Rheem Residential Electric Models Use & Care Manual

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Non-Metallic Electric Water Heater

USE & CARE MANUAL

WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE INSTALLER

Residential Electric Models
15 - 20 Gallon Point-of-Use

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The purpose of this manual is twofold: one, for the installer,
to provide requirements and recommendations for the prop­er installation and adjustment of the water heater; and two,
for the owner-operator, to explain the features, operation,
safety precautions, maintenance and trouble shooting of
the water heater. This manual also includes a parts list sup­plement.

It is imperative that all persons who are expected to install,
maintain, operate or adjust this water heater read the
instructions carefully so that they may understand how to
do so.

Recognize this symbol as an Indication of
Important Safety Information!

Do Not Destroy this Manual. Please read
carefully and keep in a safe place for

!

Future Reference.

Table of Contents

General Safety Precautions

Introduction

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Installation Instructions

Thermal Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Water Supply Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Drain Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Filling Water Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Electrical Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wiring Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Pipe Wrap Energy Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installation Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Operation

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Thermal Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Setting the Water Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Safety Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Emergency Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Vacation and Long Time Shut-Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Draining the Water Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Maintenance

Routine Preventive Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Heating Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Trouble Shooting Guide

Wiring Schematic Diagrams

Warranty

Specifications

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .See Separate Supplement

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .See Separate Supplement

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Repair Parts

Abbreviations found in this Instruction Manual

U.L. — Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062
National Electrical Code — This publication is available from your local government, public library, electric company, or by writing to U.L.
A.N.S.I. — American National Standards Institute
A.S.M.E. — American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .See Separate Supplement

!

General Safety Precautions

Be sure to read and understand the entire Use & Care Manual before attempting to install or operate this water heater. It may save you time and
cost. Pay particular attention to the General Safety Precautions. Failure to follow these warnings could result in serious bodily injury or death .
Should you have problems understanding the instructions in this manual, or have any questions, STOP, and get help from a qualified installer,
service technician, or the local electric utility.

WATER TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT - Safety and ener­gy conservation are factors to be considered when select­ing the water temperature setting of water heater’s ther­mostat. Water temperatures above 125°F. can cause
severe burns or death from scalding. Be sure to read and
follow the warnings outlined on the label pictured below.
This label is also located on the water heater near the ther­mostat access panel

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DANGER

HOT

TIME / TEMPERATURE RELATIONSHIPS IN SCALDS

Temperature Time to Produce Serious Burn

120° F. More than 5 minutes

1

125° F. 1
130° F. About 30 seconds
135° F. About 10 seconds
140° F. Less than 5 seconds
145° F. Less than 3 seconds
150° F. About 1
155° F. About 1 second

The chart shown above may be used as a guide in deter­mining the proper water temperature for your home.

NOTE: Households with small children, disabled, or elderly
persons may require a 120°F. or lower thermostat setting to
prevent contact with “HOT” water.

The temperature of the water in the heater is regulated by
the adjustable surface mounted thermostat(s) located
behind the Jacket Access Panel(s). Dual element heaters
have two thermostats. To comply with safety regulations
the thermostat(s) were set at 120° F. before the water

heater was shipped from the factory.
There is a Hot Water SCALD Potential if the thermostat is
set too high.

/2to 2 minutes

1

/2seconds

Table courtesy of Shriners Burn Institute

BURN

Water temperature over 125°F can
cause severe burns instantly or
death from scalds.

Children, disabled and elderly are
at highest risk of being scalded.

See instruction manual before
setting temperature at water
heater.

Feel water before bathing or
showering.

Temperature limiting valves are
available, see manual.

DANGER

!

Mixing valves for reducing point of use water temperature

by mixing hot and cold water in branch water lines are

available. Contact a licensed plumber or the local plumbing

authority for further information.

WARNING

!

After installing, do not turn on or operate the water heater

unless the temperature and pressure relief is in place and

operating properly, you have properly installed the drain

pipe on the temperature and pressure relief valve, the vacu-

um relief valve has been installed, and you have complete-

ly filed the water heater with water.

WARNING

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HAZARD OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK! Before removing any

access panels or servicing the water heater, make sure the

electrical supply to the water heater is turned ”OFF”. Fail-

ure to do this could result in property damage, bodily injury

or death.

1

Introduction

Thank you for buying your non-metallic electric water heater. Your new water
heater is made of the latest materials and will not rust or corrode. It will give
many years of hot water service when installed, operated and maintained
according to the instructions in this manual.

Your water heater is completely assembled and ready to install. This manual
provides the general instructions for installation. Because of several variables,
such as the installation location, existing piping, and local codes, it is impossi­ble to provide exact instructions for everyone’s specific needs. For this reason,
it is suggested that the entire manual be read prior to beginning any installation
work, then carefully plan the installation. This can help to avoid costly mistakes
including damage to the water heater, not covered under terms of the warranty.

Almost all new products (automobiles, boats, clothing, plastic and wood items,
etc.) have an odor or smell to them for a time. This water heater may also have
a ”new” smell or odor to it due to the non-metallic materials used in the manu­facturing process. This ”new” smell is not harmful, and will disappear in a short
time.

The vacuum valve, which must be used when installing the water heater, is
factory installed.

