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Old 08-13-2014, 11:09 AM   #1
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120/240V household water heater installed and working

What I want is a 30/50 gallon water heater that uses 2 120v elements (say 2000wt) so I can have plenty of hot water when on 50 amp hook up

So only waters heaters I am finding are 3500/4500, + dual elements and 220/240v

So If I can find a water heater with 2 element holes can 1 thermastate be used to control 2 120 elements?

Make since ?

I really don';t want propane heater...just might have to tho'

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

UPDATE 9/14/14 the 240v side is awesome and works great, we had hot water in about 1/2hr...and plenty of it

RedBear...again thank you

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Old 08-13-2014, 11:25 AM   #2
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

I found a 12 gallon electric one, it's small but I think it'll be fine for dishes and 2 showers
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?...llow&cId=PDIO1

So 2 of these mounted on top of each other will give us 24 gallons of 145* water, that should fill the 100 gallon tub with a body and warm water
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...-gal--capacity

keep ideas coming if you have any

We can start with one heater this next trip just for dish washing, then this winter add the 2nd one....might work
.
.and 3 are only about 78 inches high or set sideways under the counter or under the bus...my head hurts
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Old 08-13-2014, 11:43 AM   #3
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

i went with a small 6 gallon 120v. i hope the small size means the recovery is fast enough that i never run out.

i should be getting my plumbing finished this weekend so hoping to find out.

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Old 08-13-2014, 11:50 AM   #4
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

wife wants to enjoy a Friday or Saturday night bath with wine, chocolate etc

so I need lots of water......




how much cold water say 50* would it take to bring 20 gallons of 145* water to say 100* ??????????????
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:17 PM   #5
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

have you considered a big point of use heater?

i think lorna blogged about using one and i was intrigued..... theirs was too small if i remember.

but their advantage is the more you use the better they work.
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Old 08-13-2014, 01:17 PM   #6
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

the couple I saw that had 3 and 4 gpm were over 1k
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Old 08-13-2014, 06:03 PM   #7
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
What I want is a 30/50 gallon water heater that uses 2 120v elements (say 2000wt) so I can have plenty of hot water when on 50 amp hook up

So only waters heaters I am finding are 3500/4500, + dual elements and 220/240v

So If I can find a water heater with 2 element holes can 1 thermastate be used to control 2 120 elements?
Remember, a 50-amp hookup does have 240 volts present, providing 12,000 watts. The issue would be when you have a 30-amp 120-volt shoreline, with only 3600 watts provided.

What about just running the two 240-volt elements at 120 volts? Heaters are resistors, and resistors don't care about under-voltage. 4500 watt element at 240 volts draws 18.75 amps. The resistor would be 12.8 ohms. At half the voltage, that resistor would pass half the current, which would be 1/2 x 1/2 = one quarter the wattage.

A water heater that gives 4500+4500 = 9000 watts at 240 volts would give 1125 + 1125 = 2250 watts connected to 120 volts. Isn't that what you are looking for? Or did you want 2000 + 2000 = 4000 watts total?

As long as the controls are the standard mechanical thermostats and not an electronic circuit board, there should be no issue at all.
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Old 08-13-2014, 06:23 PM   #8
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

We have a 10 gallon GE electric heater with a single 2000 watt element (110vAC). We have it on a switch to turn it on/off as needed. We turn it on 15 minutes before we need it. I can take a 15 to 20 minute very hot shower in the winter. I do not do "navy showers". We have a 2.5gpm standard house type hand held (American Standard brand). Takes about 30 minutes to recuperate. It cannot keep up with the washing machine (super large capacity top loader) but we tend to wash in cold water anyway so no big deal. For a tub, you may want to have a dedicated water heater.
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Old 08-14-2014, 06:23 AM   #9
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

Redbear great info I didn't realize that the heaters would work like resistors....now I'm, like dugh

Lorna, that is good info for the timing of shower and recovery time
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Old 08-14-2014, 07:04 PM   #10
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
i went with a small 6 gallon 120v. i hope the small size means the recovery is fast enough that i never run out.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAno. Got one of those. Recovery is not fast enough by a long shot. I typically turn mine on for at LEAST half an hour before I crawl into the shower. Sometimes longer, depending on if I get sucked into an article or something. With the hot water at a near trickle and cold water making up the rest of the pressure I can stretch a shower to 30 minutes. Otherwise if I want a hot shower it's a ten minute in and out and that's NOT including washing my hair.

