JoeLondon Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) Hi all, I am looking for the option of getting a timer switch for my Heatrae Sadia Megaflo tank. I have heard different opinions about how to use the Megaflo system, some suggest that it can constantly be left on but I do not want to waste too much energy as my heating is separated from the hot water supply in the flat. What I am doing right now is switching it on for 2hrs when I get home after work but that also means that we do not have enough hot water for showers right away. Any suggestion would be welcomed! Cheers! Edited February 22, 2019 by JoeLondon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Just to avoid confusion this is NOT a "boiler" it is a hot water tank. So you want to switch the immersion heater on and off at different times. so you want something like this https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMTS900.html Make sure you get something rated to switch a 13A / 3KW immersion heater load, and not just an ordinary central heater programmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLondon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 14 minutes ago, ProDave said: Just to avoid confusion this is NOT a "boiler" it is a hot water tank. So you want to switch the immersion heater on and off at different times. so you want something like this https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMTS900.html Make sure you get something rated to switch a 13A / 3KW immersion heater load, and not just an ordinary central heater programmer. Thank you for your reply, edited the 'boiler' out. I am so used to gas boilers for so many years.... Yes, that is what I need. Do I need an electrician to install it? I can see from the instruction that it can easily be installed right next to my main switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Just now, JoeLondon said: Thank you for your reply, edited the 'boiler' out. I am so used to gas boilers for so many years.... Yes, that is what I need. Do I need an electrician to install it? I can see from the instruction that it can easily be installed right next to my main switch. I am a bit sensitive to the terminology as I was once wiring for a loft conversion and the architects drawings showed a cupboard in the loft saying "Boiler" So I wired for a boiler. When it arrived, the "boiler" was in fact a dual immersion heater off peak direct unvented hot water tank, which caused no end of inventiveness to come up with the wiring for it, as it was by then way too late to run more cables down to the consumer unit. Assuming you already have a switch on the wall for the immersion heater, just mount that on the wall next to it,and connect that timer between the switch and the heater element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 I recently fitted one of these from Screwfix: https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-7-day-digital-immersion-timer/1804r Reasonably good value, and works OK, with a nice clear display. Only slight downsides are that the terminal screws aren't that robust, IMHO, and the cable clamps are a bit too close to the terminals, so a bit fiddly to fit in a confined space. OK if installed with care, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLondon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 Ok, that looks pretty straight forward to me. Much easier than I thought, but I may need to get a longer piece of cable with that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 17 minutes ago, JoeLondon said: Ok, that looks pretty straight forward to me. Much easier than I thought, but I may need to get a longer piece of cable with that.... Don’t forget that the cable has to be heat proof 2.5mm and not ordinary cable. If you only need a short length, believe it or not Wilco may be your best bet as they sell it by the metre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 2 hours ago, PeterW said: Don’t forget that the cable has to be heat proof 2.5mm and not ordinary cable. If you only need a short length, believe it or not Wilco may be your best bet as they sell it by the metre. Strictly speaking only the heater end. So take the existing heat resistant cable out of the wall switch and into the timer switch, then the new bit between the timer and the wall switch does not have to be heat resistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLondon Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 The original cable that goes from the switch to the tank should be sufficient for me to connect the timer as well as back to the main. There is a Wilko near by, I may go and have a look tomorrow. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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