Immersion Heater Circuit

[Geordie Spark]

Is it now..................

My argument as never been it's design or it's merit.

My argument as been that we seem to have a consensus on here that a 3kw load is going to trip a 13amp BS 1362 cartridge fuse because it is under designed for the load.

I have sited that manufacturers of equipment be it portable or fixed deem it satisfactory to fit BS 1363 plug tops to their equipment with 13amp fuses.

According to you lads that is wrong, the 3kw load is to great for it and therefore they have this wrong.

Now regardless of what you or others feel, that what is or is not a good design, I have conceded that it is not the best, I have conceded that I would want the system on a 16amp dedicated circuit connected via a 20amp double switch, that as never been argued.

What I'am arguing is why will this 3kw load fuse a 13amp cartridge fuse under normal use?

I'm not sure if this little anecdote has much - if anything - to do with this discussion, but the winter before last, a small boy took a 3kw fan heater into the shed where he was playing and forgot to switch it off after he's finished.

That 3kw fan heater ran for three whole days and would have probably run for a few days more had we not wondered why the shed roof was the only thing not covered with snow!!!

 

[malcolmsanford]

Honestly Sedgy mate I understand what your saying about the design part, and I agree.

But the physics behind this I will still maintain. Rightly as you say an immersion is going to be under load more often that a kettle, and even a fan heater.

But the Burco Urns in my opinion would be very similar, in fact I would imagine in most cases a tea urn would be under more load than an immersion, and they are on plug tops with a 13amp fuse

A 13amp cartridge fuse will not trip with a 3KW load in normal operating circumstances it is that simple

 

[sedgy34]

Honestly Sedgy mate I understand what your saying about the design part, and I agree.

But the physics behind this I will still maintain. Rightly as you say an immersion is going to be under load more often that a kettle, and even a fan heater.

But the Burco Urns in my opinion would be very similar, in fact I would imagine in most cases a tea urn would be under more load than an immersion, and they are on plug tops with a 13amp fuse

A 13amp cartridge fuse will not trip with a 3KW load in normal operating circumstances it is that simple

i think its one for the amendments as the old immersions were 16amp the new immersions are a switched fuse connection unit

 

[Sparkystu79]

My immersion is connected via a fcu and its yet to blow in 6 years of constant use.

 

[malcolmsanford]

To quote the whole paragraph from P56 electrician's guide to the building regs

"Immersion heaters should be supplied through a switched flex-outlet connection unit (to BS1363-4) or a double pole switch with flex outlet complying with BS EN60669-1 or BS EN 60669-2-4"

Now you lads know that i'm not a great lover of these "one size fits all" guides, but here is one that I agree with

 

[sedgy34]

To quote the whole paragraph from P56 electrician's guide to the building regs

"Immersion heaters should be supplied through a switched flex-outlet connection unit (to BS1363-4) or a double pole switch with flex outlet complying with BS EN60669-1 or BS EN 60669-2-4"

Now you lads know that i'm not a great lover of these "one size fits all" guides, but here is one that I agree with

yes but the circuit doesnt say if its spured off the ring or on its own circuit does it

 

[Engineer54]

Honestly Sedgy mate I understand what your saying about the design part, and I agree.

But the physics behind this I will still maintain. Rightly as you say an immersion is going to be under load more often that a kettle, and even a fan heater.

But the Burco Urns in my opinion would be very similar, in fact I would imagine in most cases a tea urn would be under more load than an immersion, and they are on plug tops with a 13amp fuse

A 13amp cartridge fuse will not trip with a 3KW load in normal operating circumstances it is that simple

Give up Malcolm, as they say, you can take the horse to water but..... lol!!

Same with the other thread on RCD's for IT sockets in an office wired in metal conduit!!

 

[Knobhead]

Tony shakes head in despair. There’s no bloody wonder Joe can afford his pint.

Electrician: I’m allowed to safely spur off of your existing wiring but I think I’ll rip ½ your house to bits so that I feel better. Oh, and the price will be £---
Joe: I’ll just put in a couple connecters under the floor near by. It won’t cause any mess missus. The price will be £XX.

Look at it how ever you like!

 

[Rockingit]

better still find the leg coming from the board and redirect it to the immersion make the ring a radial "simples"

RING V RADIAL THREAD LOL

Sorry mate, but have you been on the pop today?! Just because, your argument seems to be with continuous current draw, yet your solution here is to effectively downgrade the circuit by 12A. Can I have one of whatever you're on?

 

[Engineer54]

Sorry mate, but have you been on the pop today?! Just because, your argument seems to be with continuous current draw, yet your solution here is to effectively downgrade the circuit by 12A. Can I have one of whatever you're on?

Well, ...he does live in a light bulb, bless him!! lol!!!

 

[sedgy34]

Well, ...he does live in a light bulb, bless him!! lol!!!

big lol!!! not

 

[Guest55]

... yet your solution here is to effectively downgrade the circuit by 12A.

not quite.
splitting a 32amp ring into 2 x 20amp radials gives you a net gain of 8amps extra capacity.
;-)

 

[sedgy34]

my reasoning of splitting the ring was seperation of circuits if the op wants to feed the immersion

 

[Rockingit]

my reasoning of splitting the ring was seperation of circuits if the op wants to feed the immersion

Yes Sedgy, and I owe you an apology as I realised long after that post that what you meant was 2 x radials, and not how I had read it. I still think it's a lot of fuss over nothing, btw, and branches/spurs from standard domestic ring finals to feed immersion tanks will outlive both of us.

 

[sedgy34]

I would expect all who liked your post including Eng 54 will like your recent post too

 

[Engineer54]

I would expect all who liked your post including Eng 54 will like your recent post too

Spot on!!! lol!!

 

[Rockingit]

I would expect all who liked your post including Eng 54 will like your recent post too

Look, I post an apology - which let's face it tend to be few and far between on here, and it wasn't exactly a massive insult to start with - and all you want to do is get pithy over it?

 

[sedgy34]

Look, I post an apology - which let's face it tend to be few and far between on here, and it wasn't exactly a massive insult to start with - and all you want to do is get pithy over it?

Not at all it's too easy to take the p**s

 

[bugsy]

appendix 8 I belive on site guide ( if not current 2004 )Water storge heaters in excess of of ( i think 15 /17 litres ) or perm connected to be fed via seperate circuit ( or words to that effect ) simples - all rush for the on site guide!!!

 

[bugsy]

Now does anybody want to discuss flower pots and if that dosent raise a smile you havent been on here long enough!