What is the best electric water heater for under $600?

boilermove

Moving and replacing entire boiler/indirect water into a new furnace room and electric water heater is temporary until new system is being built. Probably take two years for me to relocate into new furnace room. Thanks

boilermove

Guess I need to re-phrase my question here. Anyone have a suggestion for a good quality cheaper electric hot water heater that won't fall apart in a few years? Thanks

Docfletcher

What size? AO smith are supposed to be very good. As are the Bradford Whites. My sister has the Bradford, it's about 10 years old with no issues. Just so you know I'm not a pro.

icesailor

There are less than 5 manufacturers of electric water heaters sold in the USA. Its hard to find a difference between one brand and another. If you buy a water heater with a 5 or 6 year warranty, it will fail anytime after the warranty runs out. If you buy a higher quality heater with a 10 or 12 year warranty, you are paying for an insurance policy because the tanks are the same, just different colors.

It doesn't matter what you buy, It will be priced based and upon how much room you have. People will buy the smallest and cheapest one they can afford, and live with running out of hot water.

Well, the ladies might not put up with it if they can't get the soap out of their hair.

boilermove

Docfletcher--thanks for your input. I'm probably going to purchase a 40 or 50 gallon electric water heater for now. I was looking at warranty information from major manufacturers and a 12 year warranty is really three years then goes down hill from there. My Crown indirect water heater was installed in 1998 and is now leaking. I will be purchasing another boiler/indirect water heater down the road and am wondering what combination will outlive me so I never need to do this again--ha. I will be installing a new boiler into a new location of the house. As of now, the flue runs thru the master bedroom closet. My next boiler flue will be going thru a side wall which is 2x4 construction with brick outside. My choice of an electric water heater is for practicality only and I need to install it out of the way of my future boiler water heater combo. I hear Triangle Tube is a good model but there may be other manufacturers products that I am not aware of that have better warranties etc. I live at 7300 feet elevation so I believe my choices of boiler is limited. Thanks again for your help.

Ironman

boilermove said:

Guess I need to re-phrase my question here. Anyone have a suggestion for a good quality cheaper electric hot water heater that won't fall apart in a few years? Thanks

Quality and cheap don't partner. Like the Ice man said, not much difference on the basics.
If it only has to last a couple of years, why are you so concerned about durability? Any brand will probably last over 10 years as long as you don't have aggressive water.
I would NOT go any smaller than 66 gal. on an electric. They all use one 4500 watt element at a time. That translates to only 15k btu's input.
Bradford-White is my first choice but you have to be a licensed plumbing contractor to buy them. They don't sell to H.O.'s or DIY's.

boilermove

Ironman--thanks for your response. I've heard that before where tanks are all the same--just different color jacket. My concern for durability is because I need a water heater to hold up while building a new system. I'm SLOOOW to say the least. Right now my shoulder is fractured and I'm way behind on everything. I will be working with a 4 zone system and nothing is currently set up in the area of the house where I will be installing a boiler. I'm a do it yourselfer not by choice but because the last two plumbers that did the plumbing here flooded my house. I really enjoy pipe work so doing everything myself is gratifying. Anyway, another problem I will have is that there is no drain in my new boiler room. I'm willing to build leak pans etc and pipe runs out into the garage where there is a drain. Lot's of work ahead. Thanks again.

Docfletcher

Your crown lasted fairly long. Are you on a well?

boilermove

Docfletcher--Yea--this is a well here. I regularly clean the system here including the water heater. Only thing neglected was the pressure tank in the well house underground. I'll probably move that indoors now also. Thanks

4Johnpipe

HTP makes a life time residential electric in several sizes. The price point is near the price for most 12 year warranty electrics.

http://www.htproducts.com/everlast-residential-water-heater.html

boilermove

Thanks 4Johnpipe. I will do a search for HTP.

kcopp

If it were me I would just add a second anode to the least expensive one you can find. This will by you a good amount of time.

icesailor

HTP makes wonderful water heater tanks. I think that AO Smith is the worlds largest manufacturer of water heater tanks by shear volume. HTP can not begin to compete. The electric water heater you buy in a big box store is the same one I can buy from a Plumbing Wholesaler. Depending on the manufacturer's branding. If you do extensive research, the biggest (and cheapest) water heater tank manufacturers are all owned by Willard M. Romoney type "Private Equity" and "Investment bank holding companies".

