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Add
another thermostat to gas or electric water heater Control gas water heater with electric thermostat Use gas water heater to control electric water heater Control hot water valve using thermostat Electric thermostat on gas water heater Home Search waterheatertimer.org /
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Honeywell
immersion thermostat 12-277 volt AC SPST controller 12-48 volt DC Add to any hot water tank Surface mount or immersion into tank Temperature range: 100-180°F Water over 135° poses extreme danger of scalding. Add mixing valve. Buy Honeywell/ Rheem SP11798B Honeywell L4006 Resources: Add another thermostat to gas or electric water heater Advantages-disadvantages mixing valve Control recirculation pump using controller L4006 manual L4006 wiring illustration Honeywell L8104 water heater controller |
 Use torch or jig saw Use same idea to add another thermostat to electric water heater |
This
is concept idea.
I have not tested this idea/ but seems reasonable Electric water heater thermostat could be installed onto the inner tank of gas water heater and provide electrical control based on water temperature inside tank... for example turn off power to recirculation pump that pumps water from solar panel or secondary tank...or control electric water heater from the gas water heater... or turn off solenoid valve that turns off gas line... or connect to indicator light to notify when tank reaches set point... or connect to solenoid water valve that turns on hot water. Thermostat is mechanical and will work with 12-12 Volt AC-DC, 120-208-240, 277 volt AC electricity. Operation would not conflict with ordinary operation or safety features of gas water heater assuming temperature of water does not exceed the 180-190 degree trip-off of gas control valve ECO. Read about gas control valve thermostats 1) Cut through outer shell near top of tank on opposite side from TP valve Voids product warranty Wear respirator to avoid fumes from cutting insulation |
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2)
Cut 3/4" hole for conduit connection and wires |
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Tapered
drill bit for plastic or metal box Buy tapered drill/ step drill bit for any size hole Step drill bits at Amazon Neiko tapered drill bit 1/4"-1-3/8 holes Buy electric wiring Book Black and Decker Complete guide to wiring More resources; See inside main breaker box |
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4) Epoxy or weld small clip to steel tank that holds thermostat |
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Buy Adapter kit with thermostat clip |
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Clip
to hold thermostat/ Thermostat mounting bracketBradford White part # 239-44479-00/ Mounting bracket plus 2 thermostats 265-51046-00 Buy Thermostat clip Adapter kit with thermostat clip |
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 Clip
to hold thermostat/ Thermostat mounting bracketBradford White part # 239-44479-00/ Bradford White part # 265-51046-00 Rheem AM23557 Buy Thermostat clip Adapter kit with thermostat clip |
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5)
Install ordinary upper
thermostat Thermostat must sit flat against tank to read temperature through tank wall Choose thermostat set point between 90-150° -or- 120-180° Thermostat turns ON or OFF at thermostat set point, depending on wiring Rated 30 amps @ 240 Volt. Works with any voltage 12-24-28-120-208-240-277 Mechanical switch requires no voltage to operate switch Buy 90-150 degree F for residential tank: Rheem thermostats Water heater thermostats at Amazon Buy110-170 degree F commercial thermostat Rheem SP8293 thermostat 110° to 170° Rheem SP8295 lower 110° to 170° |
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5a) Use magnetic
thermostat switch instead of water heater thermostat Magnetic .... no bracket needed. ON at 120F / OFF at 90°F... use relay if you want OFF at 120°F and ON at 90°F Rated 15 amps @ 120 Volt. Works with any voltage 12-24-28-120-208-240-277 Mechanical switch requires no voltage to operate switch Control contactor with thermostat Buy 90-120 degree F thermostat: Magnetic thermostat kit at Amazon Thermostat switches at Amazon Adjustable thermostat 130-90 Oven thermostat Resource: Bi-metal thermostat switch limits T36 therm-o-disc Contactors Select breaker and wire size |
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6)
Cover
thermostat with insulation and
add salvaged cover off electric water heater from recycle center. Thermostat must be covered with insulation. Exposure to open air will cause thermostat to misread tank temperature Resource: How to wire electric water heater thermostats |
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Insulation
