# Noisey HWT/boiler



## Lifer (Nov 23, 2010)

Hey all , 
My friend is running a 60gal hwt as a means of heating the in-floor in his garage ( we will be putting a electric wall hung in when it kicks the bucket) He is using a 60 gallon giant and has the elements wired to come on at the same time and the system has been in and working well for few years .

The question is his bottom element is very noisy like loud noisy , I was wondering if any of you had this issue before ? he read online that it may be a sediment issue so he draining down the tank to have a look .. I have ever ran across this issue before and was wondering what it may be..

Thx Lifer..


----------



## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Sediment can sound really noisy sometimes like a pop corn machine. I would think that the element would be up pretty high on a elect W.H.


----------



## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

In a normal heater the bottom element does 2/3rds of the heating, and of course is closer to the bottom of the tank, where sediment can build-up. 

It is quite common here to have that problem, due to our water conditions. Draining the heater will do little to get the crap off the element. I recommend draining it, and scraping out what he can, then installing a new element with the special sheathing to protect it, and extend its life.


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Lifer said:


> Hey all ,
> My friend is running a 60gal hwt as a means of heating the in-floor in his garage ( we will be putting a electric wall hung in when it kicks the bucket) He is using a 60 gallon giant and *has the elements wired to come on at the same time *and the system has been in and working well for few years .
> 
> The question is his bottom element is very noisy like loud noisy , I was wondering if any of you had this issue before ? he read online that it may be a sediment issue so he draining down the tank to have a look .. I have ever ran across this issue before and was wondering what it may be..
> ...


*I hope he increased his wire size and breaker at the panel*.... because a normal electric hot water tank is designed to only have one element running at any one given time..... size of wire all depends on watts that element is rated at... 

watts = volts x amps or amps= watts / volts 

*two* 3500 watt elements [7000 watts] would draw 29 amps

as *two* 4500 watt elements [9000 watts] would draw 37.5 amps


----------



## Lifer (Nov 23, 2010)

Yes OldSchool , he did .. I forgot to mention he's an Electrician and a very good one , One of the smartest people i know.. Some good info there though < i would not have known that> .. 

Lifer...


----------



## Lifer (Nov 23, 2010)

*Update..*

So when he pulled the elements out he said it looked like something growing on them , and the tank had a ton of sediment in it ( used tank from unknown source and age) so he used his shop vac and sucked out all the gunk and cleaned up the elements and reinstalled them ( not worth replacing if he only has to do that a couple more times before we swap it out for a wall hung boiler) .. He said it worked like a charm.

Lifer...


----------

