Electric Water Heater Lesson Wiring Schematic and Operation
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- In this video: Electric Water Heater Lesson Wiring Schematic and Operation. Thanks for watching!!!
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Guy Brown's CZcams Channel was launched to bring together facts, ideas and education surrounding self sustainability, passive and active solar energy, permaculture, homesteading, survival skills and to promote a conscious self-reliant mindset while building a better future through the use of renewable resources and viable alternatives. Applied practical application practices mentioned within this website can turn the average home into a working living sustainable environment thus reducing your dependence while reducing living costs.
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Thank you! Very well done. I have been an electrician for awhile now, and this is first time I've checked into just how a water heater works. Your video is excellent.
Which wire to remove or cross to get hot water my breaker box is tricked??? And I called someone out of warranty they couldn't even fix it
Watched this video after changing both elements and wasn't getting voltage to the bottom one, which was the shorted one to start with. This explained it very well. Went back and verified that the lower element was working after a short time period. Excellent video and explanation!
Had a similar situation. I was trying to figure out what was going on after replacing the bad element. Knowing theory of operation is always the first step to understanding and diagnosing a system.
Very clear explanation of the diagram, and operation of the system. I just finished up replacing elements on a water heater, and was checking for voltage at both elements. This video shed light on when/where voltage should be present. Very cool stuff.
Thank you.
Best illustration I’ve seen on Tank Water Heater thermostats.Thanks!
Thanks. Just what I was looking for. I am an A tech auto mechanic for 20 years… never had the pleasure of diagnosing an electric hot water heater. Great explanation and walkthrough… just what I needed. Now I can add hot water heater repair tech to my resume.
Haven't worked on a water heater in years.Your clear explanation simplifies my problem.Best explanation I could find by far.You remind me of my shop teacher in electrical class.Thanks,Guy.My friends are both retired pastors in their 80's with not much income.God bless
Your explanation was perfect for me.
I have installed many WH over the years, yet was always a little uncertain whether they would be trying to draw power on both elements or just one at a time.
Thanks for the clear explanation!
I was puzzled by the operation of water heater during a routine maintenance. After watched the video, I understood how it operates now. Good explanation Guy!
Thanks for the wiring diagram. After Irma I had no Solar heater left in the Island of Sint Maarten DWI. I made a DIY panels from Other broken shsstuf. I'm using a standard 50 gal tank on its side. Elements on top side. With your diagram and explanation I can hook up the bottom element to the top thermostat and use one element near the exit water for rainy weeks. The hot exit water is the drain pipe. It should shut off when reached 120* F. Or unplug it. This tank on its side has 2x220 elements supplied by 110v. I have no 220 available in this spot. When I had no panels, a 6 gal tank 110v on 220 elements work ok. Recovery time was longer, but a warm shower was great. The cistern water seemed to be colder than expected.
Thank you again
Burt A. Jones
Dutch west Indies
You did a very good job explaining the entire system. You put it in very good detail so anyone can understand. Now I'm 100% sure how it is supposed to be done. First time watching any of your videos. Now I'm a subscriber.
Between the diagram and the explanation, the operation of an electric hot water tank is explained perfectly. Nicely done.
Thank you! You are a natural teacher and have a gift for clear, straightforward communication. The best explanation of the electronics and schematic of the elements and thermostats I have seen.
Very nice. Thanks. There is a terminal 4 missing on a general replacement upper thermostat. I'll be going back now for the right one.
This is an excellent teaching. I have a plumbers Apprentice Class . And I’m using this video in their teaching. Thank you for your work.
UA by chance?
Not sure what UA means
United association of plumbers and pipe fitters
I really appreciate what you did,your explanation is very clear and easy to understand.you are a good teacher and pls keep up your good work.thank you very much and may god bless you.
Your teaching ability is top tier one of the best electrical theory and explanations. I hope that you can continue to teach through CZcams.
By far, the best explanation of how it works hands down. Thanks so much for taking the time to make and post this video!!!
Guy, you are truly an expert, a master of your craft. The presentation is phenomenal, concise, and unlike many people who are posing as expert, you convet information in an easy to absorb methodology others fail to realize.
Many thanks, from my family to yours.
Great video. Very clear to follow the wiring diagram and great explanation how everything works.
Great explanation. I was a sparky for 50 years but did not work on loads of electric water heaters. People would not believe me when I told them nothing is wrong with their electric water heaters. They would have a seperate meter with a timer that disconnected heater from around 3 PM to 10 PM. With both the husband & wife working day work kids would do a load of wash then put dishwasher on due to no clean plates. By time diner was over lucky to have enough water to get a luke warm quick shower. Eventually after several calls to ultility company called me back to eliminate water heater meter.
