Winterizing Electric WH


  #1  
Old 07-15-09, 06:19 PM
S
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Winterizing Electric WH

I have a 40 gallon GE Smartwater Heater in a mobile home. It is used as a vacation place and not constantly occupied. My concern is in the winter when the temperatures get down below freezing and it is not occupied. I do not leave on any heating for the inside. My concern is the water inside the water heater freezing during a cold period. It is not feasible to drain the tank because of the accessibility to it. Neither do I want to leave it completely on through the winter months (power consumption). It is not feasible to turn the temperature down every time I leave nor feasible to turn the temperature back up every time I arrive.

Is it OK to set one heating element low and the other to a high temperature and switch off the breaker that serves the high temperature element when I am not there and switch it on upon arrival during the winter months? I would have hot water while the mobile home is occupied and a low temperature heat source when no one is there to prevent freezing. In this manner, I would not have to adjust the temperature settings, only reset the breakers and use less power in the winter months. Your advice please.

Thanks
 
  #2  
Old 07-15-09, 08:17 PM
B
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Hi spruce, a couple of points. First, I don't recall electric heaters having two breakers, one for each element, so that probably won't work and it would greatly compromise the performance of the heater when needed.

But here is the bigger issue, the rest of the water pipes. Long before that tank freezes, all of your hot and cold water pipes will have frozen solid, and possible busted. Mobile homes usually require some winter preperation even when the heat is running. Turning it off may not be good.

I don't know how bad your winters are in NC, but I suspect some serious winterization or a bit of heat is necessary.

The other option might be to have a plumber install some drain valves so the entire unit, including the heater can be drained. Electric off of course and a heat tape to protect the source of your water.

IMO
Bud
 
 

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