Can I use a 1000 watt 48 volt (21 amp) element if the wh is1500 w Vaughm water heater. I would like to buy a 48 V element to use in this water heater.

[Sparky7]

Can I use a 1000-watt 48-volt (21 amp) element if It currently has a 120 V element in it?

I have two questions if I replace the 120 V element with the 48 V 1000 W would that work/be safe? Also, would I need to change the thermostat/could the thermostat handle the amperage?

Who would sell these elements and thermostats?

Thank you.

 

[OzSolar]

Can I use a 1000-watt 48-volt (21 amp) element if It currently has a 120 V element in it?

I have two questions if I replace the 120 V element with the 48 V 1000 W would that work/be safe? Also, would I need to change the thermostat/could the thermostat handle the amperage?

Who would sell these elements and thermostats?

Thank you.

The thermostats are the challenging part. One could put together thier own thermostat with an appropriately rated relay/contactor controlled by open on rise snap disc but there's lots of ways to do it if you're going to build your own.

You might search the forum and this dig into one of the existing threads. You'll find several threads on DC water heating, most of them are PV Direct water heating though.

I'm not seen a "rock solid" solution that I totally trust but that's just my personal opinion. What's your reason to do it? Save load and tare loss on the inverter? One person dedicated an inverter to thier water heater with a smallish element in it which in the long run probably works out pretty good.

 

[Sparky7]

The thermostats are the challenging part. One could put together thier own thermostat with an appropriately rated relay/contactor controlled by open on rise snap disc but there's lots of ways to do it if you're going to build your own.

You might search the forum and this dig into one the existing threads. You'll find several threads on DC water heating, most of them are PV Direct water heating though.

I'm not seen one "rock solid" solution that I totally trust but that's just my personal opinion. What's your reason to do it? Save load and tare loss on the inverter? One person dedicated an inverter to thier water heater with a smallish element in it which in the long run probably works out pretty good.

yes, I’m trying to prevent wear on my inverter 1000 W of continuous drain for a while and to prevent the 10% loss from inverting DC to AC.

Are there more pros to keeping it 120 AC

 

[OzSolar]

yes, I’m trying to prevent wear on my inverter 1000 W of continuous drain for a while and to prevent the 10% loss from inverting DC to AC.

Are there more pros to keeping it 120 AC

FWIW: A water heater would be the least worrysome load for me. No surge and a power factor of 1. You can't get a much easier load for an inverter to run.

 

[Sparky7]

FWIW: A water heater would be the least worrysome load for me. No surge and a power factor of 1. You can't get a much easier load for an inverter to run.

I thought the wattage would be the issue.

Thank you

 

[OzSolar]

I thought the wattage would be the issue.

Thank you

You’re welcome! As long as you’re staying within the nameplate wattage rating of your inverter then you should be just fine. Most people these days have 24/7 loads that don’t allow the inverter to be turned off or put into a search mode so there comes a fine line of trying to save that tare loss or just chalking it up to the cost of doing business and getting onto other things.

 

[Cal]

I don't see why you can't keep the original thermostat and just swap out the relay. The AC relay doesn't have the current rating when using dc.

This relay may work.

24V 50A relay

 

[Sparky7]

You’re welcome! As long as you’re staying within the nameplate wattage rating of your inverter then you should be just fine. Most people these days have 24/7 loads that don’t allow the inverter to be turned off or put into a search mode so there comes a fine line of trying to save that tare loss or just chalking it up to the cost of doing business and getting onto other things.

Ours never shuts off either.