Go Back  DoItYourself.com Community Forums > Plumbing, Piping, Water Heating, Wells, Air & Water Filtration and Conditioning > Water Heaters
Reload this Page >

confused about what replacement heating element to get for water heater

confused about what replacement heating element to get for water heater


  #1  
Old 01-16-18, 10:43 AM
U
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: usa
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
confused about what replacement heating element to get for water heater

Hello.
I have a 6 year old AO Smith EC2 52 210 electric hot water heater (50 gallon) with an upper and lower heating element. I am looking to replace the heating elements in the hot water heater but am confused about the which ones to use. The rating on the hotwater heater rates the elements as 4500w/240v but has an alternate rating of 3500w/208v a-6. I can see stamped on the base of the element on one side it says '4500w 240v' and on the other side is says 'alt 3500w 208v'. I looked at home depot and they do not have any 208v elements. I ended up buying 2 4500w 240v elements but i'm not sure if I should install them or not. In case this is helpful the water heater is connected to a 30amp breaker.

All of this seemed so straight forward and now i'm confused and worried about starting a fire or something.
Any ideas?
 
  #2  
Old 01-16-18, 10:51 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
Those elements can be used on either 240 or 208 volts. The wattage the element consumes is different for each voltage. If your house is wired with the US standard of 120/240 volts then that element will work.
 
  #3  
Old 01-16-18, 11:33 AM
U
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: usa
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Pilot Dane.
Thanks so much for quick reply. As a newb homeowner this was super confusing to me. Thanks again for putting my concerns to rest.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: