My goal this morning was to swap out the 2000W-120vAC water heater elements with 3000W-240vAC elements. I am wiring in a water heater timer so that it only turns on during the day when the sun shines. My task was simplified by the fact I used to have 240vAC running to the tank. I also had mounted the timer to the wall so it would just be a matter of disconnecting some wires and rehooking them in the right configuration. In the Main panel I would have to move the wires to a 240vAC breaker.
First off is to de-energize everything... well darn I forgot that I needed a 1/2 hour for the pellet stove to run through its shutdown procedure. While that is going on I get all my tools together, drain the water tank, go online for a while and finally the 1/2 hour is over. So I turn off all the supplies, solar and grid to the panel. Open it up, figure out I had left my volt meter at the water tank, had to go get it, check panel dead before inserting hands. Go to move the wires to the the breaker when I realize that I needed a square drive for the screws. Go back out the shop and get the correct driver. Now back at the Main panel I have to shoo off my cat that has decided the Main panel's cover attachment screws are toys and has batted them all over the floor. Spend a long time searching for the one screw that is hidden behind the garbage pail.
Back to the tank and swap out the elements. Fill back up with water. This went surprisingly easy. However when I go to wire up the timer I realize my supply wire is too short. So out to the storage building to rummage around for a suitable piece. Did not find one. Look all over the property and finally give up and cut a piece off a longer coil. Finally I am at that moment I hate. Turning things on and waiting/dreading if an explosion, fire, smoke happens to show I screwed something up. Nothing immediately happens, everything seems to be working, all the voltages test out and the tank is warming up. Final task was to set the program and put everything away.
Hey it only took me 3 hours. Not bad for a 10 minute job.
First off is to de-energize everything... well darn I forgot that I needed a 1/2 hour for the pellet stove to run through its shutdown procedure. While that is going on I get all my tools together, drain the water tank, go online for a while and finally the 1/2 hour is over. So I turn off all the supplies, solar and grid to the panel. Open it up, figure out I had left my volt meter at the water tank, had to go get it, check panel dead before inserting hands. Go to move the wires to the the breaker when I realize that I needed a square drive for the screws. Go back out the shop and get the correct driver. Now back at the Main panel I have to shoo off my cat that has decided the Main panel's cover attachment screws are toys and has batted them all over the floor. Spend a long time searching for the one screw that is hidden behind the garbage pail.
Back to the tank and swap out the elements. Fill back up with water. This went surprisingly easy. However when I go to wire up the timer I realize my supply wire is too short. So out to the storage building to rummage around for a suitable piece. Did not find one. Look all over the property and finally give up and cut a piece off a longer coil. Finally I am at that moment I hate. Turning things on and waiting/dreading if an explosion, fire, smoke happens to show I screwed something up. Nothing immediately happens, everything seems to be working, all the voltages test out and the tank is warming up. Final task was to set the program and put everything away.
Hey it only took me 3 hours. Not bad for a 10 minute job.
