If you're experiencing a lack of hot water, your initial thoughts may quickly jump to a malfunctioning water heater. However, it's important to consider other factors that could be causing the issue.
One potential cause of this problem that is often overlooked is the electrical capacity of your home. Specifically, the amperage of your electrical panels and breakers could be contributing to your lack of hot water.
In the case of the original poster on Home Improvement Stack Exchange, they have a 100-amp panel feeding a sub-panel that requires three 40-amp breakers for their on-demand water heater. This discrepancy in amperage could be causing the issue.
To understand why, let's dive into the basics of how electrical amperage works. Amperage, also known as an "amp," is a measure of the electrical current that flows through a circuit. When you exceed the amperage limit of a circuit, the circuit breaker will trip, shutting off the flow of electricity to prevent overheating or electrical fires.
In our case, the water heater requires three 40-amp breakers in the sub-panel to operate. This means that, at peak usage, the water heater is drawing 120 amps of electrical current (3 x 40 = 120). However, if the main panel supplying the sub-panel can only handle 100 amps, this means that the water heater is drawing more current than the panel can supply. This could cause the circuit breaker to trip, cutting off the electricity and leading to a lack of hot water.
To avoid this issue, it's important to ensure that your electrical panels and breakers can handle the amperage required by your appliances. This may require upgrading your electrical system and increasing the amperage capacity of your panels, breakers, and wiring.
If you're experiencing a lack of hot water, it's important to troubleshoot all potential causes of the issue. While a malfunctioning water heater may be the culprit, it's important to consider the electrical capacity of your home and the amperage requirements of your appliances. By ensuring that your electrical system can handle the amperage required by your water heater, you can prevent issues and enjoy consistent access to hot water.
In conclusion, if you're experiencing a lack of hot water, be sure to consider the amperage of your electrical system to rule out any potential electrical issues. Upgrade if necessary for the best performance of your boiler feed valve and water heater repair.