50 Gallon Electric Water Heater

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   how long does it take to heat a new 50 gallon electric water heater?
   Just got a new g.e. 50 gallon elec. water heater. Been 2 hours but no hot water. Any idea how long it takes?

   • ANSWER:
     Should have hot water in about 45 minutes. Check your breaker and make sure it is on. You may need to turn the thermostat up on the tank. Should be an inspection panel on front of tank to adjust temp.

2. QUESTION:
   how much would it cost to install a 50 gallon electric hot water heater...just a ball park figure..?
   I would like to know how much it would cost (roughly) to install a 50 gallon hot water heater (electric) ... I am having this done and want to make sure that I am not being over charged.
   thanks

   • ANSWER:
     Remove and replace would take 2 men about an hour. Plumbers (the company) get about /hr per man here. + any needed parts.

3. QUESTION:
   what will be the pressure at out let of a 50 gallon electric water heater.?
   The inlet pressure at the inlet of the heater is 3.5 bars taken from the muncipality water main. will hot water be able to reach the second floor shower 12.0 meter high. The pipe length of this remotest shower from heater is 50 meter.

   • ANSWER:
     Yes, but you will lose a little over 1 bar because of the 12 m height.

4. QUESTION:
   Cost to replace a 50 gallon electric water heater?
   The plumber we were talking to said he would replace it for 0. Good price or not?

   • ANSWER:
     That depends on what has to be done to meet code. The old one had to meet code at the time it was installed. Depending on how long it lasted, code could be quite different by now and may mean doing much more work. That is assuming the old one actually met old code, which in my experience very very few do. Cost of a new 50 gal heater is *about* 5 on the very low end up to *about* 0 on the high end. A *simple* swap out is generally 0-0, but like I said, simple it may not be.
     Al

5. QUESTION:
   how long does it take for the water to heat in a 50 gallon electric water heater after replacement?

   • ANSWER:
     On a 50 gal elec. heater you are looking at about 2 hours before you will have hot water, as long as the heater was installed correctly.

6. QUESTION:
   i have a sears electric 50 gallon water heater. and i constantly have to push the red reset button.?
   the bottom wires were some how too close to each other and began to arch. i had to replace one wire, wrap them both in electrical tape and reposition them father apart, but after that the reset button on top next to the top wires keeps tripping, is it ruined now? or does something need to be replaced? i need help here!
   in between the resets i have my water heater turned down to the lowest setting and my hot water comes out super hot, like 140 150 degrees.

   • ANSWER:
     The water coming out very hot when the thermostat is turned down is telling you there is a problem with the thermostat not turning off when it reaches the set temperature and the high limit safety is tripping[red reset button].Most water heaters have an upper and lower thermostat and elements,if this one does it could be either thermostat that has failed.Only one works at a time and the bottom does the bulk of the work so it is most likely the one that is bad.They are not that expensive and so I would replace both if it has two.

7. QUESTION:
   What is the monthly kilowatt usage for a standard 50 gallon electric water heater?

   • ANSWER:
     there are variables that you must consider the heater, the insulation factor, the energy efficiency of the heater, climate where heater is etc. then is comes to estimates: say: a tank rates a 5.7 on the energy efficient rating chart and estimated costs of running it per year based on 8.41 cents per kW/H is 0. you need to look at water heater kilowatt rating either 12o/240 kWh then do the math

8. QUESTION:
   A 50 gallon electric water heater that uses 2 elements is normally what voltage?

   • ANSWER:
     Electric water heaters are 240V. Hope this helps.

9. QUESTION:
   how long does the average 50 gallon electric water heater last?

   • ANSWER:
     As most home inspectors will tell you, water heaters have no life span and no expiration date. They will go when they go. Some last for two years some last for thirty. I've seen it all.

     You should drain it periodically to get rid of the settling at the bottom of the tank. Otherwise, watch for rusting and always be prepared for a flood when it goes and never store your Monet paintings on the basement floor...

10. QUESTION:
    which is cheaper over time, a gas or electric water heater. it will be a 40-50 gallon heater?
    the electric are 0 cheaper to buy. we're a family with 2 adults and 1 child.w e don't have a dish washer and usually take showers not baths. we have a washing machine. i dont' know what else people would need to know.

    • ANSWER:
      Year 2005 data provided by the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration (http://www.eia.doe.gov) rated residential energy sources by the average dollar cost per million Btus of heat they produce. Natural gas was found to be .13; heating oil .04; propane .35; and electricity .26. Obviously, these amounts vary with local energy prices and do change over time, but in the relative world of energy, natural gas is by far the cheapest, most convenient fuel for water heaters.

      Theres your answer. gas is the cheapest way to heat water.

11. QUESTION:
    how do you hook up a 50 gallon electric water heater?

    • ANSWER:
      First Electrical:run a 12-2 heater cable,from tank to panel,
      then mount a 20amp breaker inside,hook blk wire one side,red wire on the other side,bare copper wire to box
      terminal,on tank take off top panel,move the insulation there you will find a loose black and red wire,marr blk with blk and red with red,bare wire is connected to a green screw on the tank shell thats it.
      Second plumbming:If you don't know how call it in to a plb.
      if you wan't to do it let me know.

12. QUESTION:
    how do i drain a 50 gallon Bradford white electric hot water heater?

    • ANSWER:
      TURN OFF POWER FIRST. Turn off supply line to tank. Install a garden hose on the drain faucet. Run the hose outside or to a drain in the house (must be lower than the tank). Turn on hot water faucet somewhere in the house until it no longer has pressure. Open the drain faucet on tank, also leave the hot water faucet open in the house where you relieved the pressure, this will allow the tank to drain if valve is not left open you will be a week draining tank. When you are ready to refill be sure to FILL TANK COMPLETELY before turning on electric power as if not you will destroy elements.