The warranty issue is a stinking herring issue. The "warranty" is guaranteed by the manufacturer through a risk insurance policy. The only difference between a 5 (or 6) year warranty and a 10 (or 12) year is the amount if the insurance risk the manufacturer pays to the re-insurance companies. Warranty Re-Insurance is another division of the Wall Street Crime Syndicate and their Bankster Division.

Working in a seasonal area, I've seen 3 and 4 bedroom houses with two baths and family groups of 10 or more, rent them for a week in the summer and not complain about running out of hot water. With the nastiest low PH, high iron and high sodium well water you can imaging. Electric water heaters still lasted well beyond the warranty period.

In my lifetime, I have bought many appliances and they all offered "extended" warranty's beyond the standard one offered. I have always refused them. They are a huge cash cow to the seller. In ALL the years I have been buying things, I have never wished that I had bought the extended warranty. If there is going to be a problem, it happens during the warranty period. And it never covers parts and labor.

That's what I always did with my customers. But, if I didn't buy it and sell it to them, I didn't install it.

If you want the steak, you have to pay for the use of the experience of the person cooking the steak and the plate it is served on.

SWEI

Anyone know if DeJong was making Crown indirects during the '90s?

Where are you located? Chloride or sulfur issues in your water?

As mentioned be several others, the vast majority of electric tank heaters are still a pretty good value (as long as you can afford the dosh for all those electrons.)

boilermove

Kcopp--Headed out to look at some water heaters this morning. I wasn't aware that some water heaters had inlets for a second anode but will look for that feature today. Thanks for this information.

boilermove

Icesailor--Thanks for the info. Sounds like you did a lot or research on water heaters. Sounds like all water heaters are alike. Maybe i'll just buy a Home Depot product and be happy with it. My bigger concern will be a new boiler--big expense. I hope there are some differences in value with these. I was fortunate to go to a seminar where we disassembled a Baxi condensing boiler. Interesting but sure didn't see the value there for as much as they cost.

boilermove

SWEI--Thanks for your response here. Like I told others here maybe i'll just do a Home Depot product and turn my attention to a boiler instead. Not sure what is in the water here. Probably should have it checked some day. Before I changed the switch in the well house I was sucking up rust from the large tank out there. Psi would drop to 15 before the pump would come on. Now it kicks in at 40 so water is being delivered at 30 psi and doesn't drop any further than this. So again we are rust free and water tastes good.

Bob Bona_4

If the plan is to have the "real" system up in 5 years or less, it's hard to pick a bad EHWH.

Don_197

I like Rheem/Ruud.......LOL

icesailor

boilermove said:

SWEI--Thanks for your response here. Like I told others here maybe i'll just do a Home Depot product and turn my attention to a boiler instead. Not sure what is in the water here. Probably should have it checked some day. Before I changed the switch in the well house I was sucking up rust from the large tank out there. Psi would drop to 15 before the pump would come on. Now it kicks in at 40 so water is being delivered at 30 psi and doesn't drop any further than this. So again we are rust free and water tastes good.

What kind of water pump do you have? It shouldn't act like that. Post photo's of the pressure switch and the pump.

boilermove

Icesailor--We have no idea which pump is down the well but the pressure tank is a Sta-Rite. Guess we will learn soon enough when it fails. No-one regestered the purchase of the pump and have no idea where the people are that owned the house before us. The Sta-Rite pressure tank will be replaced but moved to the house if I can figure out how to do that. If I remove the pressure tank that is in the well house underground, I need to find pipe that will fit exact because the current pipe that comes to the house is set in stone as to say.

icesailor

boilermove said:

Icesailor--We have no idea which pump is down the well but the pressure tank is a Sta-Rite. Guess we will learn soon enough when it fails. No-one regestered the purchase of the pump and have no idea where the people are that owned the house before us. The Sta-Rite pressure tank will be replaced but moved to the house if I can figure out how to do that. If I remove the pressure tank that is in the well house underground, I need to find pipe that will fit exact because the current pipe that comes to the house is set in stone as to say.

I was curious if it was/is a submersible. It makes it a different animal.

What you have to realize about water well pumps and the control switches that control them is that the pump, once told to turn on and pump, is basically told to come on and pump. Forever. Until it is told to stop by the pressure switch. If the pump is running, but can't relieve itself. it is supposed to pump as high as it can and keep running, or the pressure is so high that it breaks the tank or pipes. Or the relief valve is in place and opens at 75#. Most pump set-ups use some type of a Square D PS104 pressure switch that is set for 20/40#, 30/50# or 40/60# cut in and cut out pressure.