and cover must be over thermostat. Exposing thermostat to cool room temperature will cause tank to overheat. Thermostat cannot read correct temperature unless covered correctly. Buy: Upper element terminal protector Lower element terminal protector Resource Troubleshoot electric water heater |
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Buy
residential
upper and lower
thermostats Thermostats are interchangeable/ each works with your water heater Typical bath shower is 104° 89T is discontinued/ replace with Apcom or Therm-o-disc Buy 90-150° F for residential tank: All therm-o-disc products Rheem UV11698 Rheem SP11698 Camco 08163 Aprom / 110-160° Water heater thermostats at Amazon Camco thermostats at Amazon More thermostats Resources: Therm-o-disc 59T-66T sell sheet/ pdf Therm-o-disc thermostats Difference between Rheem thermostats |
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Commercial
upper and lower thermostats Commercial thermostats are used for 3-phase balanced and other commercial heaters rated for high temperature. Residential tank thermostat is rated 90-150° F Residential water heater TP valve will release water at 170° Buy/ 3 phase water heater thermostat 120-180° Commercial grade upper thermostat Rheem SP8293 thermostat 110° to 170° Camco 120°F to 180°F Commercial grade lower thermostat Rheem SP8295 lower 110° to 170° Camco 120° to 180°F lower |
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DIY help for 2 water
heaters: Make lower
thermostat from upper Read about two water heaters Best to replace both thermostats. There is no guaranteed way to test thermostats. If thermostat is sticking, then test includes rotating temperature knob which can temporarily unstick thermostat. So bad thermostat appears to work correctly. |
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89T thermostat kit Buy from my affiliate links Shorter style 89T single-element thermostat at Amazon 89T13 dual-element thermostat at Amazon 89T13 dual element kit with jumper wire Shorter style 89T single-element thermostat at Amazon 89T short/ dual-element thermostat at Amazon |
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Thermostat
protectors/ for therm-o-disc upper and lower thermostats Terminal protectors for therm-o-disc Does not fit Apcom style All thermostats are interchangeable Buy: Upper element terminal protector Lower element terminal protector |
 
 Be careful when connecting stock tank to AC voltage NEVER touch this metal tank when power is ON Install safety shut-off switch Label the tank. Label the safety switch Stand on dry boards Never stand on bare soil If you connect 48 volt DC solar power to elements, using small soar array or windmill generator, to keep tank from freezing, then that voltage will not kill Install element Drill 1" hole Insert element Use element washer or use silicone O ring Tighten element with 1" stainless nut NOTE: the element is straight thread, not tapered thread Control with water heater thermostats or with digital controller Buy: Silicone O ring 1" straight pipe thread to hose thread 1" stainless nut Water heater elements dernord heating elements bucket heating element Resource: Read how to convert AC water heater to DC/ high voltage Convert AC water heater to DC/ low voltage |
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| Formula
for heating in perfect
environment without considering heat loss from exposure to open air,
lack of insulation: Gallon Per Hour (Electric) = (KW x 3413) divided by (temp. rise x 8.25) or (KW x 414) divided by (temp rise.) Let's say you have 5500 watt elements. let's say incoming water temperature is 65°F and you want to heat tank to 105°, or 40° rise in temperature. 5500 watt or 5.5Kw elements x 3413 = 18771.5 40 degree temperature rise x 8.25 = 330 So in this situation, each element would heat 56.88 gallons per hour If you have 4500 watt elements and incoming water temperature is 55°, and you want to heat to 120°, then the temperature rise is 65° 4.5 KW x 3413 = 15358.5 65 degree temperature rise x 8.25 = 536 So one element would heat 28 gallons per hour This number is for EACH element, but does NOT consider heat loss from open tank, room temperature, or lack of insulation. |
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Control
box for the tank shown above using digital controller Digital controller activates a contactor (simple electromagnetic switch) There are 4 contactors... 1 for each element There are 4 breakers... 1 for each element And they installed a delay timer because the entire load of 4 elements is 120 amps... and they wanted 2 elements to start later than first two elements so the main breaker does not trip Buy enclosure: Fiberglasss enclosures Arlington / 12 x 12 x 4 14x12x6 enclosure Altelix enclosures Polycarbonate enclosures Tapered drill bit 1/4"-1-3/8 holes Resources: Delay timer installation Contactors Select breaker and wire size |
Digital
controller... activated by temperature probe
