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Immersion heater timer

Chagall

By Chagall
in Boat Building & Maintenance

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Chagall Experienced

Chagall

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I would like to buy a timer for my immersion heater, as you might expect there is a bewildering choice, so I need to know will a house one be suitable for a boat and which?

 

this was Amazons choice... http://tinyurl.com/c2d4kqj blink.gif

 

 

 

I have a Webasto Thermotop water heater for the heating and a regular immersion heater for the hot water. I have a mammoth sized califorier but on the whole I only need about 30 minutes of hot water morning and evening. Im on mains electric.

 

Thanks for any help.

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Albion Influencer

Albion

Posted
Posted

I would like to buy a timer for my immersion heater, as you might expect there is a bewildering choice, so I need to know will a house one be suitable for a boat and which?

 

this was Amazons choice... http://tinyurl.com/c2d4kqj blink.gif

 

 

 

I have a Webasto Thermotop water heater for the heating and a regular immersion heater for the hot water. I have a mammoth sized califorier but on the whole I only need about 30 minutes of hot water morning and evening. Im on mains electric.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Hi Chagall,

I think that you can reduce the available choices by deciding on your choice between the following aspects:-

1. Mechanical clock

2. Digital clock

3. Push button timed period (but presumably has to be pushed each and every time you want a period of immersion operation).

 

Once you've made this choice then provided the timers will handle 13A you should be Ok (most are designed for domestic 3kW immersions I would think, and your boat will probabaly have a 1 or 2 kW element). My preference would be for one that is permanently wired in (ie spur point rather than plug in) but that is your choice. Also you might want one with an over-ride switch (or fit a by-pass switch) of some sort if you ever decide you dont want the timed aspect. Watch out for one of the digital ones shown (T106-C 7 Day Electronic Immersion Heater Timer) which has some terrible reviews. Usual caveats about getting a suitably qualified person to install if you're not confident.

HTH

Roger

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Grace and Favour Veteran II

Grace and Favour

Posted
Posted

I would like to buy a timer for my immersion heater, as you might expect there is a bewildering choice, so I need to know will a house one be suitable for a boat and which?

 

this was Amazons choice... http://tinyurl.com/c2d4kqj blink.gif

 

 

 

I have a Webasto Thermotop water heater for the heating and a regular immersion heater for the hot water. I have a mammoth sized califorier but on the whole I only need about 30 minutes of hot water morning and evening. Im on mains electric.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Chagall,

 

Whilst I apologise for not being able to answer your question regarding timer switches, - - if you have a 'mammoth' calorifier, and, I presume, a 1Kw immersion . . won't you need to keep the immersion running for longer than 30 minutes to top-up the heat in your calorifier ? (or have you an 'house-type' 3Kw immersion?)

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Chagall Experienced

Chagall

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Chagall,

 

Whilst I apologise for not being able to answer your question regarding timer switches, - - if you have a 'mammoth' calorifier, and, I presume, a 1Kw immersion . . won't you need to keep the immersion running for longer than 30 minutes to top-up the heat in your calorifier ? (or have you an 'house-type' 3Kw immersion?)

 

I think its a house type 3KW and 30 minutes operation gives me enough hot water very quickly and sufficient for a shower in the morning, and then again in the evening to wash the dinner dishes. (unless I've had the stove lit and heat water in a kettle on that)

 

Ive been loathe to leave it on all the time, although I know some suggest its no more expensive, but there is only me and I don't need so much hot water constantly.

 

edit to add correction, its a 1KW immersion heater .....

 

 

 

 

Hi Chagall,

I think that you can reduce the available choices by deciding on your choice between the following aspects:-

1. Mechanical clock

2. Digital clock

3. Push button timed period (but presumably has to be pushed each and every time you want a period of immersion operation).

 

Once you've made this choice then provided the timers will handle 13A you should be Ok (most are designed for domestic 3kW immersions I would think, and your boat will probabaly have a 1 or 2 kW element). My preference would be for one that is permanently wired in (ie spur point rather than plug in) but that is your choice. Also you might want one with an over-ride switch (or fit a by-pass switch) of some sort if you ever decide you dont want the timed aspect. Watch out for one of the digital ones shown (T106-C 7 Day Electronic Immersion Heater Timer) which has some terrible reviews. Usual caveats about getting a suitably qualified person to install if you're not confident.

HTH

Roger

 

Thanks Roger, Im gathering information so that I can ask the boat builder to fit it once Ive bought it. Im shamefully ignorant of the electric's cupboard and I open and close the door mystified! ...and despite gaining a University degree the central heating programme instructions defeat me!! blush.gif

Edited by Chagall
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Albion Influencer

Albion

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I think its a house type 3KW and 30 minutes operation gives me enough hot water very quickly and sufficient for a shower in the morning, and then again in the evening to wash the dinner dishes. (unless I've had the stove lit and heat water in a kettle on that)

 

Ive been loathe to leave it on all the time, although I know some suggest its no more expensive, but there is only me and I don't need so much hot water constantly.

 

edit to add correction, its a 1KW immersion heater .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Roger, Im gathering information so that I can ask the boat builder to fit it once Ive bought it. Im shamefully ignorant of the electric's cupboard and I open and close the door mystified! ...and despite gaining a University degree the central heating programme instructions defeat me!! blush.gif

 

Funnily enough that is exactly what one of the criticisms in the reviews, of the one that I advised caution on, said. An engineering degree and he still found it difficult to program with the quality of the instructions supplied. :(

 

I found on our narrow boat that a 1kW immersion heated up enough water in a calorifier surprisingly quickly but, obviously, I can't comment on the relative sizes of the two tanks and the positioning of the immersion in the tank, both of which will have an effect on heat up times.

Roger

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Chagall Experienced

Chagall

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Funnily enough that is exactly what one of the criticisms in the reviews, of the one that I advised caution on, said. An engineering degree and he still found it difficult to program with the quality of the instructions supplied. :(

 

I found on our narrow boat that a 1kW immersion heated up enough water in a calorifier surprisingly quickly but, obviously, I can't comment on the relative sizes of the two tanks and the positioning of the immersion in the tank, both of which will have an effect on heat up times.

Roger

 

Phew!... if an engineer struggles with such instructions then I've no hope! I gave up and just live with the timings the boat builder keyed in! I thought I could maybe heat the water with the webasto system but Im flummoxed.

 

Yep, my immersion is 1KW I've just found out, and its really fast to heat up, the calorifier is close to my kitchen sink and not too far away from the shower so 30 minutes heating seems ample for a 4 minute shower. I will study the lists of timers.

 

Thanks again.

Tanis.

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Chagall Experienced

Chagall

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Get an immersion heater timer with a back up battery. That way, when you unplug you shore power cable and go for a cruise you won't lose your settings.

 

Thanks, I did find in the search your comments from 2008 and Gibbo's advice to get a battery back up one, but I couldn't find out what make of timer to buy....

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Thanks, I did find in the search your comments from 2008 and Gibbo's advice to get a battery back up one, but I couldn't find out what make of timer to buy....

 

I can't remember the make of mine. I picked it up a few years ago in the B&Q discount bin for £1. Bargain!

 

I don't think the make will make a lot of difference as long as it has the timer functions you want. I imagine any electrical item must be CE marked and comply with various safety standards.

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