Hot Water
Nov 15th 2004, 5:36 am
#16
I don't re Member
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Location: Termite Country (Tanah Merah)
Posts: 1,372
Re: Hot Water
Originally Posted by Pollyana
Welcome to The Nanny State of Queensland, Andrew......I'm surprised they allow us to have hot water at all, after all its a bit dangerous isn't it. That'll be the next thing....licence to boil a kettle...... 
The comments on this site in general regarding such issues are slowly begining to make sense!
Hmmmmm!
Andrew
Nov 15th 2004, 5:41 am
#17
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Re: Hot Water
Originally Posted by andrew63
Thanks for the help guys. No comments on the point that you can't control this youself! Still can't get over this. I am a big boy now and quite capable of deciding when I want hot water myself. I frequently go away for 4 days at a time and don't need my water heated those nights! Crazy.
Anyway, what capacity water tank is necessary for a family of 5 with no regards whatsover for hot water conservation? Can you get an second element fitted to a tank already in place?
Any more advice please?
Andrew
Anyway, what capacity water tank is necessary for a family of 5 with no regards whatsover for hot water conservation? Can you get an second element fitted to a tank already in place?
Any more advice please?
Andrew
With our solar water heater, we got them to fix a switch inside the house so that I could boost the hot water when I needed to without having to make a trip out to the meter every time.
Cost us around $140 to have it fitted by the electrician - basically he ran a cable from out off-peak meter to the kitchen. I guess it's like an immersion switch, but it only works at certain hours of the day when the off-peak is on.
Don't think you can have a second element fitted to an existing tank......but don't quote me!!!
Rudi
Nov 15th 2004, 5:43 am
#18
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,825
Re: Hot Water
Originally Posted by andrew63
Pollyana
The comments on this site in general regarding such issues are slowly begining to make sense!
Hmmmmm!
Andrew
The comments on this site in general regarding such issues are slowly begining to make sense!
Hmmmmm!
Andrew
Suddenly you realise just how much freedom there was in good old England...
(Oops,just realised I have laid myself open to 75,000 people telling me to "sod off back there then" ......
)
Nov 15th 2004, 6:02 am
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Re: Hot Water
Originally Posted by andrew63
Is this normal? Maybe just in Brisbane?
A few houses I have come to know (no gas, just electricity) have hot water tanks and you advise the electricity co (energex) if you want the tank heated during the night (cheaper) or during the day. If you run out of hot water, tough! Wait until the next heating period.
How bizarre that you do not control this yourself.
Am I missing something?
Seems strange to me.
Andrew
A few houses I have come to know (no gas, just electricity) have hot water tanks and you advise the electricity co (energex) if you want the tank heated during the night (cheaper) or during the day. If you run out of hot water, tough! Wait until the next heating period.
How bizarre that you do not control this yourself.
Am I missing something?
Seems strange to me.
Andrew
We moved to solar hot water earlier in the year with a top of the range large tank. We can turn all water heating off at the meter box and let the sun do all the work. If the meter switch is on at night, it'll automatically heat overnight using the off-peak tariff. At any time during the day if a boost of hot water is needed (because the sun didn't shine as much as hoped), we can switch on a small secondary element in the tank that will heat enough water for a couple of showers. This is also at the off-peak rate, even though the electricity is supplied during the day, because of the size of the tank.
Nov 15th 2004, 6:02 am
#20
Banned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,048
Re: Hot Water
Originally Posted by Pollyana
Suddenly you realise just how much freedom there was in good old England...
(Oops,just realised I have laid myself open to 75,000 people telling me to "sod off back there then" ...... )
(Oops,just realised I have laid myself open to 75,000 people telling me to "sod off back there then" ......
)
Nov 15th 2004, 8:47 am
#21
MODERATOR
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Redneck Wonderland
Posts: 9,932
Re: Hot Water
We have a solarhart heating system fitted on the roof we're a family of 4 adults and 1 teenager we've never run out of hot water but we've had to bury the cold feed from the storage tanks as it was hotter than the hot water 
Solar heating makes sense and you get a rebate back from the Govt.
Water heaters are an expensive way of heating water anyway, you don't always need a full tank of hot water yet your always paying for it to be there seems such a waste of energy to me.
We also had to have a second meter fitted due to the tank size it's un necessary and the guys who fit them say they are a con as they cost more in standing charges than the rare cost of boosting you hot water using your normal meter. We're careful with water anyway as we're on tank water so I guess it's not an accurate picture of someone who may run hot water for ages in the shower/bath
Solar heating makes sense and you get a rebate back from the Govt.
Water heaters are an expensive way of heating water anyway, you don't always need a full tank of hot water yet your always paying for it to be there seems such a waste of energy to me.
We also had to have a second meter fitted due to the tank size it's un necessary and the guys who fit them say they are a con as they cost more in standing charges than the rare cost of boosting you hot water using your normal meter. We're careful with water anyway as we're on tank water so I guess it's not an accurate picture of someone who may run hot water for ages in the shower/bath
