Electric hot water heater

[rdema19403]

I have an electric hot electric hot water heater80 gallon tank it was installed in 1991 I live outside of Philadelphia (we have city water)Pa . Sometimes when people in the family take a shower their complain about running out of hot water I have installed 2 new elements I have checked the thermostat stats to make sure the elements are turning on and off with a amprobe(they are oki)I flushed the tank out last year. Could it because when the water comes in the house @ 50 degree’s and when you take a 30 minute shower the recovery rate is slow for an electric hot water heater or do I need a new one.( Iam an electrician by trade)
Thanks in advance Ralph

 

[Cass]

Depending on the length of a shower a 50 gal. WH should give 2-3 people a shower B4 the water starts to cool. The stat may not be working well. What temp is the top and bottom stat set at.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[rdema19403]

their both set@ i think 145 degrees should one bet set higher than the other ?

 

[JCH]

Have you checked for a broken/cracked dip tube??

.../j

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

1991 heater

yes you probably just need a new one.....

you can try to change the elements and clean it all out

change the t-stats too at the same time......



but it is pretty old and pobably full of lime and sediment

 

[hj]

heater

The recovery rate is governed by the element wattages, so all 4,500 watt input heaters recover at the same rate. You can change to 5500 watt elements and get a bit faster recovery. But even an 80 gallon heater will start supplying warm water after about 45-60 gallons are used.

 

[Cass]

Try replacing the elements, you could have one working, but not well, that is on the verge of failing.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

elements

sometimes when the water heater is more than
12 years old, it can be nearly impossible to get
those elements out of the water heater
without an act of GOD to do it...

I usually try to talk the customer into a new
unit if they are more than 12 years old....

In our region the unit is usually already about
knee deep in LIME by the time they are 12 years l++ old....


but its always fun to try that first...

 

[Cass]

Oh, yes. They can be lots of fun

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

elements

sometimes when the water heater is more than
12 years old, it can be nearly impossible to get
those elements out of the water heater
without an act of GOD to do it...

I usually try to talk the customer into a new
unit if they are more than 12 years old....

In our region the unit is usually already about
knee deep in LIME by the time they are 12 years l++ old....


but its always fun to try that first...