Calorifier rusty cap and power cuts

[vanboosh]

On 07/05/2020 at 12:58, robtheplod said:

If it does test faulty then something like this would suit you - provided the tank if fairly deep/tall (difficult to see)….. is the tank an upright one with the rusty bit on top?

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/immersion-heater-surejust-27-1kw-240v-hc-070

 

 

Its an upright tank roughly 80cm tall, so I guess that should be the one! 

On 07/05/2020 at 13:02, robtheplod said:

Forgot to say, that rust is 'rust-lite' …..

 

 

Eek! That doesn't look like it was fun to remove?

[vanboosh]

On 07/05/2020 at 18:12, Jen-in-Wellies said:

What is tripping out? Is it an MCB circuit breaker, or an RCD residual current detector? Or something else? There are different reasons for each sort to trip. A picture of the gadget that is tripping off would be useful. People have been assuming it is an over current situation, which it may well be, but an earth leakage issue is another possibility,  especially with water around.

Jen

 

On 07/05/2020 at 19:50, Tony Brooks said:

 

With that amount of water and rust I think it could trip either the RCD or an MCB if the boat has both hopefully the RCD would trip first but who knows. one thing for sure the heater needs changing ASAP.

 

On 07/05/2020 at 21:43, BEngo said:

Might even be protected by an RCBO.  Doesn't really matter though.  Any way it causes a trip the immersion is fubar.

N

I have no idea what these witchy words mean, but this is my magic box wot does the electrickery!

[Tony Brooks]

Not that it matters because you know you need an new immersion heater element but looking at your photo:

 

The yellow button is a so called test button to test the RCD which is the lever/switch immediately to the left of the yellow button.

 

The next two slightly smaller switches are MCBs

 

The RCD (residual current device) measures the electricity in the two mains conductors (line - brown & neutral - blue) if any electricity has escaped like it will through all the damp the amount flowing through the two cables will be different and that turns the supply off hopefully before the escaped electricity can electrocute anyone.

 

An MCB (miniature circuit breaker) is just a sophisticated fuse who's job it is to turn off the current if so much is flowing it would potentially set fire to the cables.

 

I think someone mentioned an RCBO. This is an RCD and MCB in one device. On a boat its probably overkill but in a house with just one or two RCDs for the whole house a fault can turn electricity off to the whole or half the house where as if you had RCBOs only the circuit with the fault on will turn itself off.