Thank you for the great and complete explanation of this. I had my upper thermostat go out and melt until it tripped the high limit. It melted the color of wires even and heated the copper to desintetigrating where all wires were loose under the screws even on the element. It did not trip the breaker?
Very helpful and informative. No BS just cut to the chase info. Thanks for putting it up . It helped me out.👊🏻
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!!!!
Best tutorial ever. I would like to see what happens when thermostats don't work. How do the switches work when or not work when water is over heating?
Thanks very helpful and informative. I'm putting a 30 gallon water heater on my boat and changing the elements from 240 to 120. The thermostat works for both!
Pardon me
Good job. Stumbled at all the right times making you human and helpful. I was wondering which elements should be the biggest.
Very very good video you could not have explained the hot water heater any better than what you did you even made it so clear that we should not have to ask any more questions about it. You'll be surprised how many people mess up this totally simple thing. Ming Lee is because no one takes the time to take the multi tester to wring it out
Excellent presentation, I feel like a Hot Water Tank wiring expert now. You might want to tell folks to shut off power before diving into wiring.
Awesome video dude I never understood that a water heater only heat one element at a time with the top being primary. You have educated me on something today sir thank you.
It seems that I always get the WEIRD problems ( I use to work on F4's lol ...).
New water heater installed - Luke warm water ... Later: NO HOT WATER.
Heating Elements checked ok with 13 ohms.
After disconnecting house wiring from the water heater, I checked the voltage on each wire from the circuit breaker to find ONE with only 20 volts on it.
The breaker was not making good contact in the panel box.
I Did not have to replace the breaker, just seat, and re-seat a few times for good contact.
Before you guys run out for a new water heater or replace elements, check continuity on elements - If the elements are good, you might want to check the hot wire from the breaker for correct voltage.
Thanks for taking the time for the informative video Guy we appreciate ya! :)
December - Two months later - NO hot water. I checked voltage on the water heater ...
I had 120V on BOTH legs.
I turned the breakers off and checked both elements ... each one had 13 ohms ( they are good ).
I replaced the circuit breaker - No More Problem -
Awesome man. Sorry for the late response. Life gets in the way sometimes! Thanks for watching. Let me know if you would like me to make a video on anything specific.
@@GuyBrown thanks for explain
You should be a teacher. You would be a great one. Thank you very much.
Great format stylé. U never left the screen and now i understand the wiring better than just a schematic! Good job
Exquisitely clear explanation. Please add some troubleshooting next time, such as how to distinguish faulty upper from lower thermostat, or stuck-open or stuck-closed switches in each thermostat, or faulty upper versus lower heating element. I think the element test is simply a show of continuity after the wires are disconnected??? and not sure about the other issues. Thank you!!
thank You for This Expecially your wiring diagrams this makes it all make perfect sense now the diagram that came with the new heat adjusters was not a good one and it had me about ready to scream but hearing you and seeing your diagram it all is clear now, again thank you much am downloading your video Sir
thank you sir for a very clear explanation of how this works.didnt necessarily need this,but enjoy learning how things work.gracias🙂
Thanks for the schematic. I was not sure if the blue wire went to the middle red wire.
Job done!👍
Omg you saved me from putting 8 awg wire instead of 10 awg wire on a 3800w heater. Lucky i opened the water heater and saw this exact configuration, and owners manual confirmed the circuit. The configuration is called "double element non-simultaneous"
This is contrary to my Whirlpool diagram, 2 wires go to different places but looks like both will work, after your explanation. Good Video! Except Which thermostat comes on first on a new install if both are cold as they are both calling. Guessing the top one-first in line. I need to know for testing. Also I am having rust/ground issues, but its rarely discussed
Great video! Extremely well done! I was troubleshooting a failure and this really helped understand thermostat operation. Thank you for posting.
Cool...thank for the video! I'm welding two 55 gallon drums together, rubber coating the inside and hooking up water heater elements. I have a few big fish tanks and it's a pain to do water changes 5 gal at a time! Got to have the temperature right, and add stuff to get rid of the chlorine. So weld two barrels together make it 110 gallons, and when I go to do a water change just fill barrels, add chlorine remover, set thermostat at 80° then pump out from barrels to tank! Of course I will have it so pressure can't build up!
TEMPERATURE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE T&P VALVE OR DEATH OR INJURY WILL OCCUR FROM TANK EXPLOSION.
Well explained... basic and simple
Mr Guy Brown, you made it easy to understand....layman's term. Thank you!
I put a neon lamp on both heating elements so I could see what element was on, if the top one is on, you do not have much hot water left. the job is super easy to do just remember to get the correct voltage lamp for your application.
Craig Nehring thats a cool idea.
A neon lamp? Couldn’t you just do it with LED or normal bulb or even dual voltage gauge?
