Electric Water Selection

[Tom2rn]

So, I'm looking at replacing my electric water heater in the next few months. Currently, I have a 38 gallon lowboy in my crawlspace and I wish to install one in my house near my washer/dryer area which is more central for my needs. Home Depot and Lowes carry the Rheem and A.O. Smith brands. I'm going to use the 50 gallon tall this time. Any one better than the other? I do like the upper end variety from each company due to the 12 year warranty. I don't necessarily need the WiFi aspect. The only real difference I can see is the T & P valve is on the side of the A.O. Smith and top of the Rheem. I will also use a 30 amp service disconnect near the heater since it is not in the line of sight of the circuit breaker panel. I"m in N.C. and on well water with a water softener.
Thanks

 

[Jadnashua]

I'd go with the Rheme verses the AO Smith.

FWIW, sometimes, the 12-year warranty tank is literally the same as the 6-year one, but you're buying insurance to get the longer term. IOW, there may not be a difference in the actual tank. Sometimes, they do put a bigger anode in them (or sometimes, 2 instead of one). It's a crap shoot as to how long a WH will last, but average is around 7-years on a gas one, longer on an electric.

 

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[Tom2rn]

Thanks. I'll go with the Rheem. I'm moving this from the lowboy under my house to a more central location in my house. If I place it in my garage it would be further away from my sinks/toilets. Not to mention, I would have to protect it from the cold weather. I've been debating as to whether I should cut the wall out and run the piping to an area above the heater and repair that or just run it through the floor. It looks nicer the first way, but cheaper and easier the latter. I'm going to put in a service disconnect also since I'm not in the "line of sight" with my electrical panels. Debate there is to put in the double pole 30 amp switch or a 3 pole blade style disconnect.

 

[Reach4]

If you ran a 60 amp subpanel, you could add more circuits in the future. That would be almost as easy.

I've been debating as to whether I should cut the wall out and run the piping to an area above the heater and repair that or just run it through the floor. It looks nicer the first way, but cheaper and easier the latter. I'm going to put in a service disconnect also since I'm not in the "line of sight" with my electrical panels.

I infer you are not on a slab.

City water?

I would not see the point of the 3 blade switch, and something like this in a box would be fine. I am not a pro. http://www.leviton.com/en/products/3032-2

 

[Tom2rn]

I have well water and a water softener. Good sized crawl space. Luckily, I have two 200 amp panels (wired for sight and sound) with lots of extra space for add ons. My rationale for the 3 blade set up is I have frequent ground strikes from lightning and didn't want anything coming back and frying the electronics of the upper end Rheem. When storms come I disconnect most of my electronics by unplugging. I took a hit a few years ago and lost some expensive stuff by not unplugging. It may be a moot point to have the 3 blade since I'm not home all the time and if a storm comes through when I'm gone.....blam. Think I'll just go with the switch. Thanks

 

[Reach4]

My rationale for the 3 blade set up is I have frequent ground strikes from lightning and didn't want anything coming back and frying the electronics of the upper end Rheem.

What were you going to switch with the 3rd blade? I don't think there would be a neutral going to the WH, and I don't think you would want to switch the protective ground.

 

[Jadnashua]

FWIW, I'm a firm believer in a whole-house surge protection device and individual ones on expensive items. One company more familiar to industrial users that makes a decent one(s) is Mersen. GE, and others make them, but seem to get more money because (I think) of the value of their brand name.

You do not want to switch your ground line. I'd be surprised if the WH needed neutral for anything, so there would only be two power leads.

While I don't see as many nasty electrical storms as some places in the US, we still get them...going on 30-years now, haven't lost any electronics to a storm. My mother had, but not after I put a Mersen unit in her home. If you have free spaces, it's really easy to put one in. There are versions that get installed on the input power lines, but if you have free space, you just need a double-pole CB, and hook the unit to it - it will then protect the entire panel and whatever is connected to it.