Water heater elements (as in wattage)

[Richard]

My old water heater was a 50 gallon and had two 5500 watt elements in it (stock).

My NEW water heater is 80 gallons and has two 4500 watt elements.

hmm... Since I still have one good spare element and two inside old heater, I called them today (GE) and asked it I could swap out elements.

Put on hold...came back and she said I could not, as it would void their warranty.

Fine, no problem...what about after your warranty is over?

This time I was on a short hold, as though she refreshed her coffee... came back on and said "nope, you can't do that either"

So, here's my question to the real experts...

As of now, I'm not concerned about the warranty issues, it's just a matter of "can it" be done, not "should" it be done.

Both have the screw in type with the socket wrench that is something like 2" across.

Can there be something otherwise, in the build of a water heater that would mess it up if I were to use the hotter elements?

Why would an 80 gallon unit have 4500 watters and my 50 gallon have 5500??

to offer a possible answer, I thought "perhaps it's because the 50 gallon might run out faster OR cool down faster (new water coming inside it) than one of larger capacity, so it has to be able to muscle more heat into a shorter period of time since the turnover rate is faster"

??

am I near?

 

[Richard]

My old water heater was a 50 gallon and had two 5500 watt elements in it (stock).

My NEW water heater is 80 gallons and has two 4500 watt elements.

hmm... Since I still have one good spare element and two inside old heater, I called them today (GE) and asked it I could swap out elements.

Put on hold...came back and she said I could not, as it would void their warranty.

Fine, no problem...what about after your warranty is over?

This time I was on a short hold, as though she refreshed her coffee... came back on and said "nope, you can't do that either"

So, here's my question to the real experts...

As of now, I'm not concerned about the warranty issues, it's just a matter of "can it" be done, not "should" it be done.

Both have the screw in type with the socket wrench that is something like 2" across.

Can there be something otherwise, in the build of a water heater that would mess it up if I were to use the hotter elements?

Why would an 80 gallon unit have 4500 watters and my 50 gallon have 5500??

to offer a possible answer, I thought "perhaps it's because the 50 gallon might run out faster OR cool down faster (new water coming inside it) than one of larger capacity, so it has to be able to muscle more heat into a shorter period of time since the turnover rate is faster"

??

am I near?

 

[dubba]

Every water heater has a "one hour rating". I'm guessing the 1 hr rating on your old heater is higher than your new one.

It must be easier to get the KW/HR per year on the yellow tag down lower with smaller elements.

I would also think that a larger tank capacity would reduce the chance of running it cold, so smaller elements could actually make sense /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[dubba]

Every water heater has a "one hour rating". I'm guessing the 1 hr rating on your old heater is higher than your new one.

It must be easier to get the KW/HR per year on the yellow tag down lower with smaller elements.

I would also think that a larger tank capacity would reduce the chance of running it cold, so smaller elements could actually make sense /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[_RaT_]

I think you would actually be fine. The current draw on a 5500 vs a 4500 would be about 23 amps vs 18.75 for the 4500 watt element. The controls are probably rated for 30 amp minimum current ability. Would you notice much difference, probably not. For those that did not know, the two elements do not come on at the same time. The top element comes on first and heats the water in the top portion of the heater, once to the set temperature, it kicks out and the bottom kicks in until the entire tank is at the set temperature.

 

[_RaT_]

I think you would actually be fine. The current draw on a 5500 vs a 4500 would be about 23 amps vs 18.75 for the 4500 watt element. The controls are probably rated for 30 amp minimum current ability. Would you notice much difference, probably not. For those that did not know, the two elements do not come on at the same time. The top element comes on first and heats the water in the top portion of the heater, once to the set temperature, it kicks out and the bottom kicks in until the entire tank is at the set temperature.

 

[Richard]

Well, then to add a twist to the logic...

(and this is more for conversation than my actually thinking on doing it)

Would there be any positive/negative ramifications if I were to only change ONE of the elements to the 5500 watt and leave the other one at 4500?

Your comment at the end as to how they came on at different times brought that thought up...

sort of have the 4500 element on top to "finish off" the heating while having the 5500 watter at the bottom for the grunt work of heating the colder water as it comes it faster (from the well).

 

[Richard]

Well, then to add a twist to the logic...

(and this is more for conversation than my actually thinking on doing it)

Would there be any positive/negative ramifications if I were to only change ONE of the elements to the 5500 watt and leave the other one at 4500?

Your comment at the end as to how they came on at different times brought that thought up...

sort of have the 4500 element on top to "finish off" the heating while having the 5500 watter at the bottom for the grunt work of heating the colder water as it comes it faster (from the well).

 

[Highbeam]

It's hard to say which will do the brunt of the work, or more importantly, which one you want to be fastest. I would actually like to see the top coil with higher wattage to more quickly heat the water that comes out of the tank first. That should lead to less time between feeling cold water and getting hot water back.

 

[Highbeam]

It's hard to say which will do the brunt of the work, or more importantly, which one you want to be fastest. I would actually like to see the top coil with higher wattage to more quickly heat the water that comes out of the tank first. That should lead to less time between feeling cold water and getting hot water back.