- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Hot water heater
- Thread starter geochurchi
- Start date
- Status
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
- Location
- Massachusetts
Ouch, mega burn. :lol:
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
I'm just pointing out that its not obvious that both heating elements are not energized at the same time, and, if it doesnt indicate that somehow on the label, it wouldnt be far fetched for someone to size a circuit to it for the total load of both elements.
Unlike some who size the circuit for the simple fact they were told both elements dont come on at the same time but seem to have no proof of that without digging into the circuitry.
JAP>
iceworm
Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
- Location
- North of the 65 parallel
- Occupation
- EE (Field - as little design as possible)
limited to to residential only - commercial can be way different.
Yep - even this DIY knows that. Top element comes on first to heat the top few gallons so there is hot water (not a lot, but some). Bottom element t-stat is interlocked through the top thermostat.
ice
Sounds like a political debate...... all this speculation of who knows what, without an ounce of proof.
JAP>
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
Most if not all common residential water heaters in the US use interlocked elements. IMHO the common _assumption_ of anyone who installs these on a regular basis will be that the heater uses interlocked elements.
It is of course true that this fact _should_ be indicated on the label, and that the circuit must be sized based on the ratings on the label. If someone doesn't check the label they may be in for a rude surprise.
However if someone runs a 30A circuit on #10 conductors for a residential storage water heater, then the installation is very likely correct.
-Jon
I'd bet you could poll every electriician on this website and half of them wouldnt know that the upper and lower thermostats of an electric water heater are interlocked.
Regardless, that's not the infomation that's needed to size the circuit to it.
Jap>
Regardless, that's not the infomation that's needed to size the circuit to it.
Jap>
iceworm
Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
- Location
- North of the 65 parallel
- Occupation
- EE (Field - as little design as possible)
iceworm
Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
- Location
- North of the 65 parallel
- Occupation
- EE (Field - as little design as possible)
iceworm
Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
- Location
- North of the 65 parallel
- Occupation
- EE (Field - as little design as possible)
And sometimes it does come in handy to know. Last one I did was a half sized tank fed from a boiler domestic water coil. Didn't use the heater elements. Used the tank heater thermostats to run a circ pump in a return line to keep the tank hot. Was pretty common in areas where boilers and domestic coils are common.
Although not so common any more. Newer mixing valves do a good job keeping the temperature even.
Yeah, I DIY my own plumbing as well.
ice
I'd bet that half's reply would be.." We run a 240v 30 amp circuit to it cause that's what we've always done " without a care of how the thermostats are interlocked inside of it.
But that's just my speculation just like yours......
JAP>
- Status