Water Heaters - Water Heater Timer
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eddie57
10-16-09, 08:09 PM
I am planning on having a water heater timer installed on my water heater. Does anyone out there have experience with timers and can recommend a specific type of timer I should buy. Any comments are welcome.
Bud9051
10-16-09, 08:35 PM
Hi eddie. I tried one for a year and gave up and just insulated the tank and pipes real well. I can't actually say I saw a difference, but with 3 kids it was hard to have a consistent use. In theory there should be some savings, but the one I purchased didn't have a battery back up, so when the power went out, it either lost time or lost programming. It was a pain.
If nothing else, they will make you feel like you are doing something, but today's water heaters are so well insulated that they actually loose very little heat. The pipes are the biggest problem.
Have you turned your temp down to 120 and installed low flow shower heads?
Bud
If nothing else, they will make you feel like you are doing something, but today's water heaters are so well insulated that they actually loose very little heat. The pipes are the biggest problem.
Have you turned your temp down to 120 and installed low flow shower heads?
Bud
lefty
10-16-09, 08:46 PM
I had a timer on my electric WH for about 10 years or so. (Went to gas about 15 years ago.)
As long as you are on a very consistant schedule, the timer would save you some money on the utility bill. But, Like Bud said, TODAY'S WH's are a whole lot more efficeiit than what they were 15 or 20 years ago, so with a newer heater, the savings will probably be a lot less.
Brand?? Intermatic. Just a simple 2 pole electrical timer.
As long as you are on a very consistant schedule, the timer would save you some money on the utility bill. But, Like Bud said, TODAY'S WH's are a whole lot more efficeiit than what they were 15 or 20 years ago, so with a newer heater, the savings will probably be a lot less.
Brand?? Intermatic. Just a simple 2 pole electrical timer.
eddie57
10-16-09, 08:48 PM
I live alone so basically I just want the WH on for about 2 hours a day. That should save me money.
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the reply.
furd
10-17-09, 12:12 AM
Unless your water heater is really old (more than twenty years), is located outside or you have extremely high electricity rates you probably won't even recover the cost of the timer over the life of the water heater.
Contrary to what a lot of people believe, an electric water heater does NOT use electricity 24/7 but only uses enough to heat the incoming water as hot water is used. When no hot water is used the heater quickly recovers and then uses no more electricity until the next time that hot water is used. If you use no hot water for 22 hours it is likely that you will not use any electricity for 21-1/2 of those hours.
Many years ago in my previous house I had a power outage that lasted for three days. I took my shower every day and even on the third day I had plenty of hot water and I don't take "Navy" showers.
Making sure you have "heat traps" on the inlet and outlet of the water heater, having no leaking faucets along with insulating the pipes will save more electricity than will a timer.
Contrary to what a lot of people believe, an electric water heater does NOT use electricity 24/7 but only uses enough to heat the incoming water as hot water is used. When no hot water is used the heater quickly recovers and then uses no more electricity until the next time that hot water is used. If you use no hot water for 22 hours it is likely that you will not use any electricity for 21-1/2 of those hours.
Many years ago in my previous house I had a power outage that lasted for three days. I took my shower every day and even on the third day I had plenty of hot water and I don't take "Navy" showers.
Making sure you have "heat traps" on the inlet and outlet of the water heater, having no leaking faucets along with insulating the pipes will save more electricity than will a timer.