Wall switch with no known function

OnOff · Dec 31, 2017

The timer is possibly just to give your hot water a little boost outside its normal "on" times. Say one day when the whole family is getting ready to go to a do and you need more hot water than just a couple of showers worth.

imrwlnd · Jan 2, 2018

Great, thanks all. And great example Onoff, I have two young daughters so will no doubt need this facility in years to come!!

Happy new year!

ProDave · Jan 2, 2018

Probably the reason it does not use any electricity when turned on, is the tank is already up to temperature from the boiler, so the immersions thermostat is open.

imrwlnd · Jan 2, 2018

That makes sense.

I asked a plumber (who says he also does minor electrical work) this question when he was in my kitchen a while ago. He lives a few doors down from me in the same house type as mine so same layout and everything. He said he also had this same switch in his kitchen, but he never figured out what it did either! Wow!

kerching · Jan 2, 2018

Here's a thought

wait for hot tank,to,be cold

switch on water heater switches

see if meter speeds up

switch one off

see f it slows

turn it back on

switch other off

see if it slows

this is assuming that water heater is ok and not knackered

OnOff · Jan 2, 2018

imrwlnd said:
Great, thanks all. And great example Onoff, I have two young daughters so will no doubt need this facility in years to come!!

Happy new year!

It might not work at all of course. The immersion "element" might need replacing. They do pack up.

If you do have an immersion then having a modern one with safety thermostat is vitally important as there was a sad case a few years back. It really is that serious:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7179092.stm