[AuRavelling79]

So for the first time this year I thought I'd check my immersion heater was working (it is) and also give you the benefit of my experience with it.

ambient temperature 8 degrees celsius all day
temperature inside van 12 degrees celsius all day

Tank size 650L flat Wydale
Filled to approx 400 litre mark
Immersion position - lower left hand side, inline with front to back of van.
Immersion power and length 3KW x 27"

Temperature measured at filler hole directly above element

10 am switch on
Water temp 11 degrees C

11 am
20 degrees C

11.15 to 11.55 switched off as Mrs. Gold wants to use the treadmill running off of the same  electrical spur! This will add about 400w to the load and will probably take the spur to its limit so I switched off.

12.40 pm
25 degrees C

Switched off 1.05 to 1.20 as Mrs Gold (what is wrong with her!) uses the vacuum off of the same spur to clean out the rabbit and guinea-pig cages!

1.20 to 3.30 Power back on

3.30pm
39 degrees C

5.00pm
44 degrees C
Switch off. Disconnect.

So now I want to know the effect of "mixing" the water and drive back and forward on the drive a couple of times to slosh it about.

5.05 pm
38 degrees C.

Next report details to be taken tomorrow am at 6.30 to see what residual heat there is.

edit: reading taken at 10pm. See post further on in thread.

[Smudger]

good work - i would suggest a temp reading 6 hrs after turning off as this will indicate % drop while working  with warm water

Darran

[dd]

For it to be most effective you would need to insulate your tank like Nathan does.

[AuRavelling79]

1. I  might take a reading at 11pm as suggested. Of course in "real life" the water amount would be reducing and thus lose heat more quickly than 400L.

2. My tank is insulated with 2" insulation and ply. But with a panel gap on the rear about 2/3 size of the tank side to allow heat to radiate into the van and warm up reels and hoses.

[nathankaye]

So for the first time this year I thought I'd check my immersion heater was working (it is) and also give you the benefit of my experience with it.

ambient temperature 8 degrees celsius all day
temperature inside van 12 degrees celsius all day

Tank size 650L flat Wydale
Filled to approx 400 litre mark
Immersion position - lower left hand side, inline with front to back of van.
Immersion power and length 3KW x 27"

Temperature measured at filler hole directly above element

10 am switch on
Water temp 11 degrees C

11 am
20 degrees C

11.15 to 11.55 switched off as Mrs. Gold wants to use the treadmill running off of the same  electrical spur! This will add about 400w to the load and will probably take the spur to its limit so I switched off.

12.40 pm
25 degrees C

Switched off 1.05 to 1.20 as Mrs Gold (what is wrong with her!) uses the vacuum off of the same spur to clean out the rabbit and guinea-pig cages!

1.20 to 3.30 Power back on

3.30pm
39 degrees C

5.00pm
44 degrees C
Switch off. Disconnect.

So now I want to know the effect of "mixing" the water and drive back and forward on the drive a couple of times to slosh it about.

5.05 pm
38 degrees C.

Next report details to be taken tomorrow am at 6.30 to see what residual heat there is.

Just as a total side point, for ones who heat only 40 degrees. With this little test is it not worth heating to 50 degrees instead. Allowing for the mixing and heat temp through hose etc to give around 40 at the brush?

[NWH]

Turned diesel heater on at 7am 55 degrees at the brush head at 10 past 😂 😂

[Frankybadboy]

why not have a insulated tank fitted ?

[Dry Clean]

With a 3kw heater your talking 93mins to increase the temp of 400ltrs by 10 degrees, that's fact, all your showing is how
hard it is to get true reading of the water temperature when using an immersion heater.

[windowswashed]

For attention of Granville

Are you using 13amp or 16amp cable to immersion.  If 13 amp it's pushing so close to starting a fire with the electrics especially if using a extension lead that isn't fully unwound. Think the limit is 3120 watts and drawing 3000watt, that lead will get hot and left on too long could burn out. Just don't want anyone burning their electrics out and risking a fire at home

[KS Cleaning]

So for the first time this year I thought I'd check my immersion heater was working (it is) and also give you the benefit of my experience with it.

ambient temperature 8 degrees celsius all day
temperature inside van 12 degrees celsius all day

Tank size 650L flat Wydale
Filled to approx 400 litre mark
Immersion position - lower left hand side, inline with front to back of van.
Immersion power and length 3KW x 27"

Temperature measured at filler hole directly above element

10 am switch on
Water temp 11 degrees C

11 am
20 degrees C

11.15 to 11.55 switched off as Mrs. Gold wants to use the treadmill running off of the same  electrical spur! This will add about 400w to the load and will probably take the spur to its limit so I switched off.

