Help identifying immersion heater

[KevinM]

Hello all,

My dad is in the process of doing his house up and thought that now would be a good time to replace the 30+ year old immersion heater in his bedroom cupboard. The trouble is, he doesn't know what to replace it with, and nor do I, so I took a picture of it in the hope that someone with the relevant expertise could identify it and/or suggest a replacement model:



All we really know is that the brand name is 'Elson' and that by the looks of it it was made around the time of Jesus!

It's dimensions (cm) are 65w x 84h x 49d, there's an overflow pipe which comes out of the side and out through the wall and one water feed in and one feed out.

Any advice on what kind of tank we would replace this old relic with would be greatly appreciated.

-Kev

 

[Howsie]

Hello Kev,

If he's doing it up I'd suggest now is a good time to change the cylinder.

 

[chris watkins]

If it is feeding a flat (just one bathroom), how about replacing the lot with a mains fed un-vented cylinder & having the cold off of the mains as well, look at using economy 7 for cheaper overnight electricity. If you go un-vented the work must be carried out by a Part G plumber. NO diy on these I am afraid but good water pressure for showering.

 

[KevinM]

If it is feeding a flat (just one bathroom), how about replacing the lot with a mains fed un-vented cylinder & having the cold off of the mains as well, look at using economy 7 for cheaper overnight electricity. If you go un-vented the work must be carried out by a Part G plumber. NO diy on these I am afraid but good water pressure for showering.

It is feeding a three bedroom house, but there is only one bathroom. The shower pressure is fine with the current tank. I will suggest the idea to my dad, but I doubt he'll go for it - I suggested changing the tank years ago but he stuck with it because 'it works'. I don't want to over-complicate things while he's in the mood to get it done in case he changes his mind!

I will definitely suggest he looks at his electricity tariff, with the addition of a timer for the tank he could probably save himself a few quid.

Howsie: Changing the tank/cylinder is exactly what he wants to do. He's just not sure what brand/type/capacity to get.

 

[Plum Bob 66]

Please can you gentleman in the know explain this type of cylinder, I have never come across one like this before?

 

[KevinM]

Please can you gentleman in the know explain this type of cylinder, I have never come across one like this before?

Since making my original post I have done a bit of Googling, and worked out that basically what it is, is a vented, direct combination cylinder, albeit a rectangular (and very, very old) one. And so in doing that, I've answered my own question!

So all we need to do now is work out what the best brand of said cylinder to buy is, and the right capacity.

I feel like a plonker for asking now, I could have figured it out myself.

 

[stevetheplumber]

any combination cylinder will replace the elsan just check the dims that it will fit example
Combination 1075 x 450 Direct Cylinder - Mr Central Heating

 

[Ray Stafford]

I think I might be tempted to leave it. Elsy and Gibbons (who made the Elson tank) were proper coppersmiths back in the day, and their tanks were only slightly less robust than Chieftan tanks and after unloading a lorry of them they felt like they weighed nearly as much. I wouldn't be surprised if it has another 30 years of life in it.

 

[KevinM]

I think I might be tempted to leave it. Elsy and Gibbons (who made the Elson tank) were proper coppersmiths back in the day, and their tanks were only slightly less robust than Chieftan tanks and after unloading a lorry of them they felt like they weighed nearly as much. I wouldn't be surprised if it has another 30 years of life in it.

I have no doubt that it's a well made tank, despite the way it looks. We just wonder how well insulated it is, though. I suppose we could just buy a jacket for the existing tank and the exposed pipes.

Food for thought!