Electric Imersion Heaters - WHY!

LivelineDipso

Of all the ways to heat water in the world we opt for a device that generates millions a year for the ESB after someone forgets to turn the thing off.

Are they used in other countries? I recall visiting a relative's house in England as a child and they had this white metal box above the sink which made hot water and that was stupid too.

Yet in most of Europe, North America and Australia, hot water is something that just arrives in the taps and you do not have to develop a complex love/hate relationship with it like one does here in Ireland.

krudler

its an intrinsic Irish person's fear to be off doing something for the day then have the realisation you left the immersion on, its like a mini heart attack.

Celly Smunt

hot water? pfft somebody's rich.

GalwayGuy2

hot water? pfft somebody's rich.

No recession in that house. If you've a lake, a river, or a puddle close by then you don't need running water. Sure the rain will do.

Capt'n Midnight

you could replace it with a timer switch

not with a dial but with a button, each press turns the immersion for another half an hour (or whatever)

the only way to leave the immersion on is to keep pressing the button

RobbieTheRobber

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

No recession in that house. If you've a lake, a river, or a puddle close by then you don't need running water. Sure the rain will do.

Remember though if showering the rain take a bucket to fill also.
Nothing worse than just finishing soaping up and the rain stops and your left all soapy.

Valetta

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Timers are great.

franktheplank

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

you could replace it with a timer switch

not with a dial but with a button, each press turns the immersion for another half an hour (or whatever)

the only way to leave the immersion on is to keep pressing the button

Makes it impossible to have hot water when you get up or when you get home from work.

LivelineDipso

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

you could replace it with a timer switch

not with a dial but with a button, each press turns the immersion for another half an hour (or whatever)

the only way to leave the immersion on is to keep pressing the button

Yes I got one in the end after leaving the BATH switch on by mistake over the weekend.

Still that timer switch should be standard and not optional.

Ghost Buster

Got solar panels three years ago and havent used the evilmersion since. Hot water in the summer, warm in the winter and when the heating goes on...HOT HOT HOT.....

LivelineDipso

Ghost Buster wrote: »

Got solar panels three years ago and havent used the evilmersion since. Hot water in the summer, warm in the winter and when the heating goes on...HOT HOT HOT.....

EXPENSIVE...EXPENSIVE...EXPENSIVE...


But you are right. *sigh*

GreeBo

The immersion doesnt stay "on" all the time, once the water reaches the temperature that you have set the immersion to, it switches itself off, basically it will just keep the water at or around the set temperature (over 65C so you dont get Legionnaires)

Piliger

Get a small cooker timer and set it to 30mins. Problem solved.

Celticfire

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Yet in most of Europe, North America and Australia, hot water is something that just arrives in the taps and you do not have to develop a complex love/hate relationship with it like one does here in Ireland.

It's a magic tap.... they sell those in IKEA

Ghost Buster

LivelineDipso wrote: »

EXPENSIVE...EXPENSIVE...EXPENSIVE...


But you are right. *sigh*

There is/was a grant and its pays for itself in 7-8 years between oil and electricity savings.
That said i prob' couldnt afford it now but was a little better off 3 years ago.:rolleyes:

bnear

Any house I lived in while in the US had a water heater like an immersion, the difference being that Americans leave the heater on all the time so they have constant hot water, its the land of plenty after all..... Although a lot of my friends there now turn it off and on like we do here, how times have changed !!!! Apartments are different its a central boiler and it would be on 27/7, probably the same here...
Don't know about the rest of Europe but they're way ahead of us with solar.....

bnear

Any house I lived in while in the US had a water heater like an immersion, the difference being that Americans leave the heater on all the time so they have constant hot water, its the land of plenty after all..... Although a lot of my friends there now turn it off and on like we do here, how times have changed !!!! Apartments are different its a central boiler and it would be on 27/7, probably the same here...
Don't know about the rest of Europe but they're way ahead of us with solar.....

Where To

Nothing heats water like a turf fire. Keep your fancy flashy jiggery pokery away from us.

YFlyer

For 27 hours a day :eek:

kneemos

Is it not just as cheap to leave it on?

franktheplank

I've just realised it's also impossible to have hot water when you get home from work if you're unemployed.

Sorry for any offence caused.

biko

I hope I'm not too late with the obligatory Des Bishop clip?

Intensive Care Bear

Cant go wrong with gas central heating, piping hot water on-tap.

franktheplank

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Nothing worse than just finishing soaping up and the rain stops and your left all soapy.

Ahem.

biko wrote: »

the obligatory Des Bishop clip?
[/YOUTUBE]

--Kaiser--

biko wrote: »

I hope I'm not too late with the obligatory Des Bishop clip?

It's always too late for Des Bishop, he's about as funny as viral meningitis

Ghost Buster

1210m5g wrote: »

Cant go wrong with gas central heating, piping hot water on-tap.

Well ya kinda can in summer when you dont need the heating on but want to wash dishes or have a shower:)

johnwest288

I know in a lot of eatern euro countries they have a gas device fitted which flicks on when ever anyone uses the shower or warm water taps. Constant hot water but only lights up when its used. CANT for the life of me understand why I have nbever seen them in Eire...anyone know???

ceadaoin.

Immersions are rubbish. It's grand in the winter when the heating is on so you don't have to remember to switch it on and off. Maybe it's my imagination but it seems we get hotter water with the heating anyway and more of it?