13. QUESTION:
    Electric hot water heater piped into the boiler?
    We just bought a house that has a 50 gallon electric water heater that has the cold line of the water heater piped into the boiler. What is the purpose of this? Also it has a "Fast fill" valve. What is this?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi Mike,

      I'm really shocked that with all the "professionals" giving you advice, no one's hit the nail on the head YET, until me, of course.

      I live in New England, and see this configuration all the time. We have one heck of a long heating season here. Let me explain the reasoning behind what you have, because it is used constantly in this part of the country.

      Your electric hot water heater can be expensive to run, and if you have several people standing in line for showers in the morning (like mine), can find itself unable to "recover" the water temp after a shower or two.

      Since your boiler will run extensively during the heating season anyway, they are using the boiler to pre-heat your supply even before it gets to your water heater. It evidently has a small "tankless" water heater that couldn't keep up with the household demand, necessitating additional capacity. The aquastat that is in the main boiler (for the boiler's water heater) is certainly disconnected, so it will only pre-heat when your heat is being run. The free-standing water heater is on it's own in the non-heating season.

      This is a very "green" way to exploit as much value as humanly possible from every gallon of oil burned, and you had to run the boiler anyway!

14. QUESTION:
    Can I use a 50 gallon hot water heater to heat my baseboard heaters?
    Since you can use a boiler to heat baseboard hot water for heating , can I also use a 50 gallon electric hot water heater to heat baseboard hot water for heating? The hot water heater would only be used for heating, basically a closed system. A 50 gallon electric water heater has a first hour delivery of 62 G.P.H. and the temperature can be set as high as 155 degrees.
    The reason for asking is we have a new second story unfinished. I presently have oil hot water now for the 1st floor. To get heat pipes up to the 2nd floor is more than a lot of work and close to impossible because of the building design. It's not an option.
    Thanks....Glenn

    • ANSWER:
      no its not a good idea because you will burn out a water heaters heat exchanger within a few years. put a boiler in it will save you years of headaches and frustration

15. QUESTION:
    Should I get a 50 or 80 gallon electric hot water heater?
    I have an old 60gal stone lined SEPCO electric water heater in my basement that has rusted and has begun leaking out of the base. For now I am shutting off the water valvle when not in use until it gets replaced on Monday AM. I went out today to pick up a replacement.

    Unfortunately - I could not find a 60 gallon electric tank. Everywhere pretty much had 40gallon tanks or 80 gallon tanks. I went to a plumbing supply store where they happened to have Bradford White 50gallon tanks and bought that. (Model # M250S6DS)

    Now I'm wondering if I will regret the size I bought since it is 10gal smaller.

    Will it not seem like much of a difference to me to go from an old 60gal to a new 50gal that's likely more efficient? In that case I should be fine. Or should I have gotten the 80gallon tank?

    Would the 80 gallon tank have used a ton more electricity and I would have noticed a substantial increase in my monthly electricity bill?
    I suppose if this is not the case than I might as well get the larger water heater.

    DETAILS:
    Small house, 1450sf, 1 bath, no dishwasher, laundry.
    Oil / Electric heat ( no gas )
    In the Northeast and subject to a cold winter. In an unheated basement. 2 people live here. We can sometimes have a habbit of taking showers until the water runs out.

    Basically trying to decide if I should stick with the 50gal or return it and get the 80gal tank.

    • ANSWER:
      Look at it this way
      You are probably shorting yourself 5 gallons rather then 10.
      That old water heater probably had enough sediment to occupy 5 gallons worth.
      Plus the saving over the years, of not heating an extra 30 gallons, {if you purchased the 80} will add up
      Two people with 50 gallons should be more then sufficient

16. QUESTION:
    I need to replace a 50 gallon gas water heater. Should I gogas again, electric, or tankless?
    I wanted to stick to the amount of the stimulus check that we received if possible. Is it better to buy from a store such as Home Depot or from a plumber?

    • ANSWER:
      It will be lots easier and cheaper to just replace with replacement for the unit you have now. Gas is very efficient for heating water.
      Good Luck

17. QUESTION:
    Why has the cost of standard 40 or 50 gallon electric hot water heaters more than doubled in past 3 years?

    • ANSWER:
      I think its all to do with the cost of the raw materials Copper has more than doubled in the last 18 months although it has fallen since last October it is still high.Wages and overheads in producing the products all contribute to the retail price increases, Distribution costs as well a 50 gall unit is quite large in volume and therefore it takes a large wagon using a lot of fuel just to transport a few units..

18. QUESTION:
    Electric Storage water heater to Gas Tankless water heater?
    With all the rebate incentives, I'm thinking about going from a 50 gallon Electric storage water heater (made in 2002) to a natural gas tankless water heater. How much will I expect to save a year? It's just two of us in the household, but we're planning on expanding the family. Our current electric bill is about per month. After all the rebates, the price to upgrade would be about 0 including installation. Is it worth the investment?

    • ANSWER:
      The savings are hard to gauge without knowing how much hot water you intend to use and how much of your present bill goes for making hot water now.

      All other things being equal and based on average costs for natural gas and electricity in the United States, it is typically four (4) times more expensive to make hot water with electricity than with gas.

      So, if of that belongs to hot water, your payback will be 900/(15 x 0.75) or 80 months (6 years, 8 months). Given that your present water heater is 8 years old, you can expect it to be near the end of its typical service life (about 10 years). So a good part of that 0 (figure about 0 to pay someone else) would be required to replace (shortly) it in kind - in reality the payback is much faster based on lifetime cost.

