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[Closed] Immersion heater - do they always have a thermostat ?

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I assume yes but honestly no idea (never really used one).

Our gas supply has been cut off and so we're going to use the immersion for a bit - we'll only put it on now & then but if we forget, as well as being bankrupted, will we die in an exploding sparky wet electrofireball? (Also where and how should i site the webcam for your viewing pleasure?)

Tank is a megaflo and is about 10yrs since fitting. How could I tell if there's a thermostat, apart from not experiencing the above?


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:07 pm
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I'm pretty sure they do. Otherwise they would just boil the tank.

Quick check on screwfix shows a thermostat along with the element: http://www.screwfix.com/p/titanium-immersion-heater-element-14/74662?kpid=74662&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CIO_3JOEmL8CFQQFwwodwY8A9Q


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:11 pm
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Depends on the age my last house immersion heater didn't. If you left it on long enough the water would start to boil! guess it was about 15+ years old


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:21 pm
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You could take the immersion wiring cover off (ensuring the immersion power is off first of course) and check. The 'stat will be obvious.


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:26 pm
 Bear
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Megaflo must have a thermostat and an overheat stat. Pretty unlucky not to have one then again nothing the bodgers get up to would surprise me!


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:32 pm
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Yes, to clarify, the stat in the actual immersion element itself is the failsafe stat. There should be a primary one external to the immersion.


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:36 pm
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thanks, I guess I'll have a look later - right now I've got a nightride to go to 😀


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 5:58 pm
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There are two in every unit - one is the thermostat, the other a safety cut out. The thermostat on the side of the tank would probably be for the boiler heating the HW as you don't need one to install an immersion element.

Electric immersion heaters made in accordance with British Standard BS EN 60335-2-73:20031 include an independent non self-resetting over-temperature cut-out safety device to prevent water in the hot water cylinder from overheating. This is in addition to the normal switching mechanism of the immersion heater.


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 7:45 pm
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Pies, the external one will be for the gas heating, which isn't on at the moment. Both the control and overheat stat that are linked to the immersion heater are contained within the immersion heater cover. But that's a detail - OP - so long as you still have the original immersion fitted, it will have a control and a high limit stat fitted.

Nothing to worry about.


 
Posted : 26/06/2014 8:03 pm