Wi-fi immersion timer: spec ok?

Hi folks - with a bit of time on my hands I'm thinking of replacing our old immersion timer with a new wi-fi model.

I have my eyes on this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07T7N9LFJ/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

It's rated for 20A. We have 2x 3kw heaters in the tank and our current timer is a Horstmann Quartz E7. No sink/shower switches etc; just the Horstmann unit.

Any problems or am I good to go?

Thanks a million.

autumnalcore

Well straight off the bat 2 x 3000w is more than 20A

Secondly that is some random bit of rebadged chinese junk with a chinese junk relay. Who knows what the duty cycle / continuous rating for the relay is or the thickness of the copper / size of the traces on the board, quality of soldering etc.

I wouldn't connect it to anything near 20A in my house but you could I suppose connect it to a relay / contactor from a respectable manufacturer.

Loozer

autumnalcore wrote: »

Well straight off the bat 2 x 3000w is more than 20A

Secondly that is some random bit of rebadged chinese junk with a chinese junk relay. Who knows what the duty cycle / continuous rating for the relay is or the thickness of the copper / size of the traces on the board, quality of soldering etc.

I wouldn't connect it to anything near 20A in my house but you could I suppose connect it to a relay / contactor from a respectable manufacturer.

Only 1 heater can operate at a time, so it'll be 3kw max

You have to leave the horstmann there and fit the controller before it, if you're going using it

Bruthal

autumnalcore wrote: »

Well straight off the bat 2 x 3000w is more than 20A

13 amps is the most it will be at a time. Unless someone has connected both together.

Loozer

Bruthal wrote: »

13 amps is the most it will be at a time. Unless someone has connected both together.

They're separate heaters so you could i suppose with 2 supplies but the horstmann obviously only takes a single 16/20 supply and switches between the 2

Biggest issue is people swopping them out for these controllers which don't isolate supply

Bruthal

Loozer wrote: »

They're separate heaters so you could i suppose with 2 supplies but the horstmann obviously only takes a single 16/20 supply and switches between the 2

O yes, ill have to start looking at posts properly

Chet T16

Optimum do a decent high quality wifi relay, I use one for the immersion

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-OP-SBWF01-Enabled-Socket-Switch/dp/B07843J914/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-OP-BM-IHTWF01-Universal-Immersion/dp/B077NBZ3LD/

leinster93

Chet T16 wrote: »

Optimum do a decent high quality wifi relay, I use one for the immersion

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-OP-SBWF01-Enabled-Socket-Switch/dp/B07843J914/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-OP-BM-IHTWF01-Universal-Immersion/dp/B077NBZ3LD/

I have one for immersion and one for central heating installed a year now. Work well without any issues. Works only with 2.5GHz on router - not the 5 GHz which took ages to figure

Loozer

Bruthal wrote: »

O yes, ill have to start looking at posts properly

That wi-fi controller isn't to going work properly inline before that hortsmann timer anyhow

The hortsmann isn't suitable for having the supply interrupted like that, would be ok with a regular dual-immersion and switch.

You would need to set it up differently for wi-fi control, prob be better off the way it is tbh

Bruthal

If using a wifi controlled setup, you dont want the timer there at all.

Loozer

Bruthal wrote: »

If using a wifi controlled setup, you dont want the timer there at all.

No you're right, I should have seen that before before posting first off

WiFi controller +replace the hortsmann with a standard immersion switch for changeover and isolation might do i suppose

listermint

WiFi control on feed into normal switch. Bath or sink and on off.

That's it.

Loozer

listermint wrote: »

WiFi control on feed into normal switch. Bath or sink and on off.

That's it.

It will work but

If it's an all electric apartment/home it might be a pain as you may want the fixed on period overnite to provide a full cylinder of hot water every morning

In that case you would be better with a separate supply for the WiFi and top heater

Bruthal

Loozer wrote: »

WiFi controller +replace the hortsmann with a standard immersion switch for changeover and isolation might do i suppose

Yea that's the usual setup. Contactor probably recommended as well.

coylemj

I've researched this in the past and there appears to be no timer available in this part of the world which can handle a dual element system and give you full control over both of them. The situation in the UK appears to be that a two-channel or dual-element (Sink/Bath) timer will only activate the Bath element during 'Economy 7' off-peak hours.

For example, the instructions for the Sangamo POWERSAVER DUAL FLEXI says the folllowing....

.... this controller is not freely programmable, you can minimise the program times within your off peak period but not go outwith it,

The net effect is that you cannot set the timer to activate the Bath element during the day and the 'Boost' button only activates the Sink element. If you have two separate elements that operate independent of one another and you want full control over both of them, you need two timers.

I have the power feed going into this timer unit and then into a standard Sink/Bath switch. I rarely use the Bath element so it fulfills my requirements. It talks to my house Wi-Fi so I can control it from anywhere, there are Android and iOS versions of the app.



https://www.timeguard.com/products/time/immersion-and-general-purpose-timeswitches/wi-fi-controlled-fused-spur

Stoner

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=104541361

The timeguard option has been tracked well here.

It has an advantage that it is in a UK box and it's fused like a standard UK and Irish spur so you can remove the fuse to isolate it. It's also UK made and rated for continuous load.

Again the manual switching to sink or bath is required

Some people are using the 16Amp sonoff in the same way although I'd question the continuous load capabilities, cable connections and you'd need to add a fused spur to isolate and fuse down the 20 amp MCB most likely feeding it.

However I'm pretty sure we'd a recent poster who found a unit on Amazon, with one input and it could switch and interlocked output. I can't remember but have a search. I'd a quick look already. Or else try the iot forum

Thanks for the input, folks. Shall weigh up the options.