I lived in London for 4 years and every flat I lived in used the gas boiler to heat up the water on demand. So turn on the hot tap or shower and you get never ending hot water, twas great. Why are they not used much here?

YFlyer

Ghost Buster wrote: »

Well ya kinda can in summer when you dont need the heating on but want to wash dishes or have a shower:)

You can turn the valve off to stop the hot water from going to the rads.

Ush1

Get a combi boiler, instant hot water.

Capt'n Midnight

kneemos wrote: »

Is it not just as cheap to leave it on?

in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics

wes

We got a electric shower in our house, much better than having to turn the imersion.

kneemos

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics

Does it cost more to heat a cold tank or keep a hot tank hot?

Robbo

We run the gas off the electricity and the electricity off the gas and we save two hundred pounds a year, but then a few weeks later ah god, I'll never forget it now, we got a new boiler...

Antar Bolaeisk

kneemos wrote: »

Does it cost more to heat a cold tank or keep a hot tank hot?

I'd imagine that would depend on the usage, if you were constantly heating it and letting it cool off it might be cheaper to keep it on constantly.

Considering getting rid of mine, no longer have a bath, and just get some form of instant hot water thing for the sink.

Honey-ec

Central heating and an electric shower. We haven't had the immersion on in our house in about 15 years.

franktheplank

johnwest288 wrote: »

I know in a lot of eatern euro countries they have a gas device fitted which flicks on when ever anyone uses the shower or warm water taps. Constant hot water but only lights up when its used. CANT for the life of me understand why I have nbever seen them in Eire...anyone know???

I've seen one, maybe you just haven't been looking in the right places?

For example, you probably wouldn't find one on a bus, or the fruit and veg section in Tescos.

ScumLord

Apartment blocks in Eastern Europe supply hot water and heating you don't have individual heating in each apartment. Them commies had the right idea.

Every single house supplying it's own heating is highly inefficient.

franktheplank

ScumLord wrote: »

Apartment blocks in Eastern Europe supply hot water and heating you don't have individual heating in each apartment. Them commies had the right idea.

Every single house supplying it's own heating is highly inefficient.

Plus, if anyone complains, send them to the gulags

Intensive Care Bear

Ghost Buster wrote: »

Well ya kinda can in summer when you dont need the heating on but want to wash dishes or have a shower:)

I don't think you understand how it works, with the push of a button you can have the heating switched off and it will still give you instant hot water from the tap.

kneemos

1210m5g wrote: »

I don't think you understand how it works, with the push of a button you can have the heating switched off and it will still give you instant hot water from the tap.

Technology eh,and it's still only the twenty first century.

fasttalkerchat

Immersion is great if you want hot water on a hot day. They use them in New Zealand in the Summer (warm season).
The problem is that we have so few days where it is worthwhile.

For me, I wish I had an immersion in this house. Any time I run out of oil I can't take a shower because it takes water from the hot supply.

fasttalkerchat

ScumLord wrote: »

Apartment blocks in Eastern Europe supply hot water and heating you don't have individual heating in each apartment. Them commies had the right idea.

Every single house supplying it's own heating is highly inefficient.

Its a great system, however it is open to abuse. Imagine having to take a management company to court because you can't get hot water.

ScumLord

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Its a great system, however it is open to abuse. Imagine having to take a management company to court because you can't get hot water.

Well if you can't get hot water it's likely everyone in the building can't either. While they could ignore one person they can't ignore hundreds.

Intensive Care Bear

kneemos wrote: »

Technology eh,and it's still only the twenty first century.

Wait until you get a quooker, you'll think your in The Jetsons.

kneemos

1210m5g wrote: »

Wait until you get a quooker, you'll think your in The Jetsons.

One of the best inventions ever.

fasttalkerchat

ScumLord wrote: »

Well if you can't get hot water it's likely everyone in the building can't either. While they could ignore one person they can't ignore hundreds.

What if there isn't enough for everyone in the morning? Or you can't control the temperature.
I like the system of having one shared boiler and fuel tank and a meter for each apartment.

corktina

Hot water? LUXURY! When I was a Lad, we used to live in cardboard box in middle of t'road....

sethasaurus

In NZ the standard install was always a hot water tank which is about 3-4 times the size of your 'immersion' tanks (same concept but larger), switched on all the time, a thermostat set to above 65C and - get this folks - insulation!
You only have to heat the water you use, as, once it's up to temp, it stays pretty much stable.

A lot of people forget to insulate their pipes, which does suck away some heat (and dollars).

Canada was even better, with the gas version of the same thing and nice, central air through our house.

The 'on-demand' hot water systems are great! We have one in the shower.

The crucial part is insulation. I bet you wouldn't end up with big utility bills here if your immersion and pipes were insulated.
(Although our heating is hot water run through 'rads', so that does eat away a bit more of your money..)

JimmyCrackCorn

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

you could replace it with a timer switch

not with a dial but with a button, each press turns the immersion for another half an hour (or whatever)

the only way to leave the immersion on is to keep pressing the button

After my fater got a 300 euro bill as he forgot to turn it off for a month i fitted this.



http://www.horstmann.co.uk/water-heating.php

ninebeanrows

MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF THE IMMERSION!!

Can the thing actually explode? The fear!