      Now, some things to understand about tankless units:

      a) They require some level of flow to operate. This is adjustable but only within a narrow range. So, if you usually rinse dishes with a trickle of water, this won't work anymore. So there will be some adjustment in your life-style.
      b) When properly adjusted they will provide a continuous amount of hot water without variation. So if you are given to very long showers, this will be nirvana for you.
      c) The savings are in the fact that there is no continuous maintenance of the tank temperature - you are making water only when you need it.
      d) A modern unit made by a reputable firm will have an expected service life far beyond the typical tank-type.

      Because you have electric hot water already, the fact that most (but not all) of these units require electricity to operate is less of a concern. But you might also look into the self-powered systems that do not require electricity - Bosch, for one makes such a unit. This will allow you to have hot water even if there is a power-failure assuming you are on city water, not a pump.

      We have been on a Bosch Aquastar for nearly 15 years now at our summer house - it has performed flawlessly. There are several other equally reputable companies.

19. QUESTION:
    How should I transport a electric water heater safely?
    I am buying a electric water heater 50 gallon: can I transport it without damaging it on it's side in the box (horizontaly) or is it better to transport it upright (vertically)?

    Extra question: Should I shell out an additional 0 bucks for the Wirpool ENERGY SMART Water Heater or just go with a regular one? Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      1. Lay it on its side, gently---best to put the end on the tailgate, then lift the other end and slide in--and pull it out the same way. If you lay it over halfway, then tilt it, it will bend the outside cover of the tank-though it won't hurt anything, just put a ding in it. Sold water heaters for couple of years.

      Look at the energy ratings and estimated cost on the yellow energy guide which must be clearly visible. Also look at tank life. Most energy efficient heaters, especially electric, are not that much more efficient cost wise to justify the added expense. Tank warranty is important, you can about guarantee that if the tank warranty is 5 years, it will leak before year 6. So figure in the annual operating cost found on the yellow sticker, plus the expected life. I operated the state Energy Star program, and sold water heaters. I bought the cheapest one available, because the energy savings did not outweigh the excessive costs of the more expensive models. But that was a couple years ago--and using more efficient gas water heaters..

20. QUESTION:
    An electric heater rated at 80 Watts heats up 50 gallons of water. How long (in minutes) would it?
    An electric heater rated at 80 Watts heats up 50 gallons of water. How long (in minutes) would it
    take to raise the water from 50 F to 100 F if the heat losses are 20% of the heat input.

    • ANSWER:
      20% means 0.8x80 = 64 watts applied to heating the water.
      50 gal = 189 L = 189 kg
      50F = 10C
      100F = 38C
      specific heat of water is 4.186 kJ/kgC

      To heat the water takes 4.186 kJ/kgC x 28 x 189 = 22000 kJ

      64 watts = 64 J/s
      22000 kJ / 64 J/s = 343000 sec = 5700 min = 95 hours

      .

21. QUESTION:
    I am about to purchase a new electric hot water heater. Tring to decide if I need and 40, 50 or 80 gallon?
    There are three of us in the house. The heater I am replacing is an 80 gallon. I have a feeling that is overkill. The water for my dishwasher is heated at the diswasher. I wash most clothes in cold water. I've been told that it takes less electricity to run an 80 gallon because once the water gets hot it stays hot longer. Have I been misinformed. I'm also looking for one that has a good Enery Star rating.

    • ANSWER:
      A 50 gallon hot water heater would be fine for 3-4 people. It will take a lot less electricity to heat and store hot water than the 80 gallon. The only reason you would want an 80 gallon HWH, would be if you had a very large, deep bathtub.

22. QUESTION:
    How to buy and install Insulation Blanket for Hot Water Heater?
    My landlord recently replaced the electric water heater in my house. So I have a brand new 50-gallon electric water heater. However, my electric bill has not gone down in cost. The water heater is in the unheated basement and the water comes from a cold water well.

    A timer is not really a good option since we use hot water at various times of night and day, and the temperature setting has already been reduced.

    How do I purchase and install an insulation blanket for the hot water heater? Any tips for installation that I should know?

    • ANSWER:
      I do not reccomend insulation blankets on a water heater because if they are improperly installed they can be a fire hazard. and you shouldn't need it if it is a new water heater. assure the heater is wired correctly and is receiving the correct voltage. make sure both thermostats are set the same, the upper and lower. also if your heater is set higher than 120ish it may also run alot more. Insulating the hot water pipes in the basement won't make your heater run less, the thermostat is in the heater, not in the pipes. and the heater tank is already insulated.

      I would also look for other possible ways to reduce electric bill if it is high or a concern.

23. QUESTION:
    50 gallon hot water heater?
    I have a 50 gallon Kenmore fairly new electric hot water heater. I had both thermostats turned on the lowest setting and the water is 150 degrees hot .So I replaced the upper thermostat with the high limit switch and it's still making water too hot, Both thermostats are still on low setting, What's my next step

    • ANSWER:
      Report it to Sears. You shouldn't have to worry about a new heater. it is under warranty. Good luck!

24. QUESTION:
    sears.com need electric hot water heater?
    I need to replace my electric 50 gallon hot water heater. I need some prices to compare . today if possible. Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      Go to web sites for Home Depot and Lowe's for comparison prices. I bought my last one at Sears, and saved about ten percent.

