Immersion suddenly stopped working

masterK

My immersion suddenly stopped working yesterday, it no longer heats the water. Everything looks fine, when I switch it on the light on the switch comes on.

It was working on Sunday but stopped yesterday. Maybe coincidentally I had a plumber out last week as my heating was not heating the water in the tank, he said that some valves were not opened and once opened them everything was fine, I'm wondering if this is related so soon after him being out.

Any ideas as to where to start to look?

Stoner

MasterK

The light on your immersion switch comes on?
So it has power, does the tank get warm? (from the immersion alone)

Initially it sounds like the element in the immersion is gone ( try it in both sink and bath)

However regarding your heating, is there water in the tank? as in do you have heating provided by gas or oil etc?

If your heating produces warm water that you can feel on the outside of the tank, and if the immersion element in the tank has power going to it but it is not heating, then it could be the element.

masterK

Hi Stoner,

The water tank doesn't get at all warm from the immerision, I only tried it on Bath will try on sink when I get home.

The heating is gas and the water does get heated from the gas, although it doesn't get very hot (hence the reason for the plumber last week, he still hasn't fixed it correctly).

If it was an element going would that happen suddenly, it worked fine on Sunday but not at all yesterday.

Just The One

masterK wrote: »

Hi Stoner,

The water tank doesn't get at all warm from the immerision, I only tried it on Bath will try on sink when I get home.

The heating is gas and the water does get heated from the gas, although it doesn't get very hot (hence the reason for the plumber last week, he still hasn't fixed it correctly).

If it was an element going would that happen suddenly, it worked fine on Sunday but not at all yesterday.

I have had three immersions in as many years. Yes they will just stop working. Normally they should last for 20 years or more but if you live in an area with a lot of lime in the water it will corrode the element

Stoner

masterK

As note above, they can just pack it in :mad:

masterK

I replaced the immersion switch and it seemed to solve the problem. I'm still slightly concerned. The circular box on top of the hot press is getting extremely hot when the immersion is on, there is also a smelll coming from it, it almost smells like varnish. It's as if something has burned out, the immersion heats the water though.