ozark01
New Member
Hello....I have been reading your web site and found it very interesting and informative. I hope you will be able to answer a question I have about water heater elements.
Per the manufactures information an element rated at 4500 watts at 240 volts has a resistance of 12.8 ohms. Also per the manufactures information a 6000 watt element at 277 volts also has a resistance of 12.8 ohms. This leads me to believe that these two elements are the exact same element with different ratings stamped on the plastic. Is this true or do the two elements have different electrical and mechanical characteristics even though they have the same resistance?
The reason I ask this is because I have a water heater that has 250 volts going to it and it is burning out the 4500 watt, 240 volt elements at the rate of about one a week. By my calculations the 250 volts has changed the rated 4500 watts to 4882 watts and I think this is what is burning out the elements. I have contacted the power company and they said the area we are in has 250 volts and there is nothing they can do to lower the voltage.
My possible solution is to install 277 volt, 6000 watt elements in the heater. At 250 volts this 6000 watt element will be rated at 4882 watts and should not burn out like the 240 elements are doing.
Am I correct in this thinking or am I going off in the wrong direction? Any help you can provide will be appreciated!
Per the manufactures information an element rated at 4500 watts at 240 volts has a resistance of 12.8 ohms. Also per the manufactures information a 6000 watt element at 277 volts also has a resistance of 12.8 ohms. This leads me to believe that these two elements are the exact same element with different ratings stamped on the plastic. Is this true or do the two elements have different electrical and mechanical characteristics even though they have the same resistance?
The reason I ask this is because I have a water heater that has 250 volts going to it and it is burning out the 4500 watt, 240 volt elements at the rate of about one a week. By my calculations the 250 volts has changed the rated 4500 watts to 4882 watts and I think this is what is burning out the elements. I have contacted the power company and they said the area we are in has 250 volts and there is nothing they can do to lower the voltage.
My possible solution is to install 277 volt, 6000 watt elements in the heater. At 250 volts this 6000 watt element will be rated at 4882 watts and should not burn out like the 240 elements are doing.
Am I correct in this thinking or am I going off in the wrong direction? Any help you can provide will be appreciated!