Water heater element?

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Subject Author Date
Water heater element? stu 07-19-2008
Posted by stu on July 19, 2008, 12:42 am
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I want to use the element in a hot water heater as a dump load. If the
element is 240VAC 2400W and I am dumping 30V 3 phase DC, am I limited to
the current of the element at 240V? 2400/240=10A?
Thanks

*by 3 phase DC I of course me rectified 3 phase



Posted by M Q on July 19, 2008, 1:03 am
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stu wrote:

> I want to use the element in a hot water heater as a dump load. If the
> element is 240VAC 2400W and I am dumping 30V 3 phase DC, am I limited to
> the current of the element at 240V? 2400/240=10A?
> Thanks
>
> *by 3 phase DC I of course me rectified 3 phase
>
>


240 V / 10 A = 24 ohms.
At 30 V and 24 ohms you get 30/24 = 1.25 Amps

30 V * 1.25 A = 37.5 watts

Probably not what you had in mind.


Posted by Charles Foot on July 19, 2008, 7:42 am
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M Q wrote:
> stu wrote:
>
>> I want to use the element in a hot water heater as a dump load. If the
>> element is 240VAC 2400W and I am dumping 30V 3 phase DC, am I limited to
>> the current of the element at 240V? 2400/240=10A?
>> Thanks
>>
>> *by 3 phase DC I of course me rectified 3 phase
>>
>>
>
>
> 240 V / 10 A = 24 ohms.
> At 30 V and 24 ohms you get 30/24 = 1.25 Amps
>
> 30 V * 1.25 A = 37.5 watts
>
> Probably not what you had in mind.
>
On the right track though... you just need more of them, i.e. 2 in
parallel = 75 watts, 4 in parallel = 150 watts, etc...

Posted by Jim Wilkins on July 19, 2008, 12:43 pm
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> M Q wrote:
> > stu wrote:
>
> >> I want to use the element in a hot water heater as a dump load. If the
> >> element is 240VAC 2400W and I am dumping 30V 3 phase DC, =A0am I limit=
ed to
> >> the current of the element at 240V? 2400/240=3D10A?
> >> Thanks
>
> >> *by 3 phase DC I of course me rectified 3 phase
>
> > 240 V / 10 A =3D 24 ohms.
> > At 30 V and 24 ohms you get 30/24 =3D 1.25 Amps
>
> > 30 V * 1.25 A =3D 37.5 watts
>
> > Probably not what you had in mind.
>
> On the right track though... you just need more of them, i.e. 2 in
> parallel =3D 75 watts, 4 in parallel =3D 150 watts, etc...- Hide quoted t=
ext -
>
> - Show quoted text -

How much power do you have to put into the water? A string of power
resistors around the tank under the insulation might do it.

Posted by stu on July 19, 2008, 9:23 pm
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> M Q wrote:
> > stu wrote:
>
> >> I want to use the element in a hot water heater as a dump load. If the
> >> element is 240VAC 2400W and I am dumping 30V 3 phase DC, am I limited
to
> >> the current of the element at 240V? 2400/240=10A?
> >> Thanks
>
> >> *by 3 phase DC I of course me rectified 3 phase
>
> > 240 V / 10 A = 24 ohms.
> > At 30 V and 24 ohms you get 30/24 = 1.25 Amps
>
> > 30 V * 1.25 A = 37.5 watts
>
> > Probably not what you had in mind.

No it isn't. But thanks. (still shaking my head as to why I didn't use ohms
law myself... must be getting old)

>
> On the right track though... you just need more of them, i.e. 2 in
> parallel = 75 watts, 4 in parallel = 150 watts, etc...- Hide quoted text -
>
If the elements on the new water heaters are like the one on my old water
heater, it would be pretty easy to tap into it in 6+ places. I'll look into
it.


How much power do you have to put into the water? A string of power
resistors around the tank under the insulation might do it.

Well I have tested it to 200W, around 500W should be possible.

Thanks again guys, I'll look into modifying the element.



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