Part 2 3 water heater questions

patrick1945 · Mar 18, 2012

I cannot heat the water electrically and I do not have an ohm meter so I had someone pick up an 120 V 2000 W heating element. The original is 3" longer and 1440 Watts.

Are there issues with installing the shorter - higher wattage element??

branson4020 · Mar 18, 2012

It may overload the circuit breaker.

Rickhansen · Mar 18, 2012

Patrick,
A 2000 watt element will draw 16.6 amps at 120v. As the voltage drops the current will increase beyond that. The breaker should be a 15-amp breaker, and the wiring is 14 AWG. You will trip the breaker, and if not you will overheat the wiring. It may exceed the current rating of the controls as well. Don't do it, get the right element.

Willym · Mar 18, 2012

You're correct on the Ohm's Law calculation for current (above what the designed circuit can handle) but not on the effect of lower voltage. Since the heater is a resistive load, lower voltage will mean lower current, not higher. For inductive loads (like motors and transformers) lower voltage can mean higher current draws. End of lesson

Rickhansen said:
Patrick,
A 2000 watt element will draw 16.6 amps at 120v. As the voltage drops the current will increase beyond that. The breaker should be a 15-amp breaker, and the wiring is 14 AWG. You will trip the breaker, and if not you will overheat the wiring. It may exceed the current rating of the controls as well. Don't do it, get the right element.

westxsrt10 · Mar 18, 2012

It will draw too many amps. Link

I'm not sure about Canadan current though

Willym · Mar 19, 2012

If you're referring to my post, then you didn't read it fully. I was referring to the effect on current in a resistive load due to lower voltage. Read your link, it applies here.

Canadian supply voltage standards are the same as the US. Current of course varies with the load, voltage, and type of load in all countries.

westxsrt10 said:
It will draw too many amps. Link

I'm not sure about Canadan current though

Part 2 3 water heater questions

patrick1945

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branson4020

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Rickhansen

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Willym

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westxsrt10

Perfict Senior Member

Willym

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