25. QUESTION:
    electric water heater not working?
    We just bought a used A.O.Smith 50 gallon electric water heater and we cannot get it to produce any hot water. We took both the old heating elements into a store and got new ones that matched. And still nothing. Freezing cold water. We were told by a electrician that it should be run off a 30 amp double pull breaker, so we changed the 20 amp that was on there for a 30 amp and still nothing. We are at a loss here and any help would be greatly appriciated.
    I found several sites that suggests checking the volts on the water heater. Basically, these sites all say the same thing; if there is power to the heating element but the element is not getting warm, then the heating element needs replaced but if there is no power going to the heating element, then the thermostat needs replaced. Following this suggestion, we have power to the heating elements, which we replaced, but to no avail. Is it possible that, despite the many web sites stating otherwise, it could be the thermostat, and if so, should both the upper and the lower thermostats be replaced?
    The lines coming into the thermostat, the red (white) wire and the black wire are both reading 119 volts each. Both elements are also reading 119 volts. Shouldn't the elements be reading between 220 and 240 volts? Would this mean the thermostat is bad? (If I know how to read a multimeter correctly)
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions! The problem was actually two separate issues. The heating elements were bad, which we had already replaced, but there was an electrical issue where the 220 breaker wasn't getting full power. This problem originated on the outside, at the pole where the electric comes in. The electric company came out and fixed the problem and everything seems to be working fine now; everything is now reading 240 volts, we now have hot water, and it seems to be holding (not running out of hot water, as of yet) so I guess this problem is solved. Thanks for all of the help!

    • ANSWER:
      Your testing 240 volts across the heater element?

      ****************

      Yes the element should read 240. You have to be sure where you are measuring at, one probe on each wire on the element = 240, if your measuring one wire to ground you may be only getting a voltage feedback.

      ****************

      http://www.plumbinghelp.ca/images4/Water%20heater%20thermostat%20wiring%20diagram.JPG

      You should have 240 volts at 1-3 (top), both 2's 2-4, if you don't have 240 at the second 2, but at the first 2, the safety is tripped. If you don't have 240 at the first 2-4, your thermostat is bad. Check both units.

26. QUESTION:
    cold water drains from hot water heater?
    I decided to drain a little from our hot water heater today (50 gallon electric) just to see if there was any sediment. The water heater is just under 1.5 years old. I drained about 3-4 gallons out of it and noticed that the water was cold. Is this normal or should it be hot all the way? I know it would have gotten hot eventually, but could this mean one of the heating elements isn't working?

    • ANSWER:
      The cold water comes into your tank thru a down tube, which directs the water to the bottom of the tank where it's heated, rises to the top & out.
      As long as you're getting hot water, I'd say it's working fine.

27. QUESTION:
    New electric hot water heater causes sparks at breaker panel. Why?
    Just had a brand new 50 gallon electric hot water heater installed today. Plumber turned off the power to the HWH at the breaker panel before installing. When the install was complete, he turned on the water valve to fill the heater. Once the heater was full, he flipped the breaker and we saw sparks. What could be the problem?
    Update: Actually, after the initial spark, the plumber turn the breaker off again and disconnected the HWH. We then flipped the breaker and again saw sparks. But that wasn't happening at all before the HWH install.
    Follow up to Answer #3 (Master Electrician): The old one was 50 gal and so is the replacement. No increase in capacity. But if the wire/breaker are undersized, how do you change it?

    • ANSWER:
      You do not need three wires, no neutral is required for a 240V hot water heater. There are a few questions here, is this a straight 60 gal replacement or a upgrade from a 40? The old heater would have had a wattage rating on it is it the same? Normal Residential 40gal HWT's use a 3000 watt element and require a 20 amp 2 pole breaker and #12 wire, most 60 gal tanks have a 4800 watt element and require a 30 amp breaker with #10 wire, it is worth a check to be sure that the wire and breaker are properly sized if not you will have a problem with the too small breaker tripping off. Find the wattage of the upper element and divide it by 240 this will give you the amperage draw of the tank. If the breaker sparked and tripped out instantly then there is a dead short and a wiring problem, but I assume that it did not and just sparked a bit when it was turned on, this is normal and when you examine a breaker at the back you will see a wire screen this is to allow the spark out. with smaller amperage circuits normally the spark is small enough that you wont see it at all, but with a larger amperage it will become visible this will be especially true if the breaker is under sized. But with the cover properly installed on the panel you should not have seen any sparking at all.
      If the wire is exposed from the panel to the tank it would be fairly simple to replace it with larger wire and breaker. Take the info from your panel box, manufacturer, type and breaker type, bring this to a hardware store and buy the new breaker and wire. You can use NM type wire if it is above 5' if it is not then it must be protected some how such as in a pipe or you can use AC type cable. If you replace the breaker with a newer larger breaker just remove the old breaker and replace it with the new one in the very same spot (of course you must turn off the main breaker for your safety) this way you will be sure that it is in the correct place in the panel, connect the black and white wires into the breaker and the bare wire to the grounding bar. At the tank you will find two wires probably one red and one black, connect your new wires to them it really does not matter which wire is connected to which but for simplicity connect the black to black and white to red, connect the bare to the green screw provided in the wiring box. Replace the covers, restore the main to on, turn on the tank breaker.
      Just for your info, Permits should be taken for this, even for the replacement of the tank the plumber should have taken a permit. An inspector will come a check it out and you will have peace of mind knowing that the installation is done correct and safely.
      The other option is to call an electrician.
      Good luck

28. QUESTION:
    A typical home water heater holds 50 gallons of water. Assuming the water heater is electric and the electric?

    • ANSWER:
      Typical water heater size is probably 40 gallons. Electric water heaters cost more to operate. Your question was rather obscure? Tankless water heaters are worth checking into.

29. QUESTION:
    Electric Hot Water Heater - Only Warm Water After Draining?
    Trying to give as much information as possible, so that I get a good answer. I have a GE electric water heater, 50 gallon, about 5 years old. A few months ago it stopped working, so we drained it (after turning off the power) and discovered the top element was bad. Since we had it drained we replaced both the top and the bottom elements. It has been working fine since then. A few days ago, I turned the temperature up to 140 degrees for several hours in an attempt to get rid of the sulfur smell from the hot water. My normal temperature setting is about 110-120 degrees. That did not get rid of the odor, so I completely drained the hot water heater last night. I did turn off the breaker prior to starting and turned it back on when I got the hot water heater filled. This morning I only had slightly warm water. I turned the temperature up and even tried pushing in the red reset button, but still only warm water. I have noticed that it is not making the same noise it did when I ran hot water out of a faucet for a little while. If I ran hot water for a little bit, I could go by it and hear it making a little noise (I assume that is it starting to heat the water again). It was not doing it this morning. I did notice some condensation on the bottom terminals, I don't know if that could cause it to short out or something - it has been quite humid here lately. Does anyone have any ideas on what I need to do to fix it?

    • ANSWER:
      More than likely a bad thermostat, however if you dry fired the elements by turning on the power before the tank was completely refilled you may now have bad elements too.

30. QUESTION:
    water heater holds 50 gals how much will it cost to change temperature from 20 to 80 at $.08 per kilowatt?
    A typical home water heater holds 50 gallons of water. Assuming the water heater is electric and the electric company charges $.08 per kilowatt-hour, what would be the cost of heating a full tank of water from 20 degrees celsius to 80 degrees celsius?

    • ANSWER:
      80 gal = 0.3 cubic meters
      specific heat of water is 4186 J/kgC
      density of water at 20C = 0.998 g/cm³ = 998 kg/m³

      Convert the water to weight/mass
      998 kg/m³ x 0.3m³ = 299 kg
      4186 J/kgC x 299 kg x 60C = 75200000 Joules or 75.2 MJ

      Converting to KW-hrs, this is 21 kW hrs.
      at 0.08 per, that is .67

      .

31. QUESTION:
    would a 60 gallon gas water heater cost a month ( a year) less to run than a 20 gallon electric water?
    i have a 20 gallon electric water heater now. it works fine and we don't have a problem with running out of hot water if we plan ahead. my brother is selling his 60 gallon gas water heater for cheap and we have a gas hook up in the basement for a water heater.

    we save 0 a year by shutting off the gas each spring when we are not using our only current gas appliance, the furnace. we have to pay each fall for the gas company to come out and turn the gas back on.

    if we got the gas water heater it would be nice to be able to use all the hot water we wanted and not wait an hour after taking a shower for someone else to shower or to wash dishes.

    • ANSWER:
      Water heaters have a life between 5 and twenty years. You can get a new one for under 0, so first off, I question the logic of doing all the work of installing a used water heater. It is not worth it to me, because it will probably have to be replaced again in a few years anyway.

      A 60 gallon water heater is for a family of 5 or 6. and is overkill.

      Water heaters with large tanks do not save you money, they cost you more money, but letting you take longer showers... If you don't use more hot water, it is a wash. But you will.

      FYI: When you turn off a water heater for a season, it still has water in it, and can build up dangerous hydrogen gas inside, make sure the tank is full and and you run the water for a while to get any gas out before turning it back on.

32. QUESTION:
    What is the maximum amount of electric power used by a typical 40 gallon water heater?
    In other words, what size circuit breaker is needed? Is it typically 240 volts or 120?

    Does a bigger one, such as 50 or 75 gallon, usually use more power in proportion to its size, and need a bigger circuit breaker in that proportion?

    • ANSWER:
      Typical U.S. electric storage-type water heater operates on 240v and will have either 4500 or 5500 watt elements. Though the water heater has two elements, only one will run at a time so your maximum load is 4500 or 5500 watts. The label on the water heater will tell you which it is.

      Even most of the larger rsidential storage tank heaters still only have the 4500 or 5500 watt elements. Commercial water heaters will have larger elements.

      Divide wattage by voltage to determine amps.
      4500/240=18.75 amps
      5500/240=22.92 amps.

      NEC (National Electrical Code, north america) requires you to consider a residential storage water heater as a device that may operate continuously and therefore you must size the electrical supply at 125%.

      4500w heater requires 23.44 amp service.
      5500w heater requires 28.65 amp service.

      Either will work from a 30 amp two pole breaker and 10ga copper (maybe heavier if you are running a long distance).
      You could connect the 4500w heater to a 25a circuit but you probably won't find this to be a common size breaker, just use the 30a circuit, this would allow upgrade later to 5500w unit without having to change anything.

33. QUESTION:
    Converting electric to gas water heater?
    I have a rental apt. with 8 wash room/6 kitchen/ 3 washer and use 3*60 gallon electric water heater and never got complains of lack of hot water can some one recommend the size and # gas hot water heaters for my application. Is tank less an option? How is GE 50 Gallon power vent home depot carries.
    Thanks
    The 3 tanks are run on a series and a main 3/4 line supply to each unit. I got 1 inch gas line inst. for the water heaters and 3/4 cold water line in.
    Thanks,

    • ANSWER:
      The first thing you need to consider is: Do you have the proper size gas pipe for the application? Were the 3 electric water heaters tied in series? Does one pipe supply the water to all the apartments? As far as tank less is concerned, you should get an expert opinion from a plumber, that is well versed in tank less applications. Not all plumbers are up to speed yet on these water heaters. Call around, and ask questions, and ask if they will come give you an analysis of your project. Rheem manufacturing will send out a representative, and I think Rinnai will also. Make sure that a plumber does a load calculation as to how much gas is needed, because you will want high recovery units, and they use a larger amount of gas. Good luck!####################With this new info, I would highly suggest calling a master plumber to inspect your property. The length of the gasline and its size will affect how the units burn. Is there a reason that you have to install 3 units? Why not install 2- 80 gallon heaters, or one high recovery 125 gallon? Is space an issue? Where will the exhaust flue pipe go?

