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Immersion heater blanking plug (Read 13317 times)
SimonF
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Immersion heater blanking plug
Jun 30th, 2014, 4:07pm
 
Hi,

Got a conventional indirect hot water cylinder, but (long story) it is no longer connected to the boiler, so only heated by the "boost" immersion heater at the top of the cylinder. This has been OK up till now, just a minor irritation if two people want a shower as the second person has to wait for about 1/2 hour for the water to heat back up. But with 2 daughters approaching teenage I can see this becoming more of an issue...

The cylinder has brass blanking plate near the bottom of the cylinder which looks like it should be for a lower down immersion heater, but try as I might I cannot shift it.  Its got a 32mm hex head, but putting an adjustable spanner on that and hitting it as hard as I dare it won't budge.

Any suggestions - or do I just have to budget on a new cylinder at some point....
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thescruff
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #1 - Jun 30th, 2014, 4:21pm
 
Hi,

Are you bashing it anti-clockwise, the best way is a 2ft bar or something as a lever.

Posting a pic may be an idea so we can ID it.

You have to be a little careful that you don't damage the cylinder when doing this.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #2 - Jun 30th, 2014, 4:41pm
 
Thanks for replying so quickly  Smiley

I'll take a photo when I get home this evening.

I tried giving it a bash in both directions in the hope that it might loosen  it up. I also tried to squirt a bit of WD40 behind it (more in hope than expectation) but that also didn't do anything...

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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #3 - Jun 30th, 2014, 5:58pm
 
Here's the pics of the hot water cylinder, and a zoom in of the blanking plug.

Image 2Image 1
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thescruff
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #4 - Jun 30th, 2014, 10:43pm
 
Definitely anti clockwise.

Have you tried a long bar for a bit of extra leverage, you do need to be carefull though, maybe even have the funds in the kitty before you give it a bit of GBH
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #5 - Jul 1st, 2014, 6:32am
 
Always worth giving it some heat with a blow torch then trying to crack it with a good sharp bang, anti-clockwise, on your spanner tool.

Sometimes these come out in seconds.  Sometimes they take hours, sweat and swearing.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #6 - Jul 1st, 2014, 2:44pm
 
I take it I need to drain the tank before heating it (all the online howto's always seem to suggest loosening the immersion heater with the tank still full as it has less chance of rupturing the tank. Although I must say the thought of splitting a tank containing 240L of water doesn't fill me with too much confidence.)

A friend at work commented that the plate looks similar to the oil sump on a car - wondered if I could get hold of a car mechanics rattle gun...
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #7 - Jul 1st, 2014, 3:55pm
 
Heat may work, but both your comment are valid and personally I don't think heat will help too much if at all, as you can't heat the right place/part
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #8 - Jul 1st, 2014, 4:33pm
 
Assuming I really cant get that blanking plate to shift, what are my options?

As far as I can think of my choices are:-

(1) Replace the cylinder with a new one
(2) Find some way to connect the indirect side of the existing cylinder up to the new boiler (could be a lot of work as boiler is on diagonally opposite corner of the house)
(3) Get the shower replumbed to get its hot water directly from the boiler rather than the cylinder.

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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #9 - Jul 1st, 2014, 5:26pm
 
Or get a plumber to try.

There's a few things in the first pic that doesn't look right and slightly worrying, mainly the pump.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #10 - Jul 1st, 2014, 6:46pm
 
I think you are right - The amount of force involved is getting past my comfort zone.

Which pump were you thinking looks wrong- the shower pump or the heating pump.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #11 - Jul 1st, 2014, 7:15pm
 
OK - Plumber is coming round Friday morning...

Here are a couple of pictures of the pump from other angles
Image 3Image 4

does that show your concern?
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #12 - Jul 1st, 2014, 10:33pm
 
It looked like the booster pump was serving the cold feed into the cylinder, clearly it isn't but changing direction is the heating pipework connected to the cylinder anywhere
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #13 - Jul 22nd, 2014, 1:13pm
 
No  - no joy...

After about an hour of banging and grunting our local plumber concluded "that aint gona shift mate". The cylinder is at least 15 years old so has had plenty of time to get well and truly stuck.

He offered to quote to get the tank connected up to the new boiler (I think he said Y-plan but I might have remembered the letter wrong) , but considering the boiler is on the other side of the house, and on the other side of 2x 3ft thick stone walls I think its not going to be worth it.

Will just have to make a rota for who gets the shower first....
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #14 - Jul 22nd, 2014, 1:24pm
 
So where abouts are you located
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #15 - Jul 22nd, 2014, 2:28pm
 
Near Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
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thescruff
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #16 - Jul 23rd, 2014, 8:39am
 
Iv'e asked a mate to see how busy he is. I'll email his phone number yo you if he can look at it.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #17 - Jul 23rd, 2014, 11:07am
 
Thanks - really don't want to put someone out of their way.

Its really only a minor nuisance as it is at the moment (could even make a virtue of it - it's an incentive to be the first person to get up in the morning as you get the warm shower...)

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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #18 - Jul 23rd, 2014, 1:25pm
 
And there's always the risk you'll need a new cylinder.
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #19 - Jul 24th, 2014, 10:00am
 
IF you want Razor (Ray) to have a look his mob is 07894 452061.

He wouldn't be free and as said there's always a chance of the cylinder getting damaged, You are in his patch by the way.
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SimonF
Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #20 - Jul 24th, 2014, 10:33am
 
Thanks for that, but I think I will leave it, at least for the time being. I have already had one plumber round who concluded it wasn't going to shift without damaging the cylinder.

I guess my best solution for me longer term would be to get the ensuite shower connected to the combi boiler rather than the hot water tank, that shouldn't be too bad a job to do and would give a bit of redundancy in case the immersion heater in the current tank fails.
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Re: Immersion heater blanking plug
Reply #21 - Jul 25th, 2014, 12:53am
 
No Problem Simon, if you need a good guy he comes recommended and you have his number
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