Immersion Heaters And Elements

How do you wire an Immersion heater into your water boiler

? Immersion heaters are normally 3kW, which normally could be hard wired into a ring main. However due to the nature of an Immersion heater this is not the case. As an Immersion heater can be left on for hours or even days on end taking 3kW power from a ring circuit would reduce the capacity of the said circuit. The best and most effective way of wiring an Immersion heater is via their own radial circuit.

Your Immersion heater will come with a large cap on the end which the cable is fed through. The mains cable for any Immersion heater will need to be the standard two core and earth 2.5mm cable. Ideally this cable should run to a 20amp double pole isolator switch from where a heat resistant 16amp cable or flex should run to the heater. From April 2004 new and replacement Immersion heaters must be protected by an overheating safety cut out.

Immersion heaters come in a range of sizes all measured by standard in inches. How an Immersion heater works is very simple, it is the same principle as a kettle. The Immersion heater is very simply put a large element, this element heats the water up to the require temperature. This is why heaters with more elements heat and recover faster, as they have more elements to heat a larger amount of water in the same space of time. In term this means heating the water is quicker.

Immersion heaters also come in different materials for different applications. Three different sheath materials are generally available based on what water conditions you have. A copper Immersion heater is perfect for normal water conditions. Superloy is a nickel alloy designed for aggressive water conditions. Lastly is titanium, this is designed for heavy duty use for hard and highly aggressive water conditions. In terms of heat time all the materials have around about the same heat up time. The only difference is the conditions they are designed to function under.

Immersion heaters also have a small thermostat under the cap, you can tell then the thermostat has broken or is no longer working as the water will become scalding hot without warning. This is normally a clear sign that the thermostat is no longer working. Should the rest of the heater, all the fuses and all plugs be full intact then it would leave only the thermostat. It is possible to replace thermostats on Immersion heaters however it is better advised to replace the Immersion heater. This is due to the time and effort required to replace the thermostat is not much different from fitting a new unit. Also it should extend the unit life by keeping the limescale away from the Immersion heater.

As always we recommend you also use a qualified plumber and never attempt any replacement or repairs yourself. This guide is for your knowledge of how Immersion heaters work and function.

by: Adam Simmons

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