34. QUESTION:
    Where Do You Find The "Hot" Water Valve On An Electric Water Heater To Turn It Up?
    I'm Trying To Turn Up The Temp Of My Hot Water And Can't Find The Valve. Will That Even Work If I Can Find It, My Hot Water Isnt Too Hot! I Have Only Found The "Cold" Valve. I Have A GE Electric Water Heater; Smart Water 50 Gallon Tank. I Live In An Apartment And Am Trying To Eliminate Having To Ask Someone Coming In To Fix It. Thank You
    Thank You Everyone!! Your Answers Have Really Helped A Lot!

    • ANSWER:
      There is no valve to turn up. There is an upper and lower thermostat that can be adjusted. You must shut the breaker off to the heater, as adjusting the thermostats exposes you to 220 volts and could really hurt or kill you if you come in contact with a wire. Once you have killed the power and checked the unit with a volt meter to be sure you shut off the right breaker, you can adjust the thermostats. If you are standing in front of the heater you will observe an upper and lower cover, these must be removed. There will be some insulation and under the insulation you will find the thermostat. Use a small screwdriver to turn the temperature up and don't over do it.
      Water over 120 degrees can be dangerous, so once you get it set, wait about one hour and check with a thermometer to be sure it is not to hot.

35. QUESTION:
    Hot Water Heater T&P discharging small amount of water, need help!!?
    I have a Rheem 50 gallon electric water heater that I have had a problem with few a few weeks now. I have lived here for two years with no problems. All of a sudden the t&p valve began discharging a small amount of water(about a gallon a week). I have replaced the valve twice, replaced both thermostats and elements and it is still discharging about the same amount of water. I have both thermostats set at 125 degrees and thats what it reads coming out of the faucet. I dont know what else to do. What else could be causing this. Could this be a pressure issue coming into the house? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    • ANSWER:
      look up thermo-expansion,I believe that's your problem mostly occurs when you have a back flow preventer on your water line coming into your house from city utility's.cure would be a expantion tank on you water heater.

36. QUESTION:
    I have a question about electric hot water heater......?
    I have an electric water heater 50 to 60 gallon 110 type Bradford White Corporation with hydrojet system is the name brand on it. I"m pretty sure it's 110 don't believe it's 220 don't see why it would be for home use. I have changed the elements and thermostats twice, flushed it for sediments, when I flushed it so much came out it clogged and busted the water hose because I turned the water on to it to help aid the flush. It's twelve years old but it will always have to be reset on the thermostat a lot of the times it keeps kicking off the reset button on the heater itself. It isn't a breaker problem in the fuse box. Is the heater just wore out should I replace it or is it something else like electrical in the water heater? I've tried about everything I know to do on it. When you reset the button it heats water fine. Plenty of water when you shower, but you might have to reset it again right after your shower. I would appreciate any input on this problem thank you very much.

    • ANSWER:
      You are wasting time and money guessing. Just go to
      http://appliancequickfix.com/ and they will tell you exactly how
      to track down your problem.....real easy !

37. QUESTION:
    Electric water heater with upper / lower elements - Why? Only one can run at a time.?
    Typical U.S. 40 gallon electric water heater. Nameplate says "Upper element 4500 watts, Lower element 4500 watts, total load 4500 watts". These are usually connected to a 30 amp 240v circuit, obviously they can't be running both elements at the same time or the breaker would trip.
    What is the logic of having an upper and lower element?
    How does it decide which one to run?
    I have my theory, let me hear yours.

    Also, comments welcomed on my idea of building a controller that would monitor the water temp and operate Both heating elements at the same time (major rewiring required, I can handle it) to try to keep up with teenage daughter and long hot showers. Barely enough room to put in a 50 gal water heater, wouldn't solve the problem. Thinking of taking the Tim Allen approach. Suitable safeguards will prevent runaway operation.

    • ANSWER:
      The lower element warms incomming water, the upper element keeps the upper area hot. Should you use too much upper water, the lower element kicks in ( Yes, they run at the same time ) to keep your water hot for as long as possible.
      I would turn the temp UP on the elements ( Don't exceed 130 F ) so she will use LESS hot water. ( The hotter the water, the more COLD you use to make it comfortable )

38. QUESTION:
    hot water shuts off whats the problem?
    I have a 50 gallon electric water heater. The reset button needs restarted a couple of time a week. Sometimes overnight with no hot water in use. I have a well pump and when it kicks on I get a surge of cold water in the shower for a few seconds.

    • ANSWER:
      sounds like your lower element is bad. heater is probably filling up with scale. it encases the lower element so it over heats poppin the reset. soon it'll break and start popping the breaker. you needs to replace the element and clean as much of the sediment out as you can. this easier if you shut off the water to the tank and turn the breaker off. pull the lower element out and drag the scale out as the water comes gushing out. if your area where the heater is is a finished space, this might not be a very attractive idea. if you drain it first, then do it, it'll take longer but you should be able to get it clean enough to last for a few months. this was an ongoing problem for 'till i installed a softener.
      but, if you pull the element out, and there's no scale surrounding it, it couuld be the thermostat. not much else would cause that.

