Hot hot hot ???

[spruce]

Yes I agree with hindsight I probably should have bought a new one compleate but it would still need fitting and setting up on the computer which  I would have had to pay fore anyway . Would there be any import duties on that ? And what about warranty ? I have 12 months warranty on parts and labour costs hopefully won’t need it but you never know .  

This is a big problem in many industries. Webasto spares are ridiculously priced.

£340 for a water pump!

£272 labour! That sounds like attorney's labour rates.

Bosch Power Tools purposely priced a replacement armature for their tools so high that is made a repair uneconomical. This was their way of forcing a customer to buy a new tool instead of repairing it. They were promoting their marvelous after sales service but the hidden agenda was the promotion of a throw away culture. That was 30 years ago.

There was a Chinese company selling a 12kw knockoff of the Eberspatcher water heater for under £500 if memory serves me. I tried to find it a couple of days ago.

We still run a 53 plate Citroen Xsara hatch with 85k on the clock. Citroen wanted £1135.00 + VAT for a front exhaust pipe which included a catalytic convertor. 2 hours fitting labour at £80 per hour + VAT. Got it from the local motor factors for £90 and it took me 3 hours to fit it. Insurance value of car = £750.

 

[dazmond]

blimey......ive never spent that amount of money on a mechanical repair on any vehicle in 30+ years of driving never mind a water heater!!....the price of the water pump is ridiculous.....hopefully itll be like a new heater now and you ll get another 5 or 6 years out of it trouble free fingers crossed!

 

[Daniel Perkins]

I'd love to have hot water in my 350l tank. Immersion way sounds lot less hassle and expense. I did have a look at squeaky clean daves video installing an immersion but not sure if i fancy cutting a hole in the bottom of my tank incase it goes tits up. He's a dab hand so probably handy work for him. 

I had a hard enough time getting insurance with a wfp, so if I got diesel heater in, christ only knows if I'd even get insured over here. But it is something I would love to have. 

 

[spruce]

I'd love to have hot water in my 350l tank. Immersion way sounds lot less hassle and expense. I did have a look at squeaky clean daves video installing an immersion but not sure if i fancy cutting a hole in the bottom of my tank incase it goes tits up. He's a dab hand so probably handy work for him. 

I had a hard enough time getting insurance with a wfp, so if I got diesel heater in, christ only knows if I'd even get insured over here. But it is something I would love to have. 

Fitting an immersion element isn't issue free. Fitting a 3kw element needs heavy duty cables from a specially fitted 16amp socket outside. This would need to fitted by a qualified electrician and might need a separate internal power cable direct to the consumer unit/fuse box.

A 2kw element would be better as a normal 13amp plug could handle the current. However the extension cable to the van needs to be heavy duty and fully uncoiled off the cable drum.

As with anything electrical used outdoors, the circuits must be connected to a rcd/earth leakage unit to protect the circuit and/or the user. If its not done to the regulations and there is a fire then odds are you will be up against your insurers.

 

[Daniel Perkins]

Fitting an immersion element isn't issue free. Fitting a 3kw element needs heavy duty cables from a specially fitted 16amp socket outside. This would need to fitted by a qualified electrician and might need a separate internal power cable direct to the consumer unit/fuse box.

A 2kw element would be better as a normal 13amp plug could handle the current. However the extension cable to the van needs to be heavy duty and fully uncoiled off the cable drum.

As with anything electrical used outdoors, the circuits must be connected to a rcd/earth leakage unit to protect the circuit and/or the user. If its not done to the regulations and there is a fire then odds are you will be up against your insurers.

This is exactly why I have swerved it, cutting tank, and fitting no a real problem )although I might be a little nervous with the cut). Also, getting an electrician is no problem. For me it is that risk of fire. The hassle I had getting insured with the tank in van was utterly ridiculous you'd swear I was the only business in the country operating like this. I can only imagine approached them with something like a pro diesel heater setup .. never mind a diy immersion one. Alas, cold water it shall be.

 

[Davy G]

I did almost exactly the same as Squeeky Clean Dave. Only difference that comes to mind is that I fitted mine in the van side of the same corner for easier access through the side door. This makes it easier to adjust the thermostat setting or replace the unit.

