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thermostat or what needed?

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  • 26-02-2010 2:14pm
    #1
    curadh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 302 ✭✭


    hi everyone, i have a cylinder and an apt timer linked to it. The problem is in my house there is a big demand for hot water so its left on alot of the time. I want to know if i can get a device installed that will monitor the temp of the water and only heat the water if it drops below a certain point. Thanks


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    #2
    Pete67
    Registered Users Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭Pete67


    If the cylinder is heating the water electrically using immersion elements, then there is already a thermostat built in to each element, so the water is only heated when it drops below a certain temperature. Otherwise the cylinder would eventually start to boil. The fact that the timer is on does not necessarily mean that electricity is being consumed, once the water is up to temperature the heating elements are switched off automatically.

    These thermostats are adjustable by removing the cover over the heater terminals. Note that this exposes potentially live voltages so if you are not 100% confident then get an electrian to adjust it for you. It should be set to about 60C. Much more will be too hot and run the risk of scalding, any lower will run the risk of bacteria developing in the stored water. Many cases of Legionella infection have been traced back to hot water storage systems where the water was not kept sufficiently hot.

    If the water is heated by a central heating system (oil, gas or solid fuel) then you would need a separate thermostat which straps onto the cylinder to sense the temperature of the water, and a motorised valve to control the flow of heating water to the coil in the cylinder. This will limit the temperature of the stored water, and prevent it from reaching the same temperature as the boiler setpoint, which could be 80-85C.


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    #3
    curadh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 302 ✭✭curadh


    So as long as the water in the cylinder is at 60 degrees the electricity wont be used? Surely it can never just stay at that temperature? Shirley its always going to be coming on every minute or so?


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    #4
    JohnnieK
    Registered Users Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭JohnnieK


    curadh wrote: »
    So as long as the water in the cylinder is at 60 degrees the electricity wont be used? Surely it can never just stay at that temperature? Shirley its always going to be coming on every minute or so?

    Unless you have a hot water tap constantly open the stored water wont drop in temperature that quickly. No matter what method of control you put on it the temperature will eventually drop and bring the immersion on.

    There's nothing you can do short of turning it off altogether.

    Look at more economical times on the timer and tell people that the immersion will only be on between such times.

    Dose the central heating not heat the water?


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