You are awesome brother I appreciate your help and your time. Thank you for helping me understand how my water heater works
Vevor D10-14VA(M,S) electric water heater. Installed in an travel trailer. Its wired directly to a breaker. It stays on hot till the capacity is used then its not doing its job. The original worked with a relay that turned it on and off. The vevor wire option given was wall socket or direct to breaker. Any advice
Very Well Done, Thank You. I trying to figure out the top water heater switch. When the tank is full of cold water the top switch is closed and the top element is on. I take it that when that themostat is satisfied it opens and at the same time closes the switch to the bottom element. Once the bottom themostat is satisfied it opens and then until the top themostat or the bottom themostat closes they both remain open until one of them closes. Again, My Thanks, FR
great explaination older video but its a perfect job thanks
Thanks. I have checked and do have 240. I have not checked the amp draw, yet. However, I did notice that the upper thermostat was not pressing against the tank to trigger the sensor. So, I have wedged a piece of plastic, safely across the tank to put pressure and hold thermostat against tank. I am now waiting to see what happens. I appreciate your reply.
Thank you for taking the time to do this video. It really helped out
Nice job! Thanks for the time you put into this!
Well done TY. I would assume most tanks bottom element is first to die.
I'm only a minute into this video and I can tell already you are a born teacher, Thanks! keep it up!
thanks guy i have a better understanding on the operation of the water heater thanks again
I replaced both thermostats and elements in my water heater. The water was much hotter than 120 degrees. Found this video and saw I wired it incorrectly. Thanks for the information.
Dude you helped me out so much ... I could not find how the hot water heater work ... Then I seen this video.. Man your awesome... Thanks so much.
Very well done. Thank you.
Very good and clear explanation. Thank you so much
Thank you sir. This helped me a bunch. Answered everything I needed to know. Cannot thank you enough. Awesome awesome awesome.
Very well explained, thanks.
This is exactly what CZcams was created for!!!!
Glad I found this video. I can save a few $$$ per month by cutting the thermostatic back on the bottom element. When the top runs out of hot water the person (that normally takes a shower till the full tank runs cold) will now get out sooner.
tb0256 my what temperature should you water heater be set at
Great video!! Thank you!
Is it possible to temporarily run it off of 120v? If so, how would it be wired? (Let's say power is out and you've got a 120v generator)
Great video, thanks for your help!
Great explanation and video. Thanks for taking the time. I had no idea how it worked before. Thanks
+Office Administrator you are welcome. Thank you for watching!!!
Thanks , I needed that to wire up a Solar powered preheater , 600Watt DC elements @ 48Vdc ..VT
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching!!!!
Guy Brown I appreciate your help. God bless
Thanks Awesome Job ! But I have put new elements 3 times ,and thermostats replaced twice all new, and replaced the breakers also: and with A vote master have 120 votes down both sides all the time to both elements. still does not heat: i am whipped, have A electrition comming this evening : Have nothing else to change but the wireing from the breakers to water heater ? But I am thankful for your good clear video . God bless
I have the same problem. I'm guessing one of my elements is corroded and shorting out, however the circuit breaker doesn't trip. Maybe there's a problem with the grounding.
What did your electrician figure out?
Great video! Thank you!
Thanks, Guy. I didn't know if both elements worked at same time / but clearly not.
Thank you man, you have the best explanation online, bless
Excellent presentation! Very helpful. Thanks...
I am following your video all the way down to the lower thermostat. My is factory hooked up the other way around. Instead of my black wire going to "sit" at the thermostat, mine runs straight to the element. My red wire comes down and goes through the thermostat?
Thanx for the perfect explanation of how an electric hot water heater works and why one needs only a 30 amp 2 pole circuit for it (given an upper limit of 5500 watts per element). But let's get real and forget about the kid- how about you and your girlfriend or wife and you? Wouldn't it be nicer if both elements could kick in at the same time? I actually don't see any advantage to this setup except to lower the curve to the point of cold water. Perhaps a 100 amp 2-pole breaker is in order and we all need 400 amp services to satisfy our electric hot water needs. This setup just seems like another mother telling me to get out of the shower ;)
Thanks, You were a big help.
Such a difference
Thank you Guy this is a very lesson, wait to see more from you.
+Andy Duong thanks. Give me some ideas of what you would like me to cover. Thanks for watching!
Excellent Video, very easy to understand, ... Thank you so much !!! Cheers
Awesome Explanation
Our hot water heater has a similar diagram on it. My roommate was taking a shower and their was cold water. I shut off the heater from the circuit breaker and removed the top panel. I was surprised to see the yellow wire was burned. It severed from the corcuit. I'm trying to reconnect it, but I was wondering if I should lower the temperature so this doesn't happen again. This video was very informative.
BLKBRDSR71 the thermostat is bad and there could be a short in the element.