Heck, it's an all day job to wash dishes with a heater this small (but then I use near scalding hot to wash dishes anyhow). This is why I want a dishwasher AND a little point-of-use in the kitchen with a separate heater for the shower/washing machine.
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Old 08-15-2014, 07:28 AM   #11
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Das Mel
Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
i went with a small 6 gallon 120v. i hope the small size means the recovery is fast enough that i never run out.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAno.
durn it!!

i never considered long term living in the bus while planning it. my concern was only weekend use, a 30 minutes shower would be close to exceeding my water supply. i do have a space limited short bus, my tank capacity is only about 50g with the water heater. i never installed a city water connection, just my tank.

hoping this weekend to get mine all plumbed and i'll find out. i suppose if its inadequate, another heater will be on the shopping list.
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Old 08-15-2014, 08:28 AM   #12
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

I think a ten gallon tank would do ya better. I don't know the size difference, maybe a couple of inches, maybe a foot, depending on what kinda heater you're able to locate.
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Old 08-15-2014, 09:20 AM   #13
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

looking to get a water heater 40 gallons, 1/2 a metric shiat ton of pvc fittings and pipe, blood work for "cumiden dose adjustment" and a 2 hr dose of magnesium...what a fun and wonderful day well damn rounded

reckon solar panels wont go up today...hell I need beer anyways so I will add that to my list also
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Old 08-16-2014, 04:25 PM   #14
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

So I sold my soul once at lowes

Got water heater, some electrical stuff, bags of pvc fittings and 6 pcs of pvc pipe......the fun begins 2morro....we got the2 extra panels up and running....been a hot day

Chow will update this thread with WH stuff and build thread with everything else....

Time to pop a beer, light charcoal and clean bus up some
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Old 08-19-2014, 08:03 AM   #15
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question

So I had a few choices to make

and thanks to a member here, he shined the light and opened up doors

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

so propane was out for me

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

I could go 120v water heater

pros- 120v
cons- they are small and slow recovery
************************************************** *******
I could go 240v water heater

pros- faster recovery and larger
cons-need 240v and bigger


OR!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can go with both, depending on what is available power wise 30amp or 50amp

so since water heaters are just resistors

you can wire a 240v like this with only 120v



I am going this route:



I ordered a switch off amazon (locking so it will be deliberate to switch between)

I will update as progress continues

here are a few links
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-w...-120-Volt.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/B220C.html
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Old 08-19-2014, 08:48 AM   #16
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question w/answers!!!

Camping world at one time had a "small hot water on demand" that ran off on propane. Sale priced at $149.95...
Of course this was a few years back..... Just a thought. Or a small 10 gallon water heater will provide all the hot water you need unless everyone wants to shower at the same time. Most RV's standard size water heater is only 6 gallon.
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:10 AM   #17
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question w/answers!!!

That wont fill a tub with hot water
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Old 08-19-2014, 02:34 PM   #18
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question w/answers!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
That wont fill a tub with hot water
"Hot water on demand".....
It's heats the water until you turn it off as long as the water's running........ it's heating.
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Old 08-19-2014, 03:07 PM   #19
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question w/answers!!!

Hey Bansil, I did what GE is suggesting although I added a water recirculator so the flow through the heater isn't interrupted if you happen to be taking a navy shower. The unit I chose is the Ecotemp 5 and it seems to get the job done. It does need to get its combustion air from outside the bus as well as exhaust outside--that's why I built the simple enclosure you see in the pic. Jack

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Old 08-19-2014, 06:24 PM   #20
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Re: water heater electrical re-wire question w/answers!!!

I have been very anti propane in the bus due to, things in the past I have seen and witnessed

propane is great for cooking outside (or inside if its portable and can be put back outside)

our 20foot towable we had.....scary...every time the furnace would kick on we both woke up, wondering if we would blow up ...I know it's trivial to 10 million rv-ers out there have no issues

so I know I can take a quick shower and join mama in the room as she soaks for 1/2hr and we share wine, cheese, crackers and...

mama happy= me happy (at the moment)

c-ya'll
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