Proportional Integral Derivative/ PID control PID controller is activated by temperature-sensitive thermocouple or RTD. Use the PID to control any other circuit. Best to use PID to control a contactor or relay instead of directly connecting load to PID Use contactor or relay as shown in illustrations below ''Output actuator has a resolution of about 3%''. So if temp setting on PID is 140° then actual temperature is 140° ±3% or 4.2° margin of error. Using a separate contactor or relay that is rated for elements and motors allows millions operations without risk of overload and burnout of PID terminals. Buy: PID temperature sensor PID with relay output and thermocouple/ ITC-100HR/Temperature rang :-50～250ºC PID with SSR solid state relay output ITC-100V PID Temperature controllers Inkbird PID Digital temperature controller 30 amp contactors Omron relay Solid State Relay Board for Arduino Resources: Contactors Select breaker and wire size Inkbird .pdf Inkbird spec sheet |
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Example
PID thermostat wiring To use thermocouple (millivoltage input caused by heating thermocouple probe), connect thermocouple to terminals 4-5. Thermocouple is 2 different metals joined together that create small electric current when heated. PID interprets changing flow of electricity as change in temperature. Thermocouple can take time to cool down after circuit turns off. Water likewise takes time to cool down. Ordinary water heater thermostat is mechanical. Two different metals are joined. The metals expand at different rates and bend when heated, creating a switch that toggles one direction when heated, and bends back after cooling. To use RTD (resistance caused by heating RTD sensor): When connecting three line RTD sensor, #3 terminal is for red wire, #4 and #5 are for other two blue lines. For some sensors, #4 and #5 terminals should be connected together. RTD best for -100 to +500°F RTD is a variable resistor that limits milliamp (current) flow through the RTD. PID interprets change in resistance as change in temperature. RTDs are superior to thermocouples in that their readings are more accurate and more repeatable. Repeatable means that users reading the same temperatures produce the same results over multiple trials. Check input and output voltage before buying PID Max water heater temperature for residential heater 210° before TP releases water. Maximum temperature setting for residential water heater thermostat 150°, ideal tank thermostat setting 120° for residential heater, typical bath shower 104°, danger from scald begins at 140°, temperature for killing bacteria 140°, Thermocouples can be used to measure up to 2700 degrees Fahrenheit. Check control and output voltage before buying PID Buy: PID with relay output and thermocouple/ ITC-100HR |
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 General information on PIDWiring on this page requires PID with relay output, and voltage rating 120-240 volt. The relay output includes terminals 8-7-6, with terminal 7 the COM, and 6 and 8 the switching terminals NO and NC.... (normally open, normally closed) Output relay max 3 amps ... sufficient to energize contactor. Add 3 amp line fuse to protect PID from 30 amps that ave available on the water heater circuit. Thermocouple is accurate for water heater. For more precise control of temperature, an RTD can be used. Buy: PID with relay output and thermocouple/ ITC-100HR Panel mount fuse holders at Amazon ANL fuseholder Fuse blocks at Amazon Din rail fuseholder 10 x 38 mm fuse Ceramic fuses at Amazon Fast acting ceramic fuses Electrical terminals |
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| Other
models of PID have 12-24Volt AC-DC input voltage, and some specify
SSR solid state relay output (12-24 volts DC), instead of relay
output.. Solid state output terminal are 8 + and 6 - .... these terminals are connected to solid state relay that can activate a circuit. Solid state relays are generally not robust enough for 30 amp water heater circuit, and if they fail, they fail in ON position. Manual |
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This wiring design, both hot wires to element are cut off by contactor. Do NOT connect 240 volt 30 amp water heater circuit to PID... must use contactor Buy: PID Temperature controllers Digital temperature controller 30 amp contactors Solid State Relay Board for Arduino Resources: Contactors Select breaker and wire size Re-wire water heater for PID Insert probe near lower thermostat. Position against tank wall and cover w insulation Wire thermostat and element as shown 240 volt line for water heater MUST be routed through ECO located on upper thermostat. Why? Because ECO is safety device that will cut power to element in event of overheating. PID is powered by 120 volt for example. Hot and neutral are needed for PID. Set temperature controller program. When temperature probe senses cold water, then PID activates contactor Contactor switches 30 amp water heater circuit, and lower element tuns on. Lower element keeps tank hot. Buy: PID with relay output and thermocouple/ ITC-100HR |
