Fitting an immersion to this calorifier?

[Hartlebury lad]

Hello all,

 

I would like to fit a 1KW immersion onto the existing calorifier, but looking at it and the fitting, I could be into opening a can of worms. It looks like someone has put some wiring and a switch in place, then left it alone!

 

 

 

Any tips or comments will be helpful. Thank you....

Sorry, should have posted this into a different section - admin, feel free to shift it!

[ditchcrawler]

Loosen the blank SLIGHTLY with the calorifier still full of water, Work out how you are going to drain the calorifier before you start.

[bottle]

Maybe the wiring was put ion place when boat was built but they decided not to fit the immersion elememt.

 

The only advice is be gentle,

 

Ensure the spanner (socket type preferably) is a good fit

 

Tighten it first and then undo a little, any resistance re-tighten and carry on in this manner until it can be removed.

 

Clean threads and fit immersion element, do not over tighten it only needs to 'nipped' up

[Iain_S]

Looks like someone's tried to remove the blanking plug in the past. Not with a socket, though!

[MtB]

Maybe the wiring was put ion place when boat was built but they decided not to fit the immersion elememt.

 

I can't see any wiring in the photos, except for a single red cable passing at the back in the second photo (which could be for anything).

 

 

Tighten it first and then undo a little, any resistance re-tighten and carry on in this manner until it can be removed.

 

 

As a boiler technician who changes several hundred immersion heaters each year, I have to say I strongly disagree with this advice. The thread is at it's tightest now, and any movement achieved should be in favour of loosening it. Tightening is just pointless and inviting trouble in my personal opinion.

 

If it won't budge, blowlamp heat applied to the cap plus impact applied to an accurately fitting spanner will shift it. To elaborate on DC's advice, only heat the cap and hit the spanner with the tank still full of water. I don't think I've ever failed to remove a heater element with this method.

 

 

 

(Edit to correct a spelling era.)

Edited October 5, 2015 by Mike the Boilerman

[ditchcrawler]

 

I can't see any wiring in the photos, except for a single red cable passing at the back in the second photo (which could be for anything).

 

 

 

 

As a boiler technician who changes several hundred immersion heaters each year, I have to say I strongly disagree with this advice. The thread is at it's tightest now, and any movement achieved should be in favour of loosening it. Tightening is just pointless and inviting trouble in my personal opinion.

 

If it won't budge, blowlamp heat applied to the cap plus impact applied to an accurately fitting spanner will shift it. To elaborate on DC's advice, only heat the cap and hit the spanner with the tank still full of water. I don't think I've ever failed to remove a heater element with this method.

 

 

 

(Edit to correct a spelling era.)

Its a long time since I have done one but I was apprentice in Norfolk with very hard water and you could say it was a regular job, as was digging out the scale with a spoon on a stick

[Top cat]

I'm just curious as to why it's best to loosen the cap with the tank still full? Not arguing just asking.

 

Top Cat

[jonesthenuke]

I'm just curious as to why it's best to loosen the cap with the tank still full? Not arguing just asking.

 

Top Cat

It gives the tank enough rigidity to allow you to apply the force to the thread. Otherwise you'll probably get a very wrinkled/torn tank.

Be firm with it! I hope it goes well (but it should)

[Top cat]

Thanks

 

T C

[ditchcrawler]

I can say quite big headadly that I never split or wrinkled a tank, came close

[Hartlebury lad]

Thank you all so far. All good advice, but i am now concerned! It seems the risk of damage could be quite high here and I am wondering if it is worth it now myself. Is the extra flexibility worth the risk of damage and a new calorifier I wonder? The boat is always out whenever I can use it, but on the rare occasions we are stuck in the marina ie:frozen in, i would much rather use an immersion off a hook up than run the engine for an hour for hot water.

Incidentally the wiring circuit and switch are close to the calorifier mounted on a cupboard.

[Top cat]

I abandoned my idea of fitting an immersion heater when I tried to remove the blanking boss and the force required exceeded that which I was willing to apply to the tank. OK a bolder (stronger) person my have succeeded but I chickened out.

