Anyone fitted a immersion heater to their tank..?

[Trev81]

So, this week I have installled a waterproof external caravan type socket to my van for easy plugging in to on cold nights, it's to power a slimline panel heater fixed in my van, but I was also thinking about possibly adding a immersion to my water tank also on a stat like the heater to keep the water out of the chill.

Question here is would you bother adding one or would you think a good heat output panel heater would be enough to keep everything in the van including a tank of water out of possible freezing if we get some really cold weather.

I do have a webasto hot water system which is on a stat but that only circulates around it's closed system and does not really output much heat unless it is on allday, so the panel heater has been added to keep thinga like hoses free from frost and hopefully the water tank.

 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I've got one installed, been using one for about 4 or 5 years now, it's all rigged up with 16Amp gear and on a mains timer. I have a external 16Amp plug on the house wall and just plug into this so no hassle. The main benefits for me are the tank acting as a radiator thus keeping the whole van and system frost free and protected- meaning ready for work first thing without issue. Plus nice supple hoses all day in cold weather.

 

[Trev81]

Yes I like my hot system for the supple hoses, recently had been on cold only due to a pump failure on my webasto and back on cold was grim, propper stiff hoses when used to hot 24/7.

Yes I think a immersion is a good idea, I have a spare socket to add one in so I might consider it as a additional heat source, just drilling the tank bothers me!

 

[steve garwood]

I have the sockets in my van but use 2 aquarium heaters. I simply plug em in, then because there wedged in foam, I throw them in the tank so they float. Leave them on all night and hey presto, warm water :thumbsup:

 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

A 3KW immersion heater will require to be powered from main consumer unit via it's own 16amp breaker, then continuous 16amp cable/plugs etc thereafter. Learn from my mistake and don't risk burning your house down running one from a 13amp plug socket!!

 

[Trev81]

Good idea that Steve, might be worth just doing that with a fish tank heater on the odd night for peace of mind as well as using my panel heater.

Got this all fitted in today, well my old man who is good with electrics did it, fitted in a way thats fully approved so it could be a extra selling point for someone one day when the van is changed, or might come in handy for other stuff…

View attachment 5916

View attachment 5915

 

[steve garwood]

Good idea that Steve, might be worth just doing that with a fish tank heater on the odd night for peace of mind as well as using my panel heater.
Got this all fitted in today, well my old man who is good with electrics did it, fitted in a way thats fully approved so it could be a extra selling point for someone one day when the van is changed, or might come in handy for other stuff…

View attachment 8548 View attachment 8549

I will try to post a couple of pictures of the heaters in the foam tomorrow

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

@Trev81 what are the 2 240V sockets wired up to?

 

[Trev81]

They go into the RCD box that has 2 breakers in, then that is connected to the external 3 pin socket. Then the RCD is earthed in the van, you can just see at the top the bolt fitted to attach a earth too.

 

[tench0771]

@firefly123

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

They go into the RCD box that has 2 breakers in, then that is connected to the external 3 pin socket. Then the RCD is earthed in the van, you can just see at the top the bolt fitted to attach a earth too.

So the 240v sockets only run when connected up to the mains via the caravan socket?

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

At just 300w I dont think it should be too hard to run a couple of these in a 500L tank from a decent inverter hooked up to 2-3 110v leisure batteries?

Rena Smart Heater 300w on Sale | Free UK Delivery | PetPlanet.co.uk

Thoughts?

 

[Pete Thompson]

A 3KW immersion heater will require to be powered from main consumer unit via it's own 16amp breaker, then continuous 16amp cable/plugs etc thereafter. Learn from my mistake and don't risk burning your house down running one from a 13amp plug socket!!

Wait a sec...

3000 w heater at 240v = (3000/240) +12.5 amps.

So a 3kw heater should only draw 12.5 amps of current.

Domestic sockets are safe for up to 13 amps, aren't they?

 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Wait a sec...
3000 w heater at 240v = (3000/240) +12.5 amps.

So a 3kw heater should only draw 12.5 amps of current.

Domestic sockets are safe for up to 13 amps, aren't they?

Not on a constant draw for Five hours. I've melted 13amp plugs and timers!! Like I said, learn from my mistake- my best mate is a pro' sparky and after making me aware of how stupid I'd been he rigged me up properly and now I have no issues and it's all safe to use.

 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

At just 300w I dont think it should be too hard to run a couple of these in a 500L tank from a decent inverter hooked up to 2-3 110v leisure batteries?
Rena Smart Heater 300w on Sale | Free UK Delivery | PetPlanet.co.uk

Thoughts?

You'd be wasting your time with those. It takes 3000 watts Five hours to make a 500ltr tank "very warm"

 

[Trev81]

So the 240v sockets only run when connected up to the mains via the caravan socket?

Yes they do, I could add a inverter for such things like a low watt fish tank heater, but I would only be hooking up at home currently so no need to. I added a double socket as I might add a fast fill pump at some point to optimise my R/O and keep a higher psi on fills, also for faster fill times too.

 

[Trev81]

You'd be wasting your time with those. It takes 3000 watts Five hours to make a 500ltr tank "very warm"

I can see them being a good thing for frost protection purposes rather than actually heating the water up to a high temp.

 

[steve garwood]

These are mine trev. Your not supposed to submerge the whole of the heater under the water as the setting is at the top. I've pushed these through foam so I can just bung them in the tank. Obviously the foam makes them float, but also acts as a bumper so they never touch the sides of the tank.

This is why I never have my gas water heater set on hot, only warm as these aquarium heaters have partly warmed the water. Also slightly warms the vanView attachment 5919

 

[steve garwood]

You'd be wasting your time with those. It takes 3000 watts Five hours to make a 500ltr tank "very warm"

I put mine in overnight and the waters warm in the morning (about 400L)

 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I can see them being a good thing for frost protection purposes rather than actually heating the water up to a high temp.

It's not going to stop the rest of your stuff from freezing though is it. Might stop the tank.

 

[steve garwood]

It's not going to stop the rest of your stuff from freezing though is it. Might stop the tank.

There not there to stop my van from freezing, that's what my oil filled radiator is for. They are there to warm the water