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Leave the Immersion on or turn it off?

  • 07-10-2012 12:47pm
    #1
    faceman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,663 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    Hoping someone can help with this one!

    I was reading some cost saving advice recently in the paper and one of the nuggets of advice related to the immersion. The advice was if you have a modern immersion, insulated with thermostat then its more cost effective to leave it permanently on (on 'sink') than to be turning it on and off.

    At the moment my immersion is timed to come on in the morning and the evening.

    Is the tip accurate?

    Nervous about giving it a try in case my ESB bill goes through the roof!


Comments

  • #2
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,880 ✭✭✭MicktheMan


    This is impossible to answer as there are so many variables at play such as hot water usage, cylinder size, family size, cylinder & pipe insulation detail, cylinder location and even house insulation levels. The only way to know for sure is to install a power meter on the immersion circuit, try it both ways for, say, a week and compare the immersion power usage.

    Btw, using electricity is one of the most expensive methods to heat water compared to a modern gas or oil system. Don't believe everything you read in the paper!


  • #3
    Doom
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,381 ✭✭✭Doom


    Unless you're a millionaire turn it off, use your central heating for hot water as it heating the house anyway, its also cheaper than using the immersion for hot water.


  • #4
    GreeBo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,370 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Doom wrote: »
    Unless you're a millionaire turn it off, use your central heating for hot water as it heating the house anyway, its also cheaper than using the immersion for hot water.

    Your central heating will be heating the water anyway, the immersion just tops it up if required. (Unless you are explicitly setting your CH to heat the rads and not the water (which is often not even possible))
    If you are regularly using up all the hot water in your tank while your CH is off then I wouldnt be leaving the immersion on. Heating half a tank of cold water is going to be very expensive if it happens frequently.


  • #5
    wilson10
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 512 ✭✭✭wilson10


    I would replace the immersion with a Willis water heater.

    It's similar but a small copper tube external to the Copper Cylinder, feeding hot water into the cylinder from the top down.

    It means you have almost instant hot water and only heat what you need.

    We have it on a pushbutton timeout switch which gives us enough hot water for a couple of showers in a half hour.


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