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Royalwapiti
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2021 09:39am
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I have a cabin with all the normal utilities, natural gas, electric, water from city utility services. I just had a tank electric water heater rust out and am wondering what best way handle tank water heaters?
This cabin freezes in the winter thus water service is shut off every Fall. I have not ruled out tankless but this is a weekend place and it adds high cost to the install. If this were my forever cabin I would go tankless.
For a tank electric heater if I am there on weekends only should I turn off the breaker on Sunday and turn it on when I arrive? Or just leave it on? It is bad for the elements etc to turn on and turn off all the time, I figure they do that throughout everyday anyway just keeping the water warm.
Thoughts?
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Irrigation Guy
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2021 10:19am
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I have an 18 gallon electric water heater. I shut off the power when I leave during the warmer months and drain it when I leave in winter
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Royalwapiti
Member
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2021 10:32am
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Thanks that is what I was doing. I bought the place this year and didn't know if it was "harder" on the heaters to do this. Looking at a 20 gallon replacement. Might even go with the Marathon since historically (previous owner said anyway) the biggest issue with water heater was the tank failing every 5 or 6 years. I have one at home that's 21 years old. The plastic tanks last forever.
I got to thinking about it and tank failure might be from shutting it on and off, because he shuts the water off too, and that could add air to the tank (his old pipes leaked) and let rust develop sooner then typical inside the heater. I replaced most of the water lines and leave them on. A theory anyway.
Could also just be from the harder water we have here.
Thanks again.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2021 09:55pm
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Our home w.htr. is for just the 2 of us replaced a 30+ year big old 240v elec unit 50gal? a couple years ago with a 30gal. It takes about 20min to bring the water temp up to hot enough to shower from ground temp water; a 20 would be a tad faster if the heat elements are the same. The 30gal seems a decent size in that we can get 2 nice back to back showers without running out of hot water; ie, one of us doesnt need to wait a bit for recovery.
If we had grid at the cabin like you Id switch it off when gone, on asap when returning, set it up for easy drain down in winter.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2021 11:52pm
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When leaving the cabin un-used turn off the power to the water heater. Turn back on when you go back to the cabin. Electric or gas. No sense leaving it on when nobody is there.
If everyone would change the tank anode rod every few years water tanks could all last 20+ years. One problem is that with most tank installations there is insufficient headroom over the tank to remove the old rod and install the new one without having to uncouple pipes and leaning the tank over.
There are replacement anodes that are built in segments with bendable links. Those only need a couple feet of headroom to change. Well worth looking into that. Swap out the factory rod before installling the tank saves trouble down the road.
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Royalwapiti
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# Posted: 20 Sep 2021 08:58am
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Quoting: ICC If everyone would change the tank anode rod every few years water tanks could all last 20+ years.
I ordered a Marathon 20 gallon point of use, from Menards yesterday. I gutted part of my cabin and put all the hot water using devices within feet of other. (Kitchen sink, bath sink and shower)
They do not have anodes the tanks are plastic, they last a long time, have a 105 gallon in my house, 21 years old. Super insulated and efficient.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2021 08:34pm
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You have a 105gal hot water heater?
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Royalwapiti
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2021 09:23pm
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Quoting: Brettny You have a 105gal hot water heater?
Yes. I didn’t build the house but larger water heaters are apparently more efficient. If you don’t drain them off they operate less?, not sure. These are Marathon water heaters that have lifetime warranties. The house has three baths and one bath has a large whirlpool in it.
I did put a heat pump water heater in my last house and it is proven a 80 gallon heat pump water heater is more efficient than a 50. For those the heat pump operates off 120volts so it is more efficient then the back up 220v elements.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2021 06:26am
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105 gal is huge but the bath explains it.
I have a older GE heat pump 50gal. The tank is suposto be stainless. At the time it cost me about $200 over a 240v electric. Its 9yrs old and works well for us.
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Royalwapiti
Member
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2021 07:50am
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Quoting: Brettny I have a older GE heat pump 50gal. The tank is suposto be stainless. At the time it cost me about $200 over a 240v electric. Its 9yrs old and works well for us.
My heat pump water heater in previous house was about $1800 plus $200 in materials (condensation pump and wiring) to install it. It's a newer Whirlpool-AO Smith. Electric company gave me $1500 rebate and Uncle Sam gave $300 credit in taxes. So it was basically free.
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