We replaced an old single thermostat water heater with one that has two thermostats.
If I want raise the water temperature a little, should both thermostats be set the same or is there a convention for setting them at different temps?
Charlie
Set them both or one element will be doing ore work more than the other and the tank can also have some stratification. They do not have to be perfect, just close to each other.
Hi, Set it same. You have to remember that one element is on at any time.
For most purposes, the top element should be set somewhat lower than the bottom.
The top element mainly serves to give you relatively quick recovery. The lower element brings the entire take up to temperature.
Thus, if I wanted to raise the temperatue I would just adjust the lower thermostat. Another advantage is that there are less wires on the lower thermostat. If I wanted to lower it from the "factory setting" I wold lower both elements. No point in having the "quick recovery" water be hotter than the "full tank" temperature.
Total baloney and you dont have a clue what you are talking about. Bubba
OK, sport.
There are two thermstants a an electric hot water heater. When the top thermostant is satisfied is transfers power to the lower thermostat.
What's to understand?
EMWTK
No shit Sherlock but you dont set them at two different temperatures. Never once saw that in writing anywhere. Now I will say that when you hook up an electric heater to a Geothermal system you do turn the lower element thermostat to about 90 degrees while keeping the upper at its normal setting but thats not even close to what you are thinking about there............."Skippy" Bubba
On Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:40:32 -0500, against all advice, something compelled Bubba , to say:
I guess if I had to live in the Midwest, I'd be an asshole too.
I'll take that as an admission of you not knowing what you were talking about in the first place. Bubba
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---------------------------- Leaving those two juveniles to take pot shots at each other .................
Maybe there IS a discussion?
Regular so called 40 US gallon tank. Upper and lower heaters. Presently wired in regular 'flip-flop' manner.
Consider different 'demand' situations.
Situation 1). Single resident very low hot water demand. Amount of hot water for each demand easily satisfied by top portion of the tank. Argument: Set lower thermostat lower. It will somewhat pre-heat the colder water that enters down the entry pipe which will sit in bottom of tank until it rises into the upper part as the hotter water there is used to be heated further by the upper heater/thermostat? Don't suppose one could argue that the lower heater be turned very low, or even 'off' entirely?
Situation 2) Same set up, high demand. Argument: Set both thermostats same so whole tank is full of water at same temperature. If lower thermostat was/is set higher than upper the lower heater would eventually heat all the water in tank to its (higher) setting.
Situation 3) Faster recovery. Only had this situation once. We had three Americans who visited in a motor home. Even though we were on a well and it was mid summer in a dry year they seemed to have no concept about water use/conservation! So in a successful attempt to have sufficient hot water recovery with our regular set up, with three extra users, the wiring was changed so that both heaters would come on, each under control of its individual thermostat (Move one wire). Fortunately had wired with #10 AWG (30 amps) so that if/when both 3000 watt heaters were on drawing 26 amps there was no problem.
Arguments/discussions/comments (especially humorous ones) welcome. Schoolyard variety rhetoric will be ignored!
BTW have previously estimated, in the face of those Europeans and other advocates of 'Instant Hot Water' installations (which on gathers can take up to 19 kilowatts for short periods?) that the amount of heat lost from a typical insulated hot water tank (or cylinder) is extremely small. Also that here, where we heat most homes electrically that so called 'loss' helps to heat the residence for quite a few months of the year. Some people use electric furnaces especially as replacement for an oil furnace. Thus eliminating the oil tank, oil piping, the furnace, chimney and various annual maintenance.
Have fun anyway!
On Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:43:59 -0500, against all advice, something compelled Bubba , to say:
You may take it any way you'd like, but I'd point out that I had no other contribution to this thread.
You're a real genius, ain't ya.
That was very apparent from your first post.
Yes, and be looking in the mail for your helmet and ticket for a ride on the short bus, "skippy". Bubba
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