Electrical switch / plumbing question

[User]

 

[winjim]

Get a timer with a Boost button. This switches the HW/CH on for an hour only, so you don't have to worry about forgetting to switch it off again. Easy enough to fit, too.

 

[sight-pin]

[QUOTE 3732238, member: 9609"]well it sort of works, i have been testing, even two thermastats at the same height with diff temp settings would also work -
At this moment, 12:40 the water in the tank is 38° at the top an 30° near the bottom. and that would be a good day time temperature to have it at (never lower). Come 17:30 the hot water heating will come on and we will have 50° at the top and 47° at the bottom, that is good when we want to run a bath but very wasteful for the other 22 hrs.


trouble is with that you get to the stage of having cold water then need to wait for it all to heat up.[/QUOTE]

But when a cylinder is heating, the hot water rises o the top of the cylinder, why do you need to wait until the cylinder stat cuts in before switching off?

 

[sight-pin]

You could always have it on constant, but that could work out a little more expensive? (depends also on you cylinder lagging etc), or a sightly larger cylinder may suffice.

 

[gbb]

You could always have it on constant, but that could work out a little more expensive? (depends also on you cylinder lagging etc), or a sightly larger cylinder may suffice.

Some years ago, we were having this discussion at work, leave the HW on permanently or turn it off at a specific time each day.
We used to turn ours off overnight...electrician told me that was wrong, keeping a tank hot uses less gas than letting the tank cool down, then having to heat it all back up again.
For 2 weeks (sad innit) I took gas reading daily for each method...and was surprised that his method used less gas.
Not scientific, but it certainly seemed to corroborate his opinion.
edited to say, not sure why I mention he was an electrician..not relevent really.

 

[Thomk]

Some years ago, we were having this discussion at work, leave the HW on permanently or turn it off at a specific time each day.
We used to turn ours off overnight...electrician told me that was wrong, keeping a tank hot uses less gas than letting the tank cool down, then having to heat it all back up again.
For 2 weeks (sad innit) I took gas reading daily for each method...and was surprised that his method used less gas.
Not scientific, but it certainly seemed to corroborate his opinion.
edited to say, not sure why I mention he was an electrician..not relevent really.

I don't doubt what you say but two things are certain in this universe a) perpetual motion is impossible and b) your electrician was a wally.

 

[Thomk]

[QUOTE 3732203, member: 9609"]I am looking for a timer switch that instead of switching on and off, would instead change connection.

To explain what i am trying to do in case these is another workaround. We have a hot water tank at home and we have the timer set to come on at 5:30 and switch off at 7:30 every evening this gives enough water for baths etc and usually leaves enough warm water to see us through the following day, sometimes though all the hot water gets used, then we use the override function, forget and then rather wastefully have a full tank of hot water for no good reason.

I would like to fit another thermostat near the top of the tank, and have a timer alternate between the two thermastats. thus we would always have some warm water, but only between 6 & 8pm would there be enough for baths.[/QUOTE]
Why is the full tank of hot water wasted? Do you have an old inefficient tank? Do you know how quickly heat escapes from it?

 

[Over The Hill]

Why is the full tank of hot water wasted? Do you have an old inefficient tank? Do you know how quickly heat escapes from it?

I was on the same lines and was going to suggest he just insulates the tank really well. The hot water will be kept with no waste then and with no waste you really don't even need to mess about with a timer.

 

[gbb]

[QUOTE 3733312, member: 9609"]So presumably you now leave it switched on 24 - 7 even if you go on holiday for a fortnight. I think some people do the same with their cntral heating.[/QUOTE]
24/7...365 days a year...mainly because the house is never unoccupied. When we're away, our son is there.
Thomks post got me thinking...
At the time (a good many years ago)...leaving it on was suggested the best option..I monitorwd my useage with both methods...leaving it on appeared to use less gas over a week (simply monitoring units on the meter). It cant take everything into account, cookeruseage etc, but family routine doesnt alter that much, so leaving it on became my prefered method.
Reading the glorious internet, it seems it isnt neccessary after all...but...and its a big but, it surely depends on your hot water useage...and as a family that has shrunk now, there arw STILL 3 baths run EVERY day, plus all the other normal hot water useage.
Wasteful?..in some people's eyes maybe, but baths aee what we like, none of us have every really liked the shower...it about 10 years old and is still like new.
So turning the HW off for a portion of the day simply wouldnt work for us, thered never be enough hot water.
TBF, I'll concede our usage is probably high compared to most so in all probability....ignore my experience

 

[Thomk]

24/7...365 days a year...mainly because the house is never unoccupied. When we're away, our son is there.
Thomks post got me thinking...
At the time (a good many years ago)...leaving it on was suggested the best option..I monitorwd my useage with both methods...leaving it on appeared to use less gas over a week (simply monitoring units on the meter). It cant take everything into account, cookeruseage etc, but family routine doesnt alter that much, so leaving it on became my prefered method.
Reading the glorious internet, it seems it isnt neccessary after all...but...and its a big but, it surely depends on your hot water useage...and as a family that has shrunk now, there arw STILL 3 baths run EVERY day, plus all the other normal hot water useage.
Wasteful?..in some people's eyes maybe, but baths aee what we like, none of us have every really liked the shower...it about 10 years old and is still like new.
So turning the HW off for a portion of the day simply wouldnt work for us, thered never be enough hot water.
TBF, I'll concede our usage is probably high compared to most so in all probability....ignore my experience

Sorry it was a bit facetious. It's very possible that your method isn't using much more than necessary and could be a whole lot more convenient.

 

[Globalti]

Fit DIY solar water heating and you'll be burning almost no gas at all in summer.

 

[gbb]

Fit DIY solar water heating and you'll be burning almost no gas at all in summer.

When we moved here in the late 70s(deveopment corporation housing..using modern techniquesfrom the late 60s) some houses nearby had solar water panels. The panels disappeared years ago, failed probably and the council perhaps couldnt repair them...but I like the idea.

 

[Globalti]

I fitted a 20 evacuated tube solar water heater on my roof and in about five years it has required zero maintenance. It cost me £700 including all the plumbing stuff and the extra 160 litre cyclinder, off Ebay. Have a look at the pics here:

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/C957/slideshow/Solar project 2011

 

[subaqua]

problem is in the summer you will need a safety release or a large heat shunt as the water can get very hot very quick. not a problem if you use lots like in a commercial building.

there are ways to use the "free" electricity from solar panels via a timer , thermostat and relay .