No not gentlemen’s waterworks, but domestic plumbing (unashamed click bait - sorry).
So this leak has started under our hot water cylinder and we’re wondering if a full replacement would make more sense than a patch-up repair. The water appears to be escaping around the red electric heating element.
With no gas, boiler or bath (just an electric shower) the tank only feeds the kitchen and bathroom sinks so perhaps there’s a better option than this beast with it’s equally large header tank above?
Thanks for any advice
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Rip it out and put in a basic combi in place of your standard boiler - however that’s be expensive…. But, you may appreciate the additional space
New cylinders aren’t massively expensive and would be your simplest route forward…. If the leaks form a joint you maybe lucky with a patch up?
Is there a gasket between the tank and the element, might just need a new one?
Is there such a thing as an electric combi boiler (the flat has no gas)? Perhaps even a Qooker instant hot water thingOriginally Posted by Wolfie
That's been my suspicion though I've no idea if gaskets are used in copper/brass plumbing. Is 30 years a good run for a hot water tank and time to replace?
I'd second just trying to replace the gasket.
Don't think that instantaneous electric heaters are available but look at a Megaflo cylinder as a replacement if you have to.
Thinking outside the box a little, how about one of those instant hot water tap things in each sink and do away with a tank altogether?
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They are available & are called "unvented instantaneous electric water heaters". If you're just feeding two sinks, they will be more cost effective & consume less space than an immersion heater in a vented cylinder.
The OP may need beefier wiring if he wants anything more than 3KW though.
Lots of great advice - this forum never fails. Many thanks all!
This is great advice
Specifically a direct (as opposed to an ‘indirect’ unvented cylinder…. Fantastic bits of kit…. Can be run off leccy (not the cheapest route but future proof). Make sure your plumber has the proper qualifications to install it…
If you’re worried about pressure get an accumulator tank alongside of it…. But, I’d suggest that would probably be overkill in this instance…
Have a look at Redring Powerstream.
9.5kw-12kw, cheap to buy but may be costly to run.
As others have said I'd look at whether there is a washer / gasket first as anything on those lines breaks down over time
https://www.toolstation.com/immersio...-washer/p73273
Haha - thanks. At £2.30 it’s got to be worth a try (plus the appropriate wrench). If that fixes it then I’ll put £30 in the fundraiser
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Disagree regarding cost, it only heats the water that's being used and electric heating is very efficient. Got to be more cost-effective than the current hot water tank set-up but the installation cost (wiring etc) will be significant.
Cylinders should not be placed directly onto flat boards like this. We had a major leak with an installation as this. The plumber came and condemned the installation (1999 Wimpy House)
He made a new raised platform with slats and new cylinder.
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Its hard to make out Mick, but is on a raised plinth.
Cheers..
Jase
Presumably should be on a plinth so that in the event of a leak the leak can be caught?
I free Jason, But it looks to be a solid base? I was advised and we had done, raised but slatted with air gaps. Apparently the base of the cylinder sweat and that’s what cause the degradation of the thin copper.
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Thread update. Unfortunately the instantaneous heater option became a real faff with dedicated wiring from the consumer unit required (across the flat). Because it only supplies two sink taps, installing a pressurised system would deliver minimal benefit, so we bit the bullet and had a (much smaller and more thermally efficient) replacement vented cylinder installed. A few hundred quid lighter but should be good enough to see us out.
Cheers again for all the advice.
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