 

Top Cat

[MtB]

I abandoned my idea of fitting an immersion heater when I tried to remove the blanking boss and the force required exceeded that which I was willing to apply to the tank. OK a bolder (stronger) person my have succeeded but I chickened out.

 

Top Cat

 

Exactly. Plain force rarely works and is very risky.

 

They generally out easily with application of heat and percussion instead.

[Sea Dog]

Sounds like you really need to get this boss out to me as it will make quite a difference to you (and your neighbours)! Sometimes it's worth considering getting a professional in to do the job.

[Hartlebury lad]

Sounds like you really need to get this boss out to me as it will make quite a difference to you (and your neighbours)! Sometimes it's worth considering getting a professional in to do the job.

Sea Dog, I agree! Is MTB anywhere around Shropshire?

[ditchcrawler]

Thank you all so far. All good advice, but i am now concerned! It seems the risk of damage could be quite high here and I am wondering if it is worth it now myself. Is the extra flexibility worth the risk of damage and a new calorifier I wonder? The boat is always out whenever I can use it, but on the rare occasions we are stuck in the marina ie:frozen in, i would much rather use an immersion off a hook up than run the engine for an hour for hot water.

Incidentally the wiring circuit and switch are close to the calorifier mounted on a cupboard.

put a spanner on and see if it moves, it may go easily, like TC if you feel its tight then stop and leave it

[canals are us?]

I installed a 1.1kw immersion heater to my boats 17 year old calorifier around 18 months ago. My boss was at the top on my horizontal calorifier. Same nut blank as yours. I tried with a spanner but it wouldn't come undone then sharply tapped the end of the spanner to undo it. once it started to go I turned the water off at the lever valve at the tank and opened the taps until no water came out and then switched the circuit breaker off for the water pump. The new immersion came with a sealing gasket. I wired mine to a cheap screwfix digital timer, so can programme it and wired it back to the fusebox from the timer in blue 2.5mm arctic. The immersion heater cable from timer is in heat proof 2.5mm flex.

 

James

[blackrose]

It gives the tank enough rigidity to allow you to apply the force to the thread. Otherwise you'll probably get a very wrinkled/torn tank.

Be firm with it! I hope it goes well (but it should)

I loosened mine after I emptied the tank. It felt pretty strong to me.

[Hartlebury lad]

This is all great advice and thank you all.

 

So I am presuming once it "gives" the calorifier can be emptied via all taps after turning off the supply valve on the tank. Once the immersion element is fitted, I presume it will simply refill when the water tank valve is reopened and the pump switched back on? I suppose the wiring side doesn't even need doing same day.

To be honest, my biggest worry was that someone was going to say that the blanking end was completely unsuitable to take an immersion!

[bottle]

So I am presuming once it "gives" the calorifier can be emptied via all taps after turning off the supply valve on the tank.

 

 

No, sorry, to drain any tank, will need the drain to be at lowest point and your taps will not be that point.

[Hartlebury lad]

 

No, sorry, to drain any tank, will need the drain to be at lowest point and your taps will not be that point.

Given the boss is halfway "up" the horizontal tank end, would it have to be completely empty? Surely just below the lower thread edge would be ok?

[ditchcrawler]

Given the boss is halfway "up" the horizontal tank end, would it have to be completely empty? Surely just below the lower thread edge would be ok?

Yes but you still cant do that via the hot taps, you need to find the drain off if your builder fitted one.

[Sea Dog]

You may also wish to consider wiring it so that it works from the shore supply only, rather than running the risk of goosing your batteries should it be left on accidentally. This wiring method is quite common practice.

 

A typical narrowboat immersion heater is 1 kilowatt so draws over 80 amps if you run it via your inverter. With that sort of load, especially given the length of time it's needed, I'd want my engine on - in which case you're heating your hot tank anyway. Mine's wired like that and your usage pattern sounds similar to mine, which is occasionally as a 'cottage'at a mooring with a shore supply, but mostly we're out and about, stopping overnight or for the odd day or two.

[Mac of Cygnet]

There is what appears to be a drain tap in the second picture, on the right.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Mac of Cygnet

[Hartlebury lad]

You lot are great. Thanks. If anyone has any connection with admin on here, please put this onto Building and Maintenance where others may find it useful?