The location chosen for the water heater must take into consideration the fol­lowing:

LOCAL INSTALLATION REGULATIONS

This water heater must be installed in accordance with these instructions,
local codes, utility company requirements or, in the absence of local codes,
the latest edition of the National Electrical Code. It is available from some local
libraries or can be purchased from the National Fire Prevention Association,
Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269 as booklet ANSI/NFPA 70.

LOCATION

Locate the water heater in a clean dry area as near as practical to the area of
greatest heated water demand. Long uninsulated hot water lines can waste
energy and water. Place the water heater in such a manner that the thermostat
and element access panels can be removed to permit inspection and servicing

A — Diameter of water heater plus 2" min.
B — Maximum 2"

Figure 1. — Auxiliary Drain Pan

such as removal of elements or checking controls. The water heater and water
lines should be protected from freezing temperatures. Do not install the water
heater in outdoor, unprotected areas, or near any other appliances where high
temperature are present, such as wood burning stoves, boilers or furnaces.
High temperatures can warp or otherwise damage the non-metallic construc­tion of this water heater.

CAUTION

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The water heater should not be located in an area where leakage of
the tank or connections will result in damage to the area adjacent
to it or to lower floors of the structure. Where such areas cannot be
avoided, it is recommended that a suitable drain pan, adequately
drained, be installed under the water heater.

NOTE: Auxiliary drain pan installation MUST conform to local
codes.

Drain Pan Kits are available at your local retail outlet or service center.

B

A

To open drain, line should
be at least
pitched for proper drainage.

3

/4" ID and

1. INSPECT SHIPMENT — Inspect water heater for possible damage.
Check the markings on the rating plate of the water heater to be certain the
power supply corresponds to that for which the water heater is equipped.

2. THERMAL EXPANSION — Determine if a check valve exists in the
inlet water line. It may have been installed in the cold water line as a

separate back flow preventer, or it may be part of a pressure reducing
valve, water meter or water softener. A check valve located in the cold
water inlet line can cause what is referred to as a ”closed water sys-
tem”. A cold water inlet line with no check valve or back flow prevention
device is referred to as an ”open” water system.

As water is heated, it expands in volume and creates an increase
in the pressure within the water system. This action is referred to
as ”thermal expansion”. In an ”open” water system, expanding
water which exceeds the capacity of the water heater flows back
into the city main where the pressure is easily dissipated.

A ”closed water system”, however, prevents the expanding
water from flowing back into the main supply line, and the result

Installation

of ”thermal expansion” can create a rapid, and dangerous pres-
sure increase in the water heater and system piping. This rapid
pressure increase can quickly reach the safety setting of the re­lief valve, causing it to operate during each heating cycle. Ther­mal expansion, and the resulting rapid, and repeated expansion
and contraction of components in the water heater and piping
system can cause premature failure of the relief valve, and pos­sibly the heater itself. Replacing the relief valve will not correct
the problem!

The suggested method of controlling thermal expansion is to install
an expansion tank in the cold water line between the water heater
and the check valve. The expansion tank is designed with an air cush­ion built in that compresses as the system pressure increases,
thereby relieving the over pressure condition and eliminating the re­peated operation of the relief valve. Other methods of controlling ther­mal expansion are also available. Contact your installing contractor,
water supplier, or plumbing inspector for additional information re­garding this subject.

2

Installation

CAUTION: DO NOT SWEAT SOLDER DIRECTLY TO THE WATER HEATER HEX UNION NUTS AS SOLDERING

TORCH HEAT WILL DAMAGE THE WATER HEA

TER BEYOND REPAIR.

Flexible

Connector

Extension Fitting

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

HOT Outlet

Hex Union Nut

Union

3/4” Adaptor

Sweat X Female Pipe

Extension Fitting

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

HOT Outlet

Hex Union Nut

Hot Water

Outlet

Hot Water

Outlet

T & P
Relief

Valve

T & P

Relief

Valve

Cold Water

*

Cold Water

*

Inlet

Inlet

WATER HEATER

INSTALLATION KIT

Shut-Off

Valve

Flexible

Connector

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut

Extension Fitting

(included with heater)

(included with heater)

SOLDERED COPPER OR

CPVC PLASTIC PIPE

Shut-Off

Valve

Union

3/4” Adaptor

Sweat x Male Pipe

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut

Sweat X Female Pipe

(included with heater)

(included with heater)

Hot Water

Outlet

90° Elbow

Flexible

Connector

Seal Ring

HOT Outlet

Hex Union Nut

Hot Water

Outlet

90° Elbow

Union

3/4” Adaptor

Extension Fitting

Seal Ring

HOT Outlet

Hex Union Nut

T & P
Relief

Valve

T & P
Relief

Valve

Shut-Off

Valve

Cold Water

Inlet

90° Elbow

Flexible

Connector

*

*

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut

90° Elbow

Union

3/4” Adaptor

Sweat x Male Pipe

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut

Shut-Off

Valve

Cold Water

Inlet

T & P
Relief

Valve

Cold Water

*

Inlet

Union

3/4” Female Coupling

Extension Fitting

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

HOT Outlet

Hex Union Nut

Hot Water

Outlet

* See Temperature & Pressure (T & P) Relief Valve section for drain pipe installation details.

Figure 2 — Typical installation methods using Water Heater Installation Kit (top), Soldered Copper or CPVC Pipe (center), