DIYbanter - View Single Post - Connecting a 110 Volt 300 watt generator to a 220 Volt panel

wrote:
As hot water over 125 degrees F
represents a scalding hazard.

That is why thermostats were invented.

You're the one making a statement about
not wiring in a thermostat.

54 Gal of water weighs 448 pounds.

heating 448 pounds water at 70 to 120F requires 50 x 448 or 22,410
BTU's.

ASSumption... that you're starting out HW filled with 70 degree water.

Which is an improbable event to reoccur more than once..
Most people won't tolerate 70 degree shower for very long.
Hot water in the heater isn't going to magically cool down to
ambient overnight.

22,410 / 3412 BTU/KWH = 6.5 hours.

For how many days???

2 days... 4 days.... a week... two weeks... ???

After Wilma's eye wall hit us hard (twice)..
Our area was without grid power for 13.5 days !
Next block over was without grid power for 17 days !!!

Each morning I ran genny for 4 to 5 hours,
make Breakfast & lunch.. power frig's, charge bat's..

And another 4 to 6 hours in evening, power frig's, make dinner,
hot water(for morning showers), charge bat's, watch some TV.

For the most part, it took 110v mod running w/genny just a couple of
hours to bring a 30 gal WH back to it's thermostat set point and
disconnect.

The generator gas tank will be empty before a 54 gallon WH would begin
to boil, if there was no thermostat involved.

ASSumption.. that you have a small fuel tank and you don't refill it.
ASSumption.. that you are always aware of the temperture of water in
HW heater.

Bypassing critical safety features is a good way to hurt someone..