39. QUESTION:
    Energy Tax Credit for Hot Water Heaters?
    I read where there is a 0 tax credit for hot water heaters. I checked the official energy tax credit website and I can't tell exactly what water heaters qualify or not. I current have a 50 gallon electric hot water heater and want to replace with a similar model for my home. Any idea if other electric hot water heaters qualify for this tax credit?

    • ANSWER:
      If you are currently using a traditional resistive element hot water heater and replace it with the same type of water heater, there's no energy credit available.

      To qualify for the credit you must install either an electric heat-pump water heater with an energy efficiency rating of 2.0 or greater OR a gas, oil, or propane heater with an energy factor of 0.82 or greater or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.

      Here's a link to one such qualifying electric heat-pump water heater: http://www.thegreathardwarestore.com/Ge-Appliances-50Gallon-Hybrid-Water-Heater-p/132461.htm?click=2744 . This is for example purposes only, not a recommendation of any particular brand or supplier.

40. QUESTION:
    Why is my electric hot water heater not heating?
    Have replaced the heating elements and checked reading that they are at about 12-13 ohms each. Replaced both thermostats. Verified voltage coming into the hot water heater and to thermostats and heating elements are normal. So, water heater is receiving electric! When turn breaker off at breaker panel voltage = 0 and when turn back on, voltage around 240. There are no leaks and the water heater is about 7.5 years old. There is also no calcium buildup as I would have originally thought could have potentially been the problem. Again, new elements are giving proper ohms reading and support the size of the tank as they are 4500s. Total size of tank is 50 gallons.

    • ANSWER:
      You might want to make sure that you don't have a reversed polarity situation. You can do this by swapping the two hot wires on one of the thermostats (after killing the power of course) beyond that this is a stumper. If that doesn't work get an electrician (although you sound well versed yourself.)

      Good Luck

41. QUESTION:
    How much would my water heater be worth to sell?
    It's a electric water heater state select upright 50 gallon quick recovery about 2 years old.

    • ANSWER:
      I am a licensed contractor and sorry to say most people are not looking for used water heaters to buy, however that is not to say that you cant manage to sell it. With that in mind do not expect to get even half of what a new one costs. I would craigslist it or even use the newspaper classifieds maybe 0 -200... I would not expect to get more than that. First it is used, any warranty it had is null and void because you the original purchaser are selling it. Second because with products like these unless it is a slum lord who does not care for the warranty People will spend more for a new one that will come with its warranty in case anything malfunctions. And yes the electric one are known for malfunctions. Last year I came home to find my electric water heater on fire due to a thermostat melt down.

42. QUESTION:
    Plumbers out there electric water heater problems, please help?
    I have a 50 gallon elect. water heater that has a leak. looks like a rust spot might be the cause. water heater is very old. I know i need to replace it. what i did was I shut off the power and shut off the cold water outlet. I drained the water out using a water hose. Thinking problem solved until i replace the water heater. But then after a while i noticed water leaking again from the same rust spot. Now i had to shut off the main water line to the whole house in order for the water heater to stop filling with water. what is up. could it be that the cold water shut off valve be bad or not working. How can i shut off the water coming into the water heater without having to shut water off to whole house. Husband at work and not due to come home for a couple of days.
    Mr. Williams,
    The only shut off valve I see is the blue one which i assume is the cold. I checked to see if there was another but dont see any. Is there anything else.

    • ANSWER:
      shut off both incoming valves and out going valves
      cold water and hot water you could be getting a feed back thru the hot side line
      by the way you did good

43. QUESTION:
    Best hot water heater - most hot water?
    We have a family of 4, with two teenage daughters who like to take long showers. I love a long shower but the water is always cold before we get through.

    If two people need showers back to back, there is never enough hot water.

    Right now we have an electric 50 gallon EnviroTemp hot water heater that was here when we bought the house. We don't know if we need one that holds more gallons or just a better heater.

    • ANSWER:
      If your current tank is electric, you probably don't have gas available. As lone ranger said, gas heaters recover much faster than do electrics (It's barely possible you have a very cheap electric with only one heating element, but highly unlikely). You can check the elements with a multitester to be sure both are working -- if one's burned out, your recovery will be very slow).

      Measure the available space for the heater -- how much width, depth, and height do you have? Take the measurements to Lowe's and see what's available -- 75 gallon will give you 50 percent more hot water per morning, but it might not fit your available space.

      Flow reducers (required by building code for new construction) will help -- they are plastic discs with holes. Install by removing the shower head, sticking the disc into the shower head, and replacing head to reduce the rate of flow. Makes the water last longer, but at the expense of volume per minute. It costs nearly nothing.

44. QUESTION:
    Why isn't my water hot in my showers?
    Water gets hot in sinks and sometimes in shower.I just replaced elements in electric hot water heater about 6 months ago.Hwh is 50 gallon electric state select.If i turn temperature up on thermostat will that work.
    How do you test the water temp?Im a rookie here.
    what is a cartridge at shower?where would i find this?

    • ANSWER:
      Have you tested the temperature of the water coming out of the water heater? You may find you have a faulty thermostat giving lower than expected temperatures.

45. QUESTION:
    My hot water is fueled through my furnace.Can I change it over to an electric water heater and how?
    I am only getting about 5 gallons of hot water at a time, and i'm going through 50 gallons of fuel a week and we are being frugal. We boil most of our bath water on the stove. I would like to convert to a hot water heater. How hard would it be (ie..do i need to run new pipes..etc.)

    • ANSWER:
      It's a pretty simple task if you know what you are doing. If you have natural gas supply coming into your house (for the stove) I would opt for a gas fired water heater over an electric one.