@@ippolitius We got a new one, so far so good. Replaced it with same model. I set both upper and lower to the lowest setting just to be safe.
Lets see if I have this right - the Red & Blue wires are a constant 120V waiting for the circuit to trip and bring the other side of 120V to create 240V.. Is that correct ? It also sounds like the Lower Element does most of the work and the upper rarely comes on unless the hot water is completely depleted.. Am i right ?
Woow.
You did it man. You explained every little detail anyone should know to how install a 240v water heater. Simple huh!. Great video man. Thanks
Thank you. Please feel free to suggest a video you would like me to make. Thanks for watching!!!
Thanks for the explanation! I have a question. What would happen if someone drained the hot water heater without turning the breaker off?
The elements will burn out
@@GuyBrown thanks. That’s exactly what happened to my brothers hot water heater. Some “plumbers” had drained it then a few days later he had no hot water. Upper element was burned out.
Great video. Awesome explanation. Thank you
Great video, thanks for sharing
Thank you sir. Finally a video that makes sense.
its important to note the core reason for the duel pole sequencing switch in the upper element thermostat is to limit the total current load drawn to a level the circuit supplying the water heater can handle its also more efferent energy use wise to do this. If both elements where powered at the same time you would have to have a much heavier rated wiring and circuit to handle the load of both elements , its also important to note a water heater with a bad or open upper element and a good bottom element when run out of hot water will never supply current to the lower good element as the upper thermostat will call and and never be able achieve its goal "then" allowing the lower one to receive power.
Thank you for this vid!
Good explanation 😉
If the w.h. has been off line for days, all of the water in the tank is cold. Now you energize it. What starts heating first ?
Thank you very much for the clear and concise explanation and especially the schematic normally they're on the removable panel. But not on my tank. I've been testing and testing and testing and testing for a month trying to figure out what the crisis going on I think I've isolated it down to the upper thermostat works on one side but does not work on the other that is when it is cold it is not connecting thankfully from your description and more than anything else you are great little schematic thanks again
How to remove the mold smell from the hot water tank? I hear draining , add hydrogen peroxide,or vinegar! Also changing to electronic anode rod! Or turning up the water temperature to around 130 deg. What’s your suggestion
?
Very clear and concise.
They can just delete the rest of the hot water heater videos on YT. This is what I have been looking for. You do an excellent job explaining how the circuit works and more importantly, which wire does what to where. I have replaced both my upper and lower elements but the breaker is still kicking out after about 10 minutes. I get the feeling i have a call for heat on both elements at the same time. The reset is not kicking out on the upper unit so I am replacing both the upper and lower units. Thanks again.
brianmann01 she
Clear and to the point. Good job
That was great. I just installed new dual elements & thermostats. It is wired exactly as you pictured. With one exception. I have had the unit on for 3 hours and no cold water. I am getting power across the upper element, but not the bottom. The red wire going to the bottom is hot. I had drained the unit, so all the water is cold. I have seen an alternative wiring that shows the red & black reversed at the upper L4. Does that make a difference? Now this is a Rheem 40 gal shorty about 25 y.o. but never used. The upper element was burned out. Probably from being left on without water. How can I tell if either or both elements are working the way I have them wired? What have I done wrong and what should I check. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, John
Use a multimeter to check for 240 volts at the element. If you have 240 the check the amp draw.
thank you ,video very helpful, what if the jumper wire is missing on top element between 2and 1 will it still work
that drawing is a representation of the electrical path, so in the case of the real object, it could have an actual jumper, or the jumper may be internal. Check the terminal at one and if you have power there then the jumper was in fact internal and it should work. :)
from black 2 to red/blue 4 should be 240volts, and from black one to red/blue 4 should also read 240v if the "jumper" is in place. (will be 220-240) one side of your double breaker in the panel box feeds 120 to black 2, and one side feeds 120 to the red/blue side.
Easy video to understand, thank you for posting.
Does that mean that
There isn't a time at which both elements are on at the same time?
Correct
Wonderfully concise explanation. You just gave me the key to installing solar-powered DC element on the top. Who knew that only the top or the bottom was powered on at any one time? I disconnected both wires from AC element on top to test running just the bottom and it didn't work. I turn off power to water heater during the day so the top element was calling for heat and bottom wasn't working. My meter shows no current and I'm confused. So I'll remove yellow wire on top and use it to connect No. 1 black directly to No. 4 black on top and that will make the bottom AC element always ready for power. Even when the top thermostat kicks up or down, it seems to me that it shouldn't matter. Please tell me if I'm wrong here. Frying my water heater is not part of the plan:). Thanks again.
Great job explaining.
That was THE best explanation ever!! It was absolutely what I needed!! Thank you!+
So, how do I extend the common wire up into the upper area further? It won’t pull through easily. The #4 black wire. Please.