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Weeping immersion heater

  • 24-04-2014 8:59pm
    #1
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,499 ✭✭✭✭


    Have discovered a very slow leak coming from the immersion heater, it's a standard HW cylinder with foam insulation and the immersion mounted near the top. Cylinder and element are 8 years old, the whole heating system was replaced at that time. The leak is definitely coming from the element mounting hole not any of the pipes (water was gathering in the cut-out in the foam underneath the element.)

    Is it worth getting hold of an immersion spanner and trying to tighten it a little bit?

    If the immersion has to come out to replace washers etc. then that's a bit outside my comfort zone. I've read elsewhere that if you're paying someone to come out then you might as well replace the element as they're fairly cheap? although it's working fine.

    Can anyone pm me recommendations for a plumber in the Clondalkin village area. Thanks.

    In Cavan there was a great fire / Judge McCarthy was sent to inquire / It would be a shame / If the nuns were to blame / So it had to be caused by a wire.

    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    jane82
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,590 ✭✭✭jane82


    You could try tighten it but there is a chance that you could make it alot worse alot quick.
    If you ring a plumber he will probably turn up with a new immersion change it and be gone in the hour or so. Itd be less time consuming for him to drain try fix fill then have to drain again go to suppliers get a new immersion come back drain replace fill.
    The more hours it costs him usually the dearer he charges so itd probably work out the same.


  • #3
    anthonyos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭anthonyos


    If you know what the cylinder height is you could pick one up youself and have it ready ..as for the plumber depending how difficult the old one is to remove is there a drain off on the cylinder it would take 20 minutes to one hour unless the plumber make a meal of it and takes all day and expect to pay 80 -100 euro for fitting


  • #4
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,499 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    A new cylinder :eek: or a new element you mean? The cylinder is the usual, about one metre high.

    In Cavan there was a great fire / Judge McCarthy was sent to inquire / It would be a shame / If the nuns were to blame / So it had to be caused by a wire.



  • #5
    anthonyos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭anthonyos


    ninja900 wrote: »
    A new cylinder :eek: or a new element you mean? The cylinder is the usual, about one metre high.

    New element the cylinder should be ok


  • #6
    whizbang
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,974 ✭✭✭whizbang


    Are you in a hard water area?
    - any history of neighbours tanks or heating systems leaking....?
    - why was the system replaced ?


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  • #7
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,499 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Nope, south Dublin, soft water.

    The system was replaced because the old system was 30+ years old, boiler worn out, radiators showing signs of rust. Evidence of chronic leaks that were ignored allowing fresh water (and oxygen) into the system continuously. Had to replace floorboards in the living room under one of the old rads due to rot. None of the old heating/HW system was left though.

    In Cavan there was a great fire / Judge McCarthy was sent to inquire / It would be a shame / If the nuns were to blame / So it had to be caused by a wire.



  • #8
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Turn off the tank taps drain about a pint out
    Take off the immersion with a immersion spanner
    Put some uniwhite on the threads
    Tighten the immersion back up
    Turn all the taps back on
    Bleed like a rad
    See if that stops it


  • #9
    anthonyos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭anthonyos


    Tigger wrote: »
    Turn off the tank taps drain about a pint out
    Take off the immersion with a immersion spanner
    Put some uniwhite on the threads
    Tighten the immersion back up
    Turn all the taps back on
    Bleed like a rad
    See if that stops it
    Uniwhite on the threads wont work


  • #10
    richieburke01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭richieburke01


    anthonyos wrote: »
    Uniwhite on the threads wont work

    You need to take off immersion and get a new gasket or make one with hawk white and flax


  • #11
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,870 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    richieburke01 wrote: »
    You need to take off immersion and get a new gasket or make one with hawk white and flax

    Or uniwhite and flax


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  • #12
    anthonyos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭anthonyos


    Fit a new immersion while your that far a washer for an immersion is 3euro an immersion 30 euro with the washer...I was in a house before xmas with a leaking immersion for 3 years but only leaks when cold a simple tighten and problem sorted


  • #13
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    anthonyos wrote: »
    Uniwhite on the threads wont work

    Yeah I forgot
    Wind some flax on the threads


  • #14
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Does hawkwhite set like boss white?


  • #15
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,870 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    Tigger wrote: »
    Does hawkwhite set like boss white?

    It does. And smells worse


  • #16
    richieburke01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭richieburke01


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    It does. And smells worse

    Anyone had problems with uniwhite
    Had a couple of threaded joints leak
    Put on hawk white no problem never used it since


  • #17
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,870 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    richieburke01 wrote: »
    Anyone had problems with uniwhite
    Had a couple of threaded joints leak
    Put on hawk white no problem never used it since

    Never once had a problem in 10 year with it


  • #18
    richieburke01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭richieburke01


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    Never once had a problem in 10 year with it

    No saying that it was solar
    Couple of years ago
    I use uniRed now


  • #19
    freddyuk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭freddyuk


    Neoprene O ring?? No fuss, no smell ,no mess, no leaks. And you can remove it for replacement. DHW is considered "Potable" so hemp and standard Boss white etc. are banned in UK.


  • #20
    jane82
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,590 ✭✭✭jane82


    freddyuk wrote: »
    Neoprene O ring?? No fuss, no smell ,no mess, no leaks. And you can remove it for replacement. DHW is considered "Potable" so hemp and standard Boss white etc. are banned in UK.

    ????? Ive flax and boss white on alot of cylinder fittings over the years. Its not considered potable here. We generally have a storage tank in the attic where uk Boilers have hot water heated straight from the mains.


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