I made my own extension cable to the right length with a couple of meters extra using 13 amp rated flex cable. This means it's not on a reel, so won't overheat. It is vital to use a 2kw immersion. The best I've found is the same as Dave's recommendation, Grasshopper Liesure. This comes with a heat resistant O ring seal. I had everything ready in advance of fitting. I did a couple of mental rehearsals. I made sure I had everything I needed and I did as much as I possible before I cut Into the tank. Most important tools from memory were : correct size hole-cutter, file for removing burrs, inner-ring, immersion spanner, method of holding inner ring (I used a large Stilson's wrench) .  I didn't need to use any sealant compound.

It's a scary job to contemplate but I took my time. Make sure before cutting a hole that you can definitely reach it inside. You will probably only be able to get one arm in. It's not easy. It's a two person job.

I've been using mine very successfully for two or three years. I had to replace the original one recently but having fitted it myself it was a cheap and quick job. £60 or so from memory.

 

[windowsurfer]

I got an outside electric socket set up by electrician, I had initially bought one with the electric trip device, but electrician said you cant use it, as already have trip box on main box inside, so fitted standard one.

Fitted 2kw element from grasshoppers, as per squeaky clean Dave's video on youtube. My friend n I fitted it into tank, he done the wiring, agricultural engineer thankfully.

You need a 13amp extension, probably as short as possible. Cant believe how hard it was to get a short 13amp extension. 

 

[windowsurfer]

As Davy G said, make sure you can reach in to tank to tighten, I put mine to low, and really struggled to reach down my 400litre upright tank, I've got long arms. Thought I would have reached it, but its awkward, really depends what tank you have n length of arms?

 

[Pjj]

This is exactly why I have swerved it, cutting tank, and fitting no a real problem )although I might be a little nervous with the cut). Also, getting an electrician is no problem. For me it is that risk of fire. The hassle I had getting insured with the tank in van was utterly ridiculous you'd swear I was the only business in the country operating like this. I can only imagine approached them with something like a pro diesel heater setup .. never mind a diy immersion one. Alas, cold water it shall be.

Lol good job you arnt insuring our vans 1000 ltr systems, 9 kw diesel boilers and 5 k  of poles per van ???

 

[spruce]

This is exactly why I have swerved it, cutting tank, and fitting no a real problem )although I might be a little nervous with the cut). Also, getting an electrician is no problem. For me it is that risk of fire. The hassle I had getting insured with the tank in van was utterly ridiculous you'd swear I was the only business in the country operating like this. I can only imagine approached them with something like a pro diesel heater setup .. never mind a diy immersion one. Alas, cold water it shall be.

But the same insurers would write happily cover an outside hot tub. I saw one running recently with a thin extension cable most wrapped up on the drum. I pointed this out. He just shrugged his shoulders and said it would be ok. It been working like that for weeks now he replied.

 

[Daniel Perkins]

But the same insurers would write happily cover an outside hot tub. I saw one running recently with a thin extension cable most wrapped up on the drum. I pointed this out. He just shrugged his shoulders and said it would be ok. It been working like that for weeks now he replied.

The insurers over here are an absolute joke, especially vehicle insurance... crooks! Just renewing my public liability today actually so we'll see what that comes in at, usually around the 500 quid mark.

Lol good job you arnt insuring our vans 1000 ltr systems, 9 kw diesel boilers and 5 k  of poles per van ???

I'd get laughed off the phone ?

 

[Part Timer]

Lol good job you arnt insuring our vans 1000 ltr systems, 9 kw diesel boilers and 5 k  of poles per van ???

I rang the insurers you use and they wanted £2700 for my 2 Van's, £1000 more than I'm paying now, and this didn't include a WFP van if mine was off the road.

 

[Iron Giant]

I rang the insurers you use and they wanted £2700 for my 2 Van's, £1000 more than I'm paying now, and this didn't include a WFP van if mine was off the road.

Must be your postcode insurance 1k higher and deliveries taking 5 days ?

 

[Pjj]

I rang the insurers you use and they wanted £2700 for my 2 Van's, £1000 more than I'm paying now, and this didn't include a WFP van if mine was off the road.

Lol I don’t  pay that for three vans off the top of my head it’s less than £400 per van 

 

[Part Timer]

Lol I don’t  pay that for three vans off the top of my head it’s less than £400 per van 

One of mine has to be insured for £25k+ though so that will skew it somewhat, but they're £1000 more expensive than the likes of More Than and Aviva ?