External timer plug on boiler?

[Thurston Garden]

My gas combi boiler in the rented flat I am in at the moment has one of those mechanical timers on with the pins that you knock back for the on/off times. It's quite inefficient as it means that the same time is used each day.

Someone suggested switching the boiler permanently on at the timer and using a cheap plug in timer (the kind you would use to set your table tamp to come on/off when you were on holiday) where the boiler plugs into the wall as a more efficient 7 day timer.

Can anyone think of any downside to doing this? I don't want to knacker the boiler as I will be liable for the repair bill!

Ta.

[gregorach]

Depends what the switch-on current is and what the contacts on the timer are rated for. Appliances like boilers can draw large currents at switch-on, which can fry the contacts on light-duty timers.

[Thurston Garden]

I had not thought about the current draw. Fortunately my timer blug is rated at 13A and the boiler in mA, so all should be well.

There is a flaw though! As it is a combi boiler, and the external timer plug is being used to control the boiler as a whole, not the heating only, when the plug is operational all is ok. However, when the plug is timed to be off, the boiler is also off so there is no hot water either. Darn!

[Green Aura]

I'm not sure I really understand what you're asking TG - OH says you probably want it to be on/off more often than those pin things allow.

I just thought I'd tell you about our boiler in our old house. When we had it fitted the installer gave us the choice of timer or thermostat. It's got a remote sensor and switches the heating on if it drops below the desired temp. It didn't cost a lot so it might be worth considering - our gas bill reduced dramatically because the heating was only coming on when needed not just because it was the desgnated time.

[Thurston Garden]

Mr GA is correct. The pins allow for the same on/off times every day. I would prefer to be able to have the boiler come on and off at different times on weekdays to weekends. This is what the digital '7 day timers' do on decent boilers.

As I am renting (and probably only until the spring) it does not make sense for me to buy a 7 day timer and have it fitted in place of the pin timer. Someone suggested an external timer plug fitted where the boiler plugs into the wall socket. Perfect I thought - I have one lying in a cupboard. I tried it this morning, but as it is switching the power to the boiler on and off, it is also cutting the power to the hot water part of the combi boiler as well as the heating.

I certainly won't have this problem in my new house - the heating will be the sun!