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How to wire water
heater thermostats Search Search using google with ads Tech support options |
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Buy residential upper and lower
thermostats Thermostats are interchangeable/ each works with your water heater 89T is discontinued/ replace with Apcom or Therm-o-disc Buy 90-150° F for residential tank: Rheem UV11698 Rheem SP11698 Camco 08163 Aprom / 110-150° Water heater thermostats Camco thermostats More thermostats |
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Adjust
temperature using screwdriver. Typical residentail range 115-130°F Typical bath shower is 104°/ All settings are approximate. Higher temperatures risk scald. |
 Commercial only... upper and lower thermostats Buy 120-180 degree F Rheem SP8293 upper / 110-170° Camco 08314 lower / 180° Rheem SP8295 lower / 110-170° Camco 08304 upper/ 180° Apcom WL6190 Upper 130-160°F Apcom WH9C lower 135-180°F Apcom WL6200 Upper 135-180°F Residential tank thermostat is rated 90-160° F Residential tank is NOT rated for pressure and temperature of 170-180° water. Only use 180° F thermostat on commercial water heater that is rated for high temperature Thermostats are rated for Single phase and 3-phase-non-balanced water heaters up to 480 Volt Resource How to change 3-phase water heater to single phase Read more about 3-phase water heater CAMCO-therm-o-disc-thermostats.pdf Commercial-and-residential-electric-water-heater-thermostats.pdf Electric-water-heater-thermostat-troubleshoot.pdf Therm-o-disc-59T-66T-thermostat-Bulletin.pdf |
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brands of thermostats are interchangeable $48 for 2 low density 240 Volt 4500 watt elements/ + Upper and lower thermostat  Buy LOW density kit: Apcom plumbers pack Amazon 110°-160° Resource How to replace elements |
$35 for 2 high density 240 volt 4500 watt elements + Upper and lower thermostat  Buy HIGH density kit: Apcom plumbers pack Amazon 110°-160° Resource How to replace elements Low density elements might last longer in hard water |
$45 for 2 high
density 240 Volt 4500 watt elements/ + Upper and lower
thermostat Buy HIGH density kit: Therm-O-disc high density plumbers pack Therm-O-disc high density Therm-o-disc high density / copper element 90°-150° Resource How to replace elements |
 Wires attach to either screw on element: |
 Resources How residential water heater works How to replace thermostats on electric water heater How to replace thermostats on gas water heater Troubleshoot electric water heater Troubleshoot gas water heater |
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Thermostats must sit flat against
tank, and be covered with insulation Without insulation, thermostat is exposed to room temperature and will misread temperature and cause overheating. Thermostat must sit flat against tank wall to read correct temperature. Wiggle thermostat. Check that bracket is not rusted and loose. Steel cover should be reinstalled. Plastic protector should be snapped over thermostat if available |
| Ordinary
residential tank has NON-simultaneous water heater thermostats |
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 See larger Residential dual-element water heater Both elements are never 'on' at same time unless tank is wired for other purpose (see owners manual). This is called 'non-simultaneous operation' since both elements are not 'on' at same time. Either upper element is 'on' or lower element is 'on,' or both are off. Buy thermostats from my affiliate links Water heater thermostats at Amazon Resources: How to replace thermostat How residential water heater works Troubleshoot electric water heater See inside main breaker box |
 Larger image Non-simultaneous thermostats control 2 water heaters Purpose: Add additional tank so more hot water is available at peak times, without adding additional 30 amp breaker. Both heaters are never ON at same time. Only when Heater #1 is fully heated will power be sent to Heater #2. When Heater #2 is receiving power, then Heater #1 is not heating. But if Heater #1 needs to start heating again, then Heater #2 will turn OFF. Heater #2 may not fully heat before Heater #1 needs to turn ON again. Tip: Adding extra wire to heater #1 may require long drill bit to bring wire to top of tank. Be sure insulation and covers are put over thermostats so thermostats are not exposed to cool temperatures and cause temperature misread. Buy 72" drill bit from Amazon Fish bits Resource/ more wiring options: Two water heaters/ with more wiring options Footnote: 240 volt has circuit 2 hot wires. Water heater thermostats only turn off 1 of the 2 Hot wires going to elements. This means each element has 1 Hot wire that turns ON-OFF, while the other Hot wire has live power at all times ... and this is why elements will test live 120 Volt to ground at all times. Turn off breaker before working on water heater. Resource Basic water heater circuit |
