Got all my stuff together to finally fit the recirculation pump to my hot water tank, but I can't budge the immersion element.
I need this out because a) I'm fitting solar which will be used to heat the hot water and although the fitted element has not been used so far, it's been in maybe 20 years. b) I need to look into the tank to see how low I can fit the recirc pumps return essex flange relative to the indirect heating coil. I also need to drain the tank from this access because the cold feed is hidden behind the tank and doesn't have a drain point!!
With the tank full atm I'm not sure applying heat to the immersion head will work either and although I've read that drilling and cutting to the heads threads can help, it's a path I don't really want to go down.
The hot feed from the top of the tank goes up 45 degrees for a foot before teeing at the vent/hot water tap supply pipe and is soldered. On the 45 degree pipe is another tee feeding the shower, again soldered, which together mean I'm unlikely to be able to pull the pipe out of the top of the tank after loosening the compression joint.
Any suggestions please?
I need this out because a) I'm fitting solar which will be used to heat the hot water and although the fitted element has not been used so far, it's been in maybe 20 years. b) I need to look into the tank to see how low I can fit the recirc pumps return essex flange relative to the indirect heating coil. I also need to drain the tank from this access because the cold feed is hidden behind the tank and doesn't have a drain point!!
With the tank full atm I'm not sure applying heat to the immersion head will work either and although I've read that drilling and cutting to the heads threads can help, it's a path I don't really want to go down.
The hot feed from the top of the tank goes up 45 degrees for a foot before teeing at the vent/hot water tap supply pipe and is soldered. On the 45 degree pipe is another tee feeding the shower, again soldered, which together mean I'm unlikely to be able to pull the pipe out of the top of the tank after loosening the compression joint.
Any suggestions please?