Joule Unvented 300lt Cyclone, 2 Heatrod Immersions with Cotherm TSE T115s, and a Codice 542791

[Suspect Device]

Heno here. From Ireland. I'm a marine sparks but that doesn't qualify in any way to deal with electric and water. Pleasure to meet you all. I know the title of my 1st post might be moderated but I couldn't shorten it.

I've a Joule 300lt Cyclone tank. It has 2 Heatrod immersions with a Cotherm TSE T115 in each.

Heres the tank

And heres

And underneath is the Cotherm

Theres two of each.

One immersion stopped working properly about 2 weeks ago. Been trying to get the fella who installed in a few years back but he is not available due to demand elsewhere. Then this morning there was no hot water, so I tested the circuits, the immersion coil, and the stat (I can do that much), only to find that the stats are both not working. Took them out and had a look and some serious discolouration around the live at A terminal. That goes for both of them. I thought that maybe one going previously, and the amount of hot water my crew here use, then the 2nd one might have tried to cope but couldn't. I checked the elements that they are fine based on what Heatrod say.

I know the easiest thing to do is get two more replacement TSE T115s but then something happened......up popped this little thing, hidden connected to the aqaustat port on the bottom left. I always wondered what it was but now I've a chance to find out.

Here is it with its clothes off....

So a question or two.

1. What types of issues cause the Cotherm's to fail? And would the circumstance of one then the other failing 2 weeks apart in any way make sense. The stats were set a fair bit over the 4 mark so maybe two working together meant that they were handling the demand better (Not working as long getting to the right temp and then getting a break) but when one eventually went, the other couldn't cope.

2. Are stats interchangeable? I've rang everywhere in ireland to find someone who stocks the Cotherm TSE but no luck. Mid next week before I would get them. Is there a more widely available brand that could be added without changing the element?

3. The Codice box; having read a little about it, and the reason I am here is because I found an image and post about something similar in darkest Wales, I still don't know why it was there. It was connected to the Aquastat inlet thing. Not wired in. It has never been used. So heres the question; the Heatrods comes with stats. Both are dead. The Heatrods elements are fine. The Codice is a stat that gets wired to Immersion elements. In any way is it possible to wire the codice to the elements so at least get hot water back for the few days until I order and receive the TSE's.

I know thats not a great way to get to know each other and I have probably made a complete idiot out of myself, and its an unvented system, but my mate next door is a proper sparks, I just had to ask the question.

Anyway, cheers every out there if you can hear me.

Heno

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Do you live in a hard water area ?

Aslong as there the same spec you should be fine

The stat box isn’t rated for 6 kw it’s mainly for the boiler circuit side

 

[Suspect Device]

Do you live in a hard water area ?

Aslong as there the same spec you should be fine

The stat box isn’t rated for 6 kw it’s mainly for the boiler circuit side

Thank you. So I'll leave the box aside, and find an equivalent stat locally.

I'm from County Wicklow, some of the softest water you'll ever find.

 

[king of pipes]

Call them up joule have a factory in Dublin the can advise you . Kop

 

[Suspect Device]

Call them up joule have a factory in Dublin the can advise you . Kop

Thank you. I called them up earlier. They don't carry stat spares, and they don't deal with the public anyway. They did refer me to local outlets who might carry spares for their customers but they don't carry them either. There is one importer of Cotherm gear down south in Cork and thats where the delay of a few days early next week comes in.

Going to see if there is something equivalent around local tomorrow, maybe just get one so hot water returns, and then order up the TSE Replacement product.

 

[John.g]

Why not consider a normal top mounted immersion stat (with integral hi limit stat), ensure stat length is the same or close to the Cotherm stat length, the cotherm is rated at 16A and I think the top mounted immersion stats are the same. You can then replace it when you get your proper stat(s).

 

[Suspect Device]

Why not consider a normal top mounted immersion stat (with integral hi limit stat), ensure stat length is the same or close to the Cotherm stat length, the cotherm is rated at 16A and I think the top mounted immersion stats are the same. You can then replace it when you get your proper stat(s).

I'm not sure what that is, to be honest. Can it be cabled to the existing immersions? Like the idea I had with the Codice.

If you mean the top of the tank, then theres no place to put a stat.

Again, I could be making a total fool of myself here so sorry if that's the case.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

 

[John.g]

You couldn't use the Codice because its only rated for a few amps as its probably only powering a motorized valve.
You can just pull out the cotherm stat as its inside in a dry pocket, measure the length of the rod on it and just get your new (temporary ) stat the same length and install it in the pocket and wire it up, they are rated at 16A.

 

[Suspect Device]

You couldn't use the Codice because its only rated for a few amps as its probably only powering a motorized valve.
You can just pull out the cotherm stat as its inside in a dry pocket, measure the length of the rod on it and just get your new (temporary ) stat the same length and install it in the pocket and wire it up, they are rated at 16A.

Thanks John, makes sense.

 

[Suspect Device]

Update
So I went on a wild goose chase of sorts. Got in the car and drive to 7 different trade outlets and looked for something similar. Nothing anywhere. It was getting close to 1pm (most of the counters shut at 1pm for the weekend) and a bloke who was shutting shop early told me to try a place called Eurosales in Sandyford, Dublin. I made it there at 12:55pm, 5 minutes to spare. Showed the bloke there the Cotherm. He said that the Thermowatt RTS stat would do the job, rated at 16A. It was the only one that I found with the twin electric spades so I bought two of them. A leap of faith for me!! Got home, wired them up, and I now have 300ltrs of hot water again.

Going to monitor how things go fairly intensely over the next while. Main concern is the scorch marks that were on the Cotherms. If I see it starting again then will have to look into what other issue could be causing it.

Just like to say thank you all very much for the interest and support for the thermostat issue, even those you read the OP and didn't reply. Not saying this is the end of it but its a good better than it was......

A couple of related questions; There are two stats on the tank one at the bottom and one halfway up (see pic above).

1. What temp should I set the 2 Thermowatt RTS stats to? I've been reading a little and some say that there should be a 10 degree diff between the 2 in favour of the lower one. Others say its more efficient to set the two the same. In either case, what should I set them to?

2. There are two 24 clocks connected to the stats. Trying to figure out when to set these. Main shower usage is in the morning, but usually one person ends up taking a shower at night time. Given theres to 2 stats and two clocks then what are the best timings for each to come on. I was thinking something like this:

Both on at 6am for 1.5 hours. Then the top one on for an hour at 1pm, and the top one again at 7pm for an hour. The logic being full tank hot in the morning. Top it up with just the top immersion at lunch time to cover hot water during the day - all of our other devices are cold water feeds, then again the top one in the late evening to cover possibility of use late at night. Man, its a little confusing.......

I'm a happy man. And I can watch ManU tomorrow in peace without people upset over the lack of hot water.

Cheers.

Heno

 

[ShaunCorbs]

If there both on together eg not using one as a running stat and the other a boost then the same temp eg 60dc

Need to work out your usage as the tank will stay warm for easily a couple of days if nothings used so might only have to bring the top one for an 30 mins at night to keep it upto temp