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Add PID to water heater to turn off solar pump before it overheats tank and trips ECO-reset on upper thermostat This is for a dual-purpose tank, where you connect your own solar collector, but keep the electric connection. Typical home water heater is NOT rated for solar applications, and ECO-reset button will not turn off solar pump unless rewired for that purpose. Solar temperatures can reach 180°F ... this is a fatal temperature if tank ruptures when you are resetting the ECO. Insert probe near upper thermostat. Position against tank wall and cover w insulation Saves having to reset on very sunny days, prevents tank from overheating, keeps you away from very hot water. Shortcoming of this design is that it not fail-safe if the PID or the contactor fails. And the ECO trip only tells you that the tank overheated. The tank is rated 300°F, but older tank is probably weakened by rust. A critical water heater safety device is the TP valve that releases water at 150°, but doesn't protect rusted tank or your property. Always stand clear of the TP valve release. Buy: PID with relay output and thermocouple/ ITC-100HR PID Temperature controllers Digital temperature controller 30 amp contactors Solid State Relay Board for Arduino |
   
Buy:
Fish
bit |
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Control
temperature using oven thermostat16 amp @ 240 volt. Use contactor to control 30 amp 240V element Buy: Oven thermostat Magnetic thermostat kit at Amazon Thermostat switches at Amazon Adjustable thermostat 130-90 |
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 Clip-on thermostat control Control 120 volt circuit with clip-on-pipe thermostat |
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Clip
on thermostat control 120 volt thermostat-switch clips onto water line Intended for use with UP series pump and timer Lets you control pump or any 120 volt circuit based on temperature of water pipe Read manual and make sure it fits intended application Local hot tub at YMCA/ temperature set at 105/ Typical shower-bath 110 degrees F Buy: Taco aquastat 95-115 degree Thermostat/ ON at 85 degrees/ OFF at 105 degrees Aquastat (thermostat)/ ON at 105 degrees/ OFF at 115 degrees 24 hour programmable timer for UP series pumps Grundfos recirculation systems at Amazon UP series pump at Amazon Resource: Clip on thermostat manual UP series specification sheet How to install recirculation system |
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Prevent
water heater freezing Add a freeze control circuit to water heater wires. This would activate when temperature drops below 40°F. When you leave for vacation, turn off 30 amp switch, and then freeze control overrides switch when air temperature drops below 40°F Buy: Freeze thermostat 30 amp switches 30 amp contactors Resources: More about Contactors Override water heater timer with freeze control |
Multimeter Test for breaks in wire/ Test for voltage Most appliance require 80% rated voltage to function correctly Buy Analog multimeter Multimeters at Amazon Klein multimeter Electric testers at Amazon Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line Resource: How to test and replace element How to test thermocouple Element tests for 120 volts How to test wire |
Safety
when testing wires:
Never touch wet or previously flooded appliance. Never stand on wet surface when working on electric. Never stand on bare soil, put down dry boards. Tape tester leads to wood sticks to keep hands away from power. Use non-contact voltage tester before touching wires. Never touch or lean into any made of metal. Remove metal objects from pockets. Do not use oxygen or fuel accelerants in same room as electrical repairs Resource: Basic house wiring |
 Non-contact voltage tester Test for power without touching connectors NEVER assume power is OFF Buy: Non-contact voltage tester Amazon Electric testers at Amazon Resource: How to test electric power is off |
 120 volt 15 amp devices
including GFCI, timers, switches, plugs, wifi controls etc can be
installed on 15 or 20
amp
breaker.120 volt GFCI, outlet, receptacle that is rated 20 amp can be installed on 20 amp breaker only, but NOT on 15 amp breaker. Buy 15 amp GFCI 20 amp GFCI |
Buy Basic electric book Home plumbing/ electrical codes  Or learn about basic household electricity... use and search my site/ Resource Safe electric wiring Basic house wiring |
 Use outlet tester to check for correct wiring on any 120 volt straight-blade outlet. Buy: Klein testers Outlet tester Circuit breaker finder Electric usage monitor |
 Non metallic flexible cables must carry ground wire, but do not have hazard of short circuit causing injury from shock. Armored steel cable can be used as a grounded connection, and will protect wires from damage. Metal can be energized from an insulation failure. All conduit ...metal, plastic ... flexible and rigid ... must be attached to structure, and attached to enclosures, boxes. Movement, damage and deterioration are major cause of electrical failure. Buy: Non-metallic flexible conduit Power whip Armored cable Southwire armored cable cutter Pull boxes |
