're on a dual tariff. The electricity meter was only fitted about a month ago by NPower as previously it was a council property with a pre payment key type meter. All accounts and tariffs were started at the same time and we no longer have any storage tanks.

Thanks again for the further info.

 

[flameport]

There are no storage heaters or anything. We've just had a new combi boiler put in. Here's the fusebox and meter in the kitchen...

As both of those switches are redundant, the easiest option is to have both circuits disconnected at the consumer unit and remove the switches.

Another option would be to add a socket as in the other thread, but your consumer unit has no RCD, and replacing it will not be straightforward or cheap.

Get rid of the E7 as well, as it has no purpose and is probably costing you more than a single rate would.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't think we're on a dual tariff. The electricity meter was only fitted about a month ago by NPower as previously it was a council property with a pre payment key type meter. All accounts and tariffs were started at the same time ....

I wouldn't be so sure about that. You appear to have dual tariff meter and we know that something is switching off at 6-7am. As I've said, I think you should check your bills to make sure that you're not on something like an E7 tariff - since, if you were, it could be costing you a fair bit of unnecessary money.

Kind Regards, John