Immersion

LazySamaritan

Does an immersion heat water for shower without needing the central heating to be on?

I should know this but my girlfriend insists that is how it works in her parents house where we are staying temporarily - but her father isn’t what I would an efficient workman.

Her parents are away and we’ve had to leave our house for a few days. I have a job interview later and the boiler in the attic is dead and the central
heating isn’t on. So am I wasting my time waiting for the immersion to heat the tank?

John.G

LazySamaritan wrote: »

Does an immersion heat water for shower without needing the central heating to be on?

I should know this but my girlfriend insists that is how it works in her parents house where we are staying temporarily - but her father isn’t what I would an efficient workman.

Her parents are away and we’ve had to leave our house for a few days. I have a job interview later and the boiler in the attic is dead and the central
heating isn’t on. So am I wasting my time waiting for the immersion to heat the tank?

Yes, it does, some immersions have a bath & sink setting, if you don't want to wait for well over a hour then you can switch it to sink setting and have enough water for a short shower in < 30 mins.

Seanachai

LazySamaritan wrote: »

Does an immersion heat water for shower without needing the central heating to be on?

I should know this but my girlfriend insists that is how it works in her parents house where we are staying temporarily - but her father isn’t what I would an efficient workman.

Her parents are away and we’ve had to leave our house for a few days. I have a job interview later and the boiler in the attic is dead and the central
heating isn’t on. So am I wasting my time waiting for the immersion to heat the tank?

Just whatever you do, don't leave it on!, you will face a scorn the likes of which you have never known.

LazySamaritan

Seanachai wrote: »

Just whatever you do, don't leave it on!, you will face a scorn the likes of which you have never known.

Seeing that I have vague memories of my own father freaking at my sisters about shower stuff. I’m guessing that was it.

My mother had to put up with a half done house for decades but eventually accepted he wouldn’t do it and got people in when I was young so I’m used to electric and the water just being hot.

LazySamaritan

John.G wrote: »

Yes, it does, some immersions have a bath & sink setting, if you don't want to wait for well over a hour then you can switch it to sink setting and have enough water for a short shower in < 30 mins.

Thank you.

I’m guessing 30 minutes would give only lukewarm water, yes?

How long is “well over an hour” to get very hot water?

John.G

LazySamaritan wrote: »

Thank you.

I’m guessing 30 minutes would give only lukewarm water, yes?

How long is “well over an hour” to get very hot water?

The sink element should heat between 30 and 50 litres (mine heats 30) so say average of 40 litres from a "cold" of 12C to ~ 40C in 30 mins, but remember that even if you switch it on a hour before use the thermostat will cut off the power at 60C (after ~ 55 mins) and while there is a small heat loss due to cylinder losses they are quite low and the added advantage is that 40 litres of water at 60C will give you nearly 70 litres at 40C when mixed with cold water.

The bath element should give you ~ 80 litres at 40c in one hour and 60c in ~ 1.75 hrs.
Remember, I am referring to a top mounted "dual immersion".

coylemj

LazySamaritan wrote: »

Thank you.

I’m guessing 30 minutes would give only lukewarm water, yes?

How long is “well over an hour” to get very hot water?

Although people use the term 'immersion' to refer to the tank, in fact it's two electric elements (sink and bath) sticking down (immersed, hence the name) into the tank. They are electric heating elements which work exactly like the one at the bottom of your electric kettle.

The 'sink' element is short and will heat up enough water for a shower in about 20-30 minutes. It only heats the water at the top of the tank so it won't take over an hour. The bath element is longer and heats more water so it takes longer, that's all.