 See
largerHow to make 3 terminal lower thermostat using upper thermostat If water heater has foam insulation, then replacing lower thermostat with ECO protected thermostat may not be easy. Take apart upper thermostat and make new lower thermostat that will work for the specific two-water heater diagrams shown above. Do not remove ECO red reset protection on water heater. Safety ECO will trip at 170°F and protects you and protects the tank in event of overheating, and is required for safe operation of heater. Ordinary residential steel water heater tanks are rated for 150°F, but engineered to withstand rupture up to 300°F, assuming tank is not rusted. TP valve releases water at 210°F which is highest temperature allowed for any type water heater, to protect from violent steam explosion that will completely destroy home. |
| Single
element
thermostat Same thermostat used for both 120V or 240V / For correct voltage of water heater, look at label on side of tank |
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 Dual-element thermostat Single-element thermostat 3 screws on right side 2 screws on right side See Larger You CAN use dual-element thermostat for single-element tank You CANNOT use single for dual tank |
Single vs double element
thermostat/ You can use ordinary upper thermostat for either single-element or double-element tanks. Thermostats that are missing the T4 screw, or 3rd screw located on right side, are made for single-element tank only. Manual |
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Wiring illustrations for single element water heater: 240 volt and 120 volt Same thermostat for any voltage up to 480V |
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Off
-peak water
heater thermostats |
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 See image Off-peak Purpose of off-peak Save energy during peak electric prices. How it works > Upper thermostat operates normally to keep top 2/3 tank hot. > Lower thermostat heats bottom 1/3 of tank when ordered by off-peak meter or timer Compare: Off-peak water heater thermostats vs Ordinary water heater thermostats 1. Lower thermostat is replaced with ECO-protected thermostat identical to upper thermostat. ECO safety red reset cuts off power when water in tank reaches dangerously high 170°F 2. Upper thermostat: the Red wire is moved from L4 to T4, so lower thermostat and element can only receive power if upper part of tank is heated. Color of wires vary. 3. Black wire from L1 on lower thermostat does not connect to upper thermostat T4 screw. 4. Black wire from L1 on lower thermostat runs to top of water heater for connection to output fom off-peak meter, or off-peak timer. 5. At top of tank, Black L1 and Yellow L1 come from the same leg on 240V breaker, and the Black Hot 2 comes from other leg on 240V breaker. See image Resources: See Off-peak operation sequence See more OFF-peak options |
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 Larger image Intermatic GM40/ DPDT 40 amp/ 7-day programmable timer used for OFF peak Wire water heater so lower part of tank is OFF during peak price times. Less hot water is available. Tank is cooling during peak price, and probably will not run unless hot is drawn from tap Buy: DTU40 at Amazon GM40 timer Resources: How to wire GM40 series timer |
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 Off-peak water heater timerEH40/ 30 amp/ 7-day programmable Off peak water heater timer Lower thermostat receives power only when timer orders > Upper thermostat receives power full time Buy: EH40 at Amazon 30 amp timers Resource How to wire off-peak water heater to timer |
| Simultaneous water heater thermostats | |
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Simultaneous
water heater wiring/ both thermostats operate independently Used in large water heaters when elements cannot keep up with demand, or in high demand situations. Lower thermostat replaced with ECO protected thermostat. Each thermostat is wired separately. Additional wire from breaker box required Each thermostat wired to a separate circuit breaker, since each element draws 4500 to 5500 watts. Wattage appears on end of each element Figure wire and breaker size Turn up thermostat temperature to get more hot water Ways to increase amount of hot water California restaurant code requires 9000 watt (9K) simultaneous water heater certified by manufacturer. They do not allow rewire of residential tank since manufacturer will not certify. Restaurant must buy commercial simultaneous water heater costing $1500 to $3000 Read Restaurant water heater sizing 9000 watt water heater |
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Simultaneous DC water heater Read how to convert AC water heater to DC/ high voltage Convert AC water heater to DC/ low voltage |