You have a Sta-Rite tank buried in the ground? How do you know that? Was the installer planning on ever having to fix the tank in the winter when there is 2' of snow and frost on the ground? You might need the services of a water well installer. They tend to be a crafty bunch. They always think outside the lines. All their equipment is home built by someone. The cost of equipment just to drill a 100'+ hole in the ground keeps the Hackaroos out and HD and Lowes won't be selling well screens and drill pipe. Replace all the pressure gauges that you can see in the system. Especially the one that reads 15#. That one doesn't work. There's adolescents riding around in cars drinking beers and holding it, that when they finally get a chance, can probably develop 15# pressure.

Is the pump 110 volts or 220 volts? If it is 220 volts, it is probably a half Hp with the lowest rating of them all. A hand grenade guess will be close enough for horseshoes.

boilermove

Icesailor--My pressure tank is in a well house buried in the ground. Sorry about the confusion. Everything pumpwise and switchwise is 220 volt. My indirect water tank is leaking pretty good already so cleared a spot today for my electric hot water heater. I have a new question. I will be taking the indirect water heater offline soon. My current water inlet has a tee where one pipe runs to the boiler/indirect water heater and the other end runs to the house supply. Now I need to install a tee where I can attach my soon to have electric water heater. Should there be any problem doing this? Fist the water inlet will tee off to the new electric water heater, then the next tee will supply the boiler and the same tee will continue on to the house cold water supply. Is there any concern about backwash anywhere? Thanks again.

icesailor

That's a complicated question. You might need the hand of professional experience to make that work.

MikeL_2

There are several ways to extend the life of an electric water heater - add an anode rod, and, inspect the anode yearly, provide dielectric unions at the water connections, drain / flush the tank twice a year, install a pressure reducing valve and thermal expansion tank on the cold water piping, and, limit the thermostat setting to 140 degrees, and check it for accuracy.............

boilermove

Back again--Purchased my water heater from Home Depot and have hooked everything up and it sure drains the electricity here being that it's electric. I'm in the process of moving (purchasing) a new boiler and water heater and locating these in a new furnace room so electric water heater was installed as a temporary fix. I decided to re use my existing indirect water heater again and have taken the electric water heater off line again. Having a problem with the indirect water heater though. The pressure relief valve keeps spewing out water. Parts i have replaced include the pressure regulator before the boiler, the pressure relief valve on the boiler and the pressure valve on the indirect water heater. The gauge on the boiler reads at most 22 psi and the water temp is 160 max. Anyone know why the pressure relief valve on my indirect water heater would spew water when its set for 150 psi and 210 degree water? Thanks

Docfletcher

You might need an expansion tank for the indirect.

boilermove

Docfletcher--thanks for that. I did just install a brand new expansion tank. I believe it's three gallon size. Same ol problem though.

kcopp

If it sat for a while it is prob toast. Replace it.

bob eck

Bradford White, A O Smith and others are very similar. Buy the six year warranty model and add a second anode rod when installing the water heater. Every two years put new anode rods in the water heater. Also make sure you have a water heater potable expansion tank on the cold water inlet side to take up expansion of the water when the cold water is heated. By changing the anode rods you can make the water heater last longer than the six year warranty. Also every six months put a hose on the water heater drain and flush the water heater out.
If you also change the elements before they fail because of hard water build up on the element you can save money on heating the water. Hardness build up on the elements work as a insulator causing more electric to be used to make hot water.

boilermove

the indirect water heater sat for only a month. I drained some of the water out of it and very little rust came out. Just can't understand why the pressure valve is oozing unless the valve is defective.

Docfletcher

I think kcopp means replace the expansion tank if it's been sitting a long time. So your saying you have two expansion tanks installed correct? One for the boiler and one for the indirect?

boilermove

My expansion tank is brand new and it is in line with the water heater where it was always mounted. This is my only expansion tank for the boiler/indirect water heater. Yea I thought he meant the water heater sitting for a long time.

Docfletcher

Mikel suggested a thermal expansion tank on the cold water line of the indirect. A leaking pressure release is a sign of needing an expansion tank. Something like this.

http://screencast.com/t/YHwqZV6DOw