Replacing immersion heater thermostat in 90 build house, has no temp cut out

[AndyPRK]

Pipe won’t flexi but the stat might

 

[SUNRAY]

This is the head of the element with Backer BT18. The temp dial is not sprung with an overtemp trip.

Unfortunately the pipe will not flex at all to bring it past. The shop though sent a BT18 equivalent made by Cotherm and the probe rather than sitting near the head block centre is close to probe edge along one side so may be a chance to cut the original one out and slide this in.
A plumber is coming to fix other pipes so can let them decide.

David

View attachment 365054

As YOU quite correctly stated there is no over temp cut-out.

I'm sure you are correct that it's fouled by the pipe (you are there but I'm not) in the first internal pic the perspective makes it look to be very slightly offset to the pipe, If that's correct (which I doubt from your comments) it ought to be able to jiggle it a little (to quote Open All Hours) to pass it.

To my mind this is fairly typical of a plumbers lack of consideration. I have been working in 'Controls' since 2005, mostly commercial/industrial heating and ventilation, I've seen pipes run across door so they can't open, through a flat roof with a bit of silicon round them, across a lift shaft (such that the lift car couldn't pass etc etc there are loads more but at this time of morning after a long day of granddady day care situations aren't coming to mind.

My previous CH 3 port valve was so badly positioned within the tangle of pipework & hot water cylinder it was impossible to change the motor without draining to remove the entire brass valve and that was a terrible struggle to get spanners on.