 Meter on water heater The Kwh meter is din rail mounted inside enclosure. Records billable power usage in Kwh. Multiply by rate you pay per Kwh to get monthly/ yearly cost of running electric water heater. Buy Bomain power meter Ketotek power meter 240 volt pass through Kwh meter 2T2502GA beige plastic enclosure 2T2500GA grey plastic enclosure din rails Resource: Enclosures Figure volts amp watts for water heater |
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 Simultaneous
water heater wiring/ both thermostats operate independentlyUpper and lower thermostats and elements work independently from each other. Increased first hour delivery of hot water Faster recovery time 4500Watt elements, then total wattage is 9000 watts. Use 50 amp breaker and #6 gauge wire or two 30 amp breakers and two 10 gauge wires 5500Watt elements, then total wattage is 11,000 watts Use 60 amp breaker and 6 gauge wire or two 30 amp breakers and two 10 gauge wires Oversizing breaker and wire runs cooler and is more efficient Off-peak Connect lower thermostat to timer and convert water heater into off-peak operation. Water heater companies are integrating their products with future smart-grid. Except they are installing electronic thermostats. Consider whole house surge protection Whirlpool's (American/ AO Smith water heater) new 'energy smart' The era of generic off-the-shelf parts is coming to an end quickly as companies try to boost sales by using proprietary parts that must be ordered from them. SO buy extra parts and water heaters now. |
 Larger image Change water heater temperature using Tork TU, Tork DTU, Intermatic GM40 40-amp/ 24-hour repeat cycle timer with simultaneous wiring Not necessary to increase wire or breaker size for this diagram Use timer for two different temperatures on electric water heater. Applies to GM40 timer and Tork DTU timer and GE 15207 timer etc Either upper thermostat and element have power or lower thermostat and element have power. But not both at same time. Buy: Tork TU 40 amp 24 hour repeat cycle timer Tork DTU 7 day programmable timer Intermatic GM40 timer Install ECO-protected thermostat for lower thermostat. Both upper and lower parts of tank are ECO-protected from overheating Rewire tank so upper and lower parts are separate. Use GM40 timer to switch power between lower and upper parts of tank. Normal operation, the lower thermostat and element receive power and keep tank at temperature set point. Upper thermostat and element have no power. This is called 'redundant' water heater operation. This technique for heating tank more rapidly after cold water first enters tank. When timer activates, power to lower part of tank turns OFF. Power to upper part of tank begins. Upper thermostat is set for higher temperature. Since tank is at regular temperature, the higher setting means upper element will turn ON and begin heating tank to higher set point. Use this technique to heat water very hot for laundry cycle. Disadvantage: The lower part of tank will cool rapidly as new cold water enters tank, so this technique is good for making short-term batches of hot water. |
 Two 30 amp breakers required Larger image Z-wave contactor: 1) Off-peak water heater 2) simultaneous water heater 3) change water temperatures 4) water heater timer Set different scenes to utilize all 4 choices Resource: How to set and wire CA3750 Zwave contactor |
| Redundant thermostats: Only lower element operates | |
 Step 1: Remove blue and yellow wires from upper thermostat Step2: Move black wire from terminal T4 to terminal T2 Tighten screws very tight against copper wire. Step3: ECO protected thermostat must remain at top of tank to protect against overheating event. Redundant thermostat Upper element is disconnected. Lower element heats tank. Water heater responds immediately when cold water enters tank. Can possibly cause more stacking events Both thermostats control lower element. When upper part of tank cools, the lower element turns ON. Hot water rises. When lower part of tank cools, lower element turns ON. ECO-protected thermostat must be kept at upper part of tank to avoid overheating event that can damage or rupture tank, cause scalding, release of hot water through TP valve and distill chemicals out of the water. |
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 Check with plumber before altering water heater wiring. See insurance data on water heater failure  Water heater valves |
| Redundant thermostats control 2 water heaters | |
 Additional tank in series to double available hot water at peak times See wiring option below |