 Electrical tools must be insulated. Always best to disconnect power, but insulation failure, lack of proper grounding, grounded neutral, lack of GFCI, out-of-code wiring, generator operating without transfer switch, and other problems still pose a risk to anyone working on electric power ... even when breaker is off. Buy: Electrician tools kits KLEIN TOOLS Tools kits IRWIN tools KNIPEX |
Connect wire to screw terminal Use only 600 volt solid copper wire. Do not use stranded wire or extension cord. Do not use solder anywhere on residential 120-240 volt wiring. Attach electric installation to structure. Tighten screws very tight against wire.  Buy: NEC books Dewalt plumbing/ electrical codes Basic electric book National electric code guide/ illustrated Resources: How to twist wire How to select and install twist-on wire connectors |
 Weatherproof
lever switch on outdoor lightsSafely operate outdoor toggle switch Replaces outdoor cover Install over top of ordinary switch Works with single-pole, double-pole, 3PST, 3-way, 4-way switches etc Use weatherproof box for outdoor Can be used indoor or outdoor Buy: Best choice: Cantex lever switch Outdoor lever switches at Amazon Lever switches Resource Cantex-toggle-switch-covers.pdf Cantex-PVC-junction-boxes.pdf |
Buy: |
Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectorsBuy:Push on wire connectors Amazon Red 3P connector for 10-14 gauge wire Lever connectors for stranded wire at Amazon |
 Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable. Code -Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15 Buy End cutting nippers at Amazon |
   When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistances on wire and creates weak point. Buy tools: Wire strippers at Amazon Linesman pliers Pro linesman plier Needle nose pliers End cutting nippers at Amazon |
 Weather resistant plastic box for outdoor extension cord connections, Christmas lights, outdoor power strip etc . Not for connecting wires with wire nuts®, or in-wall wiring, but can be used indoors to organize extension cords, power strips etc. Weather resistant is not weatherproof or watertight. Use enclosures rated IP65 and IP67 for waterproof. Extension cords cannot be used for permanent wiring. Buy: Large-medium-small electric cord box Socketbox Raintight enclosures Water-tight cord lock Resource: Enclosures and boxes |
 Household NM-B Wires are color-coded so inspectors/ electricians can easily identify which wire is used during construction |
Match
wire size and breaker amp rating If your home was wired by professional electrician who pulled permits, then circuit breaker and wire size will match. If manufactured home or travel trailer has not been altered by homeowner then breaker and wire size will match. If breaker is oversized for wire... fire danger Breaker can let too much electricity travel through the wire. Wire can overheat and cause fire. Call electrician if you suspect wiring is not correct, Absolute electrocution danger when removing cover off main panel. More information below. Main breaker terminals are still Hot when main breaker is turned off. Buy: Wire wire at Amazon Resource Select correct wire and breaker size How to replace circuit breaker |
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What is 3-phase electric: power plant to end
user 3-phase water heaters |
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Buy Electronic parts Industrial supplies Tools and home improvement Home and garden Hayward pool Pentair pool Southwire electric |
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Buy
Tools DEWALT Black and Decker Stanley SKIL Makita Porter-Cable Bosch Irwin Hand tools Klein hand tools Fluke electrical testing Dremel hobby tools Campbell Hausfeld air powered Tekton automotive Powerbuilt automotive Saws and saw blades |
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Resource: Compare box timers DPDT timers Intermatic Control water heater w/ Z-wave |
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Resource: Intermatic control centers: and parts Digital control centers and parts Tork control centers and parts Subpanels All control centers and parts Enclosures |
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Resource: Programmable timers Countdown timers Off delay timers On delay timers Timer modules Din rail Twin & one-shot Plug-in timers Woods Intermatic Tork |
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Recirculation systems |
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Buy
from my affiliate links every time/ thanks: Amazon Enter Amazon from any link on my site, fill cart with any item ... purchases pay small commission E-mail: geno03245w@gmail.com My response might end up in spam folder, check email folders Waterheatertimer on Twitter Message thru facebook |