12.40 pm
25 degrees C

Switched off 1.05 to 1.20 as Mrs Gold (what is wrong with her!) uses the vacuum off of the same spur to clean out the rabbit and guinea-pig cages!

1.20 to 3.30 Power back on

3.30pm
39 degrees C

5.00pm
44 degrees C
Switch off. Disconnect.

So now I want to know the effect of "mixing" the water and drive back and forward on the drive a couple of times to slosh it about.

5.05 pm
38 degrees C.

Next report details to be taken tomorrow am at 6.30 to see what residual heat there is.

Just as a total side point, for ones who heat only 40 degrees. With this little test is it not worth heating to 50 degrees instead. Allowing for the mixing and heat temp through hose etc to give around 40 at the brush?

If I heat to 40 degrees in the tank that's effectively what I get at the brush head as I use a backpack.

[mufcglen]

Out of interest are these immersion heaters very greedy on the old electric costs?

[nathankaye]

Out of interest are these immersion heaters very greedy on the old electric costs?

I suppose it depends on your tarrif.
After midnight mine goes down to 8p per kwh and only 15p peak.

[JandS]

Been using a 3kw heater in carpet cleaning machine for 10 years and never had a problem with electrics.

[AuRavelling79]

Update and answers.

Readings taken at 10.05pm

Ambient temp.  5 degrees C
In van temp.      7 degrees C

Tank water   35 degrees C - so a drop of 3 degrees in 5 hours.

Answers to questions.

No reason why I cannot go to 50 degrees if I want to. I use mine primarily for frost protection and ease of use, supple hoses etc. Rarely if I know I have a mucky first clean on say a school or large commercial I will heat higher than the "normal" 30/40 I generally use.

Tariff. In general terms reckon on 13p/14p per kw hour and so about 40p+ per hour to run my 3KW heater. So 5 hours of heat = £2 approx. And it is a business expense so knock off 20%.

13/16amp electrics

About three years ago I upgraded to 16 amp cable due to being on the limit with 13 amp along with warm plugs etc. I use the 16 amp sockets like you use on a caravan.

(I presently have a quirky smart meter tariff which gives me free electricity on a Sunday between 9 am and 5 pm so I did this test during those hours and to see if it would be any use for the following Monday morning)

[Dry Clean]

Been using a 3kw heater in carpet cleaning machine for 10 years and never had a problem with electrics.

Do you run it non stop over a long period ? you can get household electric heaters at 3kw to run of the 13amp sockets but they don't take a continuous 3kw draw on the electrics.

[AuRavelling79]

Been using a 3kw heater in carpet cleaning machine for 10 years and never had a problem with electrics.

Do you run it non stop over a long period ? you can get household electric heaters at 3kw to run of the 13amp sockets but they don't take a continuous 3kw draw on the electrics.

This is an important point.

Before upgrading to 16 amp sockets I would get very warm plugs/sockets.

I have a timer which I can override. So let's say you put the heat on at 1 am and off at 7.30 am then I put in a half hour break at 3.00 am and 5.30 am. (So that the continual draw doesn't exceed 2 hours.)

[AuRavelling79]

6.55 a.m

Ambient temp 2 degrees C
Van temp (cab-full bulkhead) 3 degrees C (rear- above plywood and insulation of tank) ) 6 degrees
Water in tank 29 degrees C
 
I have a half day commercial and will be home at noon and take readings (volume will be about 200L)

[Slacky]

Granville can you also measure the temp of water coming out the brush head when you finish please.

[AuRavelling79]

Granville can you also measure the temp of water coming out the brush head when you finish please.

Sure.

[JandS]

No don't leave it on for hours 15 mins max and the thermostat as usually knocked it off at 60c by then.
If it was on all night would upgrade wiring...point taken.