I'm about to install a new hot water cylinder. My only heating option
currently is an immersion, but I was going to buy an indirect cylinder
anyway so I can consider connecting to a boiler in the (distant)
future.

I was wondering whether the heating coil in the cylinder limits the
length of immersion that can be fitted? Can I still heat the entire
tank with just the immersion?

Vaci

I was wondering whether the heating coil in the cylinder limits the
length of immersion that can be fitted? Can I still heat the entire
tank with just the immersion?

Yes, but get a side entry immersion, not a long top mounted one. The lower
it is mounted, the more of the cylinder it will heat.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
I was wondering whether the heating coil in the cylinder limits the
length of immersion that can be fitted? Can I still heat the entire
tank with just the immersion?

Yes, but get a side entry immersion, not a long top mounted one. The lower
it is mounted, the more of the cylinder it will heat.


Yes but... A low mounted side entry one will need to heat all of the water
before the top water is hot. The top entry one will get hot water at the top
quicker (and lower down slower, of course) than the low mounted side entry
one. Fancy immersion cylinders have one at the top (fast for small amounts)
and one at the bottom (or used to). Decide on your usage pattern and act
accordingly.

If you don't have the immersion on a timer and forget to put it on and use
small amounts of hot water, I would suggest a top mounting one is more
appropriate. If it comes on before you get home and you like baths,
Christian's suggestion is probably better.

Top mounted ones are also easier to change (with respect to draining the
tank).


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Yes but... A low mounted side entry one will need to heat all of the water
before the top water is hot.

Even with a single immersion at the bottom, convection and subsequent
stratification lead fairly rapidly to usable hot water at the top. It
doesn't have to heat the entire cylinder up to 65C before you get hot water.

Top entry ones rarely manage to heat the entire cylinder at all and are
pretty hopeless for anything other than top up heating. I wouldn't have one
as my only heater.

If I had electric only heating, I'd probably have immersions at the bottom
and halfway up, with electrical supply to allow both at once. The top one
would be permanently on and and bottom one timed to come on from 07:00 to
23:00.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
Yes but... A low mounted side entry one will need to heat all of the
water
before the top water is hot.

Even with a single immersion at the bottom, convection and subsequent
stratification lead fairly rapidly to usable hot water at the top. It
doesn't have to heat the entire cylinder up to 65C before you get hot
water.

Top entry ones rarely manage to heat the entire cylinder at all and are
pretty hopeless for anything other than top up heating. I wouldn't have
one
as my only heater.

If I had electric only heating, I'd probably have immersions at the bottom
and halfway up, with electrical supply to allow both at once. The top one
would be permanently on and and bottom one timed to come on from 07:00 to
23:00.


Other things being equal; if electricity was my only
option for water-heating; I'd have Economy7 electricity
supply and use Christian's suggested lower element to heat
the water at half-rate during 00:00 ~ 07:00!

Your water usage may vary - but you _are_ on
Economy& aren't you?

With clothes-washers, dish-washers, tumble-dryers
fridges, and freezers all set to operate on
Economy7 - you know it makes sense.

--

Brian

I'm not even on Economy 7... my flat appears to have been designed in
some optimistic era when endless cheap electricity was just around the
corner - two hot water cylinders (one in bathroom, one in kitchen,
permanently switched on), and electric underfloor heating all round.

You don't want to see my electric bill

Bob Mannix wrote:
Top mounted ones are also easier to change (with respect to draining
the
tank).

True - but I guess not in terms of trying to extract or insert a 3 ft
immersion in my limited cupboard space!

Vaci

"Vaci" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm not even on Economy 7... my flat appears to have been designed in
some optimistic era when endless cheap electricity was just around the
corner - two hot water cylinders (one in bathroom, one in kitchen,
permanently switched on), and electric underfloor heating all round.

You don't want to see my electric bill


WHAT!!! Phone up leccy company, ask how much would it cost to have an E7
meter fitted and get it sorted tonight!!!. When are you normaly in the flat?

WHAT!!! Phone up leccy company, ask how much would it cost to have an E7
meter fitted and get it sorted tonight!!!. When are you normaly in the
flat?

However, without storage heaters, it may still be more efficient on a
standard tariff.

Christian.

It's not quite that bad - there's been a central heating system added
since then. I'm going to upgrade it to a combi that can supply the
kitchen hot water too, and get rid of at least one tank. But alas
there's no easy way of running pipework from the boiler in the kitchen
to the bathroom at the other end of the flat - it's all concrete walls
in between! 60s apartment blocks are very inflexible...