"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
Every few years, my immersion heater element fails and I have to replace
it. It's a bugger because "draining" my hot water system doesn't
completely drain the tank. The element is still immersed and I gently
undo the element until the thread leaks and shove a bucket underneath.
It then takes hours to drain to below the element. There is no drain
cock for the cylinder.

1. Does anyone know a "Trick of the trade" to do a easier job of
draining the cylinder?

2. I've seen "long life" immersion heater elements. Are they worth
bothering with?

Thanks!

Steve

there is usually a drain hole, out of site round the back, probably.

Aggressive immersion element will last longer, but not indefinitely. Soft
water is the answer, mine has lasted 15 years so far (Normal tank,soft
water, only heat source, so on all the time, nearly)
A neighbour has had at least four elements in the same period (hard water)
He has a double tank fortic thing too, and only turns it on when wanted.

mrcheerful