Replacing a Smiths Timeguard ETU8000

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Tecwyn

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My old Smiths immersion heater timer has packed up so I've bought a Drayton Lifestyle Dual Channel Programmer (LP522) to replace it (with a view to also using it for our CH system in future). the problem is that the old timer simply has one incoming LNE feed cable in and one LNE out to the immersion heater. the LP522 instructions say to have a 3Amp fuse on the live in.....but this doesn't make sense as this will obviously blow as soon as the immersion heater comes on!!!!! help please.....should I have bought a timer instead of a programmer?
 
you should have bought a 13A (or 16A) timer for an immersion heater. Not a boiler programmer.
 
Although you could use a relay a timer designed for the load like this is so cheap £5.68 it is not worth doing. The question as always is why do you want a timer? In the old days of thermo syphon central heating timers were used to stop central heating cycling in the summer, also timers used to enable off peak electric to be used. The old cistern was very poorly insulated so only the top was heated 24/7 and the whole tank only heated when wanting a bath.

However 40 gallons takes a lot of heating and cooling, and even with modest insulation it is unlikely to cool much in 24 hours, unless being used, and if being used you want it hot, so in real terms the timer is not really required, turn off when on holiday, on the rest of time, if you want to save energy turn the temperature down, but not below 60°C as risk of legionnaires.

A thermostat ensures hot enough to be safe, a timer is rather hit and miss way to control it.
 
A timer will always save energy as the losses are less when the water is cooler (overnight or during the day while at work).
 
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