Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Hoping someone can help. Waiting for a Dimplex engineer to come and diagnose a problem in my LA-6 ASHP. There is no power coming from the unit (A PCB may be fried but thats another story) The problem is that I think the DHW unvented tank immersion is powered by the ASHP (or not powered in this case) so currently I have no heating OR hot water. Is this normal setup and is there anything I can do temporarily to get hot water? thanks in advance Buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Have a look at the cylinder and see if there is an immersion heater. Follow the lead and see if it goes to a switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Immersions are usually stand alone. Follow the wire as above, and support your findings with pics if possible. The cylinder stat is cabled to the ashp / controls so are you confusing the two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) The immersion on mine is cabled through the ASHP controls, because that is what controls the disinfection cycle. I don't see why you couldn't temporarily wire the immersion straight to the wall, but I'd personally ask the installer or an electrician first. Edited February 14, 2021 by George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Thank you all for the help, I assumed that the idea behind the immersion was for a separate source of power in case of emergency. The wiring diagram in the ASHP manual does show a 3 core cable going to the immersion. the cable going from the immersion in the cupboard does go to a switch on the wall but there doesn’t seem to be any power coming from it at all (my basis of this is the voltage testing pen hovering over it and staying green) There is no ‘immersion’ RCD switch on the Consumer Unit, just one for central heating and one for ASHP. So it’s definitely not on its own circuit. I have attached some photos that I hope will help. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Sorry that tank picture didn’t actually show the immersion cable leaving the tank, it just showed the sensor ones above it This cable in this picture goes to a fused spur on the wall which doesn’t appear live, which I assume is because the ASHP is dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Looks like you can’t have one without the other ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 This is very frustrating, so no hot water (or heating) until the ASHP gets fixed. Any recommendations for ASHP specialists in South Wales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Zoothorn Technical Services, is in Wales somewhere only kidding. Just checking in case it saves a fallout. All MCBs/rcbos are in the on position? rotary isolator on? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 22 minutes ago, George said: I don't see why you couldn't temporarily wire the immersion straight to the wall If you mean into a wall socket, it is because it will weld the plug to the socket and crack the plastic. 13Amp wall sockets are only rated for a 10Amp continuous load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, TonyT said: Zoothorn Technical Services, is in Wales somewhere only kidding. Just checking in case it saves a fallout. All MCBs/rcbos are in the on position? rotary isolator on? Sadly I have checked all of those. Thought I had followed the thermostat installation instructions to the letter but inadvertently caused a big 'bang' and after setting all the MCBs and RCBOS back to the on position and putting the original thermostat back on then sadly there is no power. Nothing to the controller, thermostats, or anything that the ASHP supplies. There is power going to it but nothing coming from it so I suspect I've blown a PCB in there. Such a stupid mistake and after this is all fixed by a pro I wont be touching it again. Expensive lesson to learn I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 You should have a second immersion at the top behind that green access panel. don’t know if you are competent to wire this up ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 17 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: If you mean into a wall socket, it is because it will weld the plug to the socket and crack the plastic. 13Amp wall sockets are only rated for a 10Amp continuous load. No I meant to the isolation switch for the board - as that ultimately is what powers the immersion so must be adequately rated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Many heat pumps (mine included) want the immersion heater wired through the HP. This is so it can turn on the immersion periodically for anti legionairs heating. In my case this is achieved by a contactor in a box, and I wired a local override switch should I wish to turn the immersion on at any other time. I also connected my solar PV diverter the same way. Many of us have concluded that with treated mains water and an unvented cylinder there is no legionairs risk so we have disabled that function. If you made the same conclusion you could just rewire your immersion heater in the normal manner with a manual switch. In the short term you could just wire the immersion heater to a flex and a plug to get some hot water until you get the ASHP fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 16 minutes ago, TonyT said: You should have a second immersion at the top behind that green access panel. don’t know if you are competent to wire this up ? There is an immersion yes but I wasn't sure if this was a separate part of the tank and not to be used, not sure why this wasn't wired in by the original installer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Same part of the tank. It’s a wise move to have it connected up, allows a back up as you have just experienced. don’t know why it wasn’t connected up, was it in the quote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Yes I will do that, Can the bottom part continue to be connected to the ASHP and the top connected to a suitably rated wall socket? they wont interfere with each other will they? I suppose I would only use the manual one in emergencies like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Thank you everyone for all your help btw, it's been very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Yes, fine to use as a back up, on a manual control just make sure the thermostat in the top is set to the same as the bottom, so the water temp is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 OK great, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 1 hour ago, TonyT said: don’t know if you are competent to wire this up ? Aforementioned ’bang’ says not 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Cbuzz said: This is very frustrating, so no hot water (or heating) until the ASHP gets fixed. Any recommendations for ASHP specialists in South Wales? Just rang my mate, but they’re flat out and not taking new jobs on atm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbuzz Posted February 15, 2021 Author Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said: Just rang my mate, but they’re flat out and not taking new jobs on atm. Thank you for trying, appreciate it. I will run a new radial circuit back to the Consumer unit from the Airing Cupboard tomorrow ready for an immersion heater switch but I'll leave the thermostat cabling to the pros in future I think ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 10 hours ago, Cbuzz said: Thank you for trying, appreciate it. I will run a new radial circuit back to the Consumer unit from the Airing Cupboard tomorrow ready for an immersion heater switch but I'll leave the thermostat cabling to the pros in future I think ? Get the new Selco d feed in from the CU, and ask the sparky to make it off to a 16a wall mount socket. Ask him to then make the ASHP > immersion cable off into a second one. Then ask him to connect that immersion to a 16a plug. Then, if you have problems, you just unplug from the ASHP and plug into the new radial feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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