Knowing how many amps a water heater uses is important to be energy efficient. A water heater is one of the most usable yet, least thought of pieces of the device at our place. When considering a water heater, one essential thing to keep in mind is its energy consumption. Understanding how many amps does a water heater use is important for a homeowner as it directly affects the cost of electricity. With hundreds of options, sometimes it becomes a daunting task to choose the best out of all.
The energy efficiency of the water heater depends on many factors like the type and model of the heater. Here, we are mentioning some factors that will help you make an informed and worthy decision.
General amperage
The average amperage for an electric water heater is 18.8 amps for 240 volts, 4500 Watt. Conversely, a gas water heater consumes less energy which is 12 Amps with 115 volts.
However, the exact amperage varies from model to model and company to company.
Water heaters are daily use equipment that consumes a large amount of energy. When it comes to evaluating individually, it is difficult to determine because many factors influence the total energy consumption. Here are some essential factors that directly impact the monthly billing.
Types of Heater
Heater type is one of the major factors in determining the use of amps. They work on two different mechanisms like one stores water and keeps it warm whereas the other on coils that heat water on demand. Let’s analyze them one by one.
Tank Heater
The heater with a tank stores water that is continuously heated and such units are also known as containers or storage heaters. Moreover, it is the oldest and the traditional type of heater. A storage water heater usually requires fewer amps as compared to a tankless water heater. However, they may require more power because they continuously heat the water.
Typically, a 40 gallons electric water heater requires 4500 volts. It means it uses 30 amps on 240 watts. Moreover, a 40 gallons water heater will usually require a 30-amps breaker which is one of the most common types of the breaker.
Tankless Heater
Electric tankless water heaters exclusively consume a high amount of energy to heat the water. In tankless water heaters, water is continuously running, and they provide on-demand water. That is the reason they require relatively more amps to heat the water from scratch. Likewise, they require a strong electric current.
The tankless electric water heater can draw from 42 amps to 167 amps. On average, this type of water heater requires 120 amps to run, which is much more than the traditional storage heater, which is around 30 amps. However, these are average energy consumption rates, but they can still vary a bit from model to model.
Fuel type
The type of fuel a water heater consumes also plays a crucial role in the amount of power it needs effectively. The heater runs on either electricity or gas.
Electric heaters
Such types of units cost less than gas, but they are overall costly to use because electricity is more expensive than gas. However, these heaters are easy to install because they can attach to your electricity switch.
However, there are two types of electric water heaters, one is tankless, and the other one supports a tank. The storage water heater consumes fewer amps because it stores and keeps the water warm.
On the other hand, tankless water heaters require more energy to start and heat the water on the support. It provides warm water on demand. A storage water heater consumes 30 amps, and a tankless water heater consumes around 120 amps. However, both come with their distinct benefits and drawbacks.
Gas heaters
Gas water heaters run on gas are 25 to 50% more expensive, but the fuel price difference compensates for the overall cost. Gas heaters must be attached to gas pipelines, so they are a little difficult to install, and this may also add up to the total cost.
The installation cost can be even more if you need to run a brand new pipeline and upgrade the natural gas system.
Gas units may influence the overall cost or billing, but you cannot spot any significant change in the utilization of amps.
A gas water heater with a supported tank will require 30 amps of electricity, and it does not demand modification on home electrical systems.
On the other hand, a tankless gas water heater utilizes 120 amps of electricity, and it demands certain modifications on the home electric system to run this unit.
Capacity
Water heaters are only useful if they provide you hot water when you need it, whether it supports a tank or not or if it runs on gas or electricity. If the heater is not of the right size according to your family, it will not work for you. However, the amount of amps a unit draws depends on the capacity of the heater.
A container heater can support a 20 to 80 gallons tank. The larger the tank, the more energy it will require. A 40 gallons tank is enough for 2 to 3 members. If you have more people at your place, increase it to 10 more gallons.
However, the capacity of tankless heaters is calculated on the basis of gallons per minute or flow rate. The higher the flow rate, the higher electricity will be used the unit will draw at one time. When it comes to heaters, you need to maintain the balance between the needs and electricity billing.
Energy efficient
Energy-efficient devices are budget-friendly. Energy-efficient equipment demands more amperage to run the unit, but it utilizes fewer amps in total. It uses power for a short time and saves amps and overall energy.
Older devices are usually less energy efficient while the electric water heaters are more as compared to gas units. When you are looking for a new water heater, try to get an energy-efficient unit in order to save some percent from monthly bills.
In the End..
Nowadays, water heaters have become a necessity of life. When you are buying a water heater, keep in mind how many amps the water heater uses and how often it requires maintenance. Moreover, maintaining a balance between household needs and electricity billing is also essential.
Try to find a unit that is for your budget as well as fulfills the hot water requirement.
We have mentioned some factors that influence the utilization of amps. You can consider all to maintain the balance and get a hand on the one that suits you best.