      I would keep the hot water piping going through the furnace and cut in the hot water heater downstream of the furnace. Just disconnect the thermostat wiring that kicks the furnace on to heat the water.

      Using this configuration will save you money as the water going into your hot water heater will be preheated when your furnace kicks on for heat (like in the winter). In summer months the water will pass through the same way, just won't be preheated.

46. QUESTION:
    Hot Water Heater Mystery?
    A few weeks ago, the hot water in our house was luke-warm. The water heater is an electric 50 gallon with dual elements. It was about ten years old. We’re down in the southwest and have pretty hard water (public, not well). I drained the tank, but did not notice much sediment. Refilled tank, still no hot water. Replaced the tank with a brand new one of same. Luke-warm water. Replaced the breaker itself. Luke-warm water. Now I’m stumped. Brand new water heater. Seems that the weak-link is somewhere in the delivery of electricity to the water heater. We have load controllers and the water heater is wired through them.

    Anyone come up against this problem???

    Thanks!

    EJWash

    • ANSWER:
      Get a simple electrical tester and connect to the wires that lead to your heater. There must be at least two wires, usually 3 and possibly even 4.

      Green or naked is ground. Don't worry about this one.
      White is neutral. We'll come back to this one.
      Red and black (or any other color) are the live wires. They carry 110v each.
      Set your tester to AC voltage above 220. Connect the red and black leads of your tester to the live wires on your tank. You must touch the metal of the wires and not the plastic coating.
      The tester should measure 220-240 volts.
      If so, then you have voltage. Check that the connections are very secure both at the tank and the breaker box. Also check the wiring. It should be 10gauge or better (smaller numbers=bigger wire). So 12 would be bad and 8 would be ok. AKA: AWG

      If you did not find 220v on the live wires, test the white wire and one live wire to see if you have 110v. Perform the test on each of the live wires. If one or both are missing the voltage, then that's your problem and you need to check the connections or possibly run new wires.

      Also check if the wires are warm or hot. If so, then there is a bad connection or the wires are too small / old / damaged to do the job.

      Hope this helps.

47. QUESTION:
    How to adjust temperature on electric water heater?
    I have a ruudglas pacemaker 50 or 40 gallon wh and I would like to make the water hotter. How do I adjust it? Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      You have to take off the covers on the side and remove the insulation ,you should see a dial , turn it with a slotted screw driver, they may not be the same temp. So count how much higher you do one and then do the same with the other, also get a timer for your heat and have it come on only during the time you would need , I have mine set for 1hr in the morning 1hr at noon, and 1hr at 7pm for kids bath, that's 3hrs a day not off and on for 24hrs if I need more hot water I flip the switch and wait 20mins, it will save you lots of money .

48. QUESTION:
    Plumbers what water heater would you buy?
    I require a 50 gallon electric. I would like the best energy savings .
    I do not have natural gas or propane available to me.
    I have a family of 4

    • ANSWER:
      The most energy efficient by far is the heat pump style. Rheem makes one and there are a couple of other manufacturers that do also. Check Home Depot or a similar store. They are very pricey and in most homes it would take several years to get a return on the investment. Check with your electricity provider. They often have a good deal on these and they will add the cost to your electric bill for several months.

49. QUESTION:
    How much does an electric tankless water heater cost including labor?
    I am looking to replace my water tank with a tankless water heater. What price range should i expect to pay for install and the tankless heater itself. Also is Home depot and/or Lowe's a good deal?

    My home is entirely electric no gas. I currently have the typical 50 gallon water tank.
    The tankless water heater would be for the entire home - It is a 3 bedroom townhome that is 1800 sq. feet.

    My reasons to get the tankless water heater are.
    1. Tired of having to wait 30+ minutes between showers.
    2. My current water tank takes up half of the storage closet and its in the front of the closet.
    3. In the future It would help sell my townhome over another in the neighborhood as all the townhomes have a very similar floorplan and similar look.

    • ANSWER:
      Like yourself I did a lot of research into tankless hot water because of all the hype about them. I soon discovered in my opinion they are not worth it as a retro install ( after a home / structure is built ) electric units in most cases would pretty much require another electrical service brought into the home since most medium sized homes have around a 200 amp service the electric tankless water heater will require around the same for operation. Gas almost always requires a larger gas line to be run to deliver the amount of gas necessary for operation. They also would need a special vent system to handle the amount heat exhaust generated. A home repair radio program where I live has had advertisers’ on touting tankless until one person ask how much an average install cost turnkey. After a lengthy time frame of stuttering and beating around the bush he came up with a figure of around ,000.00 and that pretty much satisfied my curiosity. I purchased the most expensive Gas water heater from Home Depot and added a lifetime warranty for 0.00 and installed it myself for around 0.00. so in my opinion I have no use for a tankless water heater, their warranty is no better (longer) they are not instant hot water as many will suggest and ( properly ) installed are not cost effective.
      Get a price on a good tankless water heater then call a plumber and ask for an installation quote turnkey and I believe your decision will be made.

50. QUESTION:
    Thermostat for State electric water Heater?
    It is likely I will need a new thermostat and heating element for our 3 year-old State water heater. It is a compact model that fits in a rather low-height crawl space. It is either a 40 or 50 gallon unit with upper and lower thermostats.

    Are the thermostats and heating elements standard issue that I can but at Home Depot or Lowes or do I need a special type that I must order from State itself?

    Thank you in advance

    • ANSWER:
      the thermostat and heating elements have a part number listed right on them, look and find the, call the store and see if they have them in stock, if not, order them.