SPYDERLK
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
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- VA
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- JD2010, Kubota3450,2550, Mahindra 7520 w FEL w Skid Steer QC w/Tilt Tatch, & BH, BX1500
I've got three teenagers in the house and the 50 gallon electric water heater isn't keeping up, so I'm thinking about adding another. I have two questions I'm pondering.
The first is whether I have to run another circuit, I'd rather not. I have a run of 10-2 right now with a 30A breaker. My understanding is that each 220V device needs it's own circuit so I'm thinking of adding a panel at the water heaters with two 15A breakers. At 80% loading each could get 12A, which is 2600 Watts at 220V. I can get 2500W elements. Would it be OK just to replace all four elements with 2500 Watt ones?
Second question is serial or parallel for the hookup of the water heaters. It seems that with parallel you spread the load, while with serial the back one does all the work while the front one loafs, only coming on when you've exhausted the back. But with parallel you have to somehow balance the load, and if you don't you could drain one tank while the other one still has hot water.
Thoughts?
Thanks.
Yes, definitely in series -- the 1st at minimum T setting and the 2nd at your desired hot water temp. Bite the bullet on elec circuits and use the stock elements. You will have unlimited hot water and much more efficient than holding 2 tanks at full desired T.I have a rooms in the shop/barn (meat room, milk room), but most of the time I I use a compact under counter 30 gallon heater, and use that 90% of the time, but when I cut meat, I have a 30 gallon gas heater on the other side of the room there hooked up in series, I have them valve-ed, so I can use one or both, I will run out of hot water when washing up with the electric 30, but with both working I have yet to run out,
but I would hook them up in series, yes one will bear most of the load, but with a little valve-ing one could use one or both and if one dies you will still have hot water, while one repairs or replaces the other,
...... Better yet use an on demand heater as the second. That way youre only storing a tank of water prewarmed and ready for the boost. Very little quiescent heat loss and unlimited hot water.