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 Larger image\\Redundant thermostats control 2 water heaters Purpose: Add additional tank so more hot water available at peak times, without adding additional wiring. Heater #1 must be satisfied before power is sent to heater #2. Heater #2 may not fully heat before heater #1 needs to turn ON again. This will happen IF water heater is poorly insulated or hot water is drawn from heater #1 or incoming water is very cold. Sequence: 1) Power from circuit breaker arrives at ECO-protected upper thermostat on heater #1 2) ECO protection might be required on upper part of tank to prevent overheating event since heat rises 3) Typical lower thermostat on heater #1 is replaced with ECO thermostat so power can be transferred to heater #2 when heater #1 thermostats are satisfied. 4) Once heater #1 is satisfied, power goes to heater #2. Either heater can be wired for redundant or typical non-simultaneous operation. The key is adding ECO-protected thermostat to lower part of heater #1, and adding wire from lower thermostat so power can be transferred to heater #2. Water heaters with foam insulation may require long drill bit from home center or fry's to bring wire to top of tank. Be sure insulation and covers are put over thermostats so thermostat not exposed to cool temperatures and cause temperature misread. Resource Read about two water heaters |
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How
to change wiring / foam-insulated tank Rewire foam insulated tank Drill through top of tank near wiring cavities Keep drill bit near outer edge of tank shell Buy 36" drill bits Fish bits Resource: How to re-wire electric water heater |
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If you cannot rewire water
heater because of foam insulation or other factors such as warranty: Re-plumb water heaters in series, and run additional 30 amp circuit to additional heater. Then put both water heater on a timer Both water heaters turn on-off at same time Resources  See
basic water heater circuitHow to wire WHQ timer and GM40 timer Water heater timer for two water heaters More box-type water heater timers |
| 3-phase
water heater thermostats |
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| Convert 3-phase balanced to
3-phase non-balanced for residential use has moved to another page Resource: 3-phase water heater |
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Timer for 3-phase water
heater 208, 240, 277, 480 etc See 3-phase timer wiring Or convert 3-phase non-balanced to single phase/ shown on 3-phase water heater Resource: 3-phase water heater |
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3-phase non-simultaneous Unbalanced Both elements are never ON at same time. Always use ECO-protected thermostat on upper and lower Elements will heat with any applied voltage Each element has volts and watts listed on side. Volts squared divided by watts = correct ohm rating to test if element is good. 3-phase water heater service manual Buy commercial grade 3-phase thermostat for 3-phase non-balanced water heater Camco 120F to 180F thermostat with reset button at Amazon (commercial grade only) Thermostats for residential water heater 90F to 150F at Amazon Identify unbalanced water heater: it looks just like ordinary tank-type heater and does not have metal large box with contactors attached to front of unit. 3-phase balanced water heater has large box attached to front of unit. Unbalanced means that 1 leg of the three phase carries greater load than other two legs. So this is just ordinary single-phase water heater except few wires moved so there is a 3-wire connection on top of unit. Difference is that 3-phase non balanced will usually have larger wires and breaker and elements. Unbalance water heater uses ordinary 2-pole element and thermostat, except thermostat can be rated for 40 amps at 240Volts, and 30 amps at 480 volts Ordinary hardware store thermostats are rated 30 amp at 240V. Buy 3-phase thermostat at Amazon 40 amp 240V thermostat at Amazon pdf file see page 7 Balanced load, means all three legs carry equal load. Balanced water heater uses element with connections for 6 wires. Illustrations for balanced: see lower on page |
 Larger image Another image slightly different wiring: larger |
3-phase simultaneous Unbalanced. For example: L2 50 amps, L1 and L3 29 amps, depending on each element etc Compare with non-simultaneous shown above: Move Red wire from T4 on upper thermostat to L1 on upper thermostat Either element can turn ON, as temperature varies top and bottom of tank Always use ECO-protected thermostat on upper and lower Elements will heat with any applied voltage Each element has volts and watts listed on side. Volts squared divided by watts = correct ohm rating to test if element is good. Resources 3-phase simultaneous current load Heavy-duty commercial water heaters: Balanced 3-phase Commercial electric water heater troubleshoot Commercial electric water heater part diagnosis 3-phase electric water heater manual |
| 3-phase water heater
information has moved to another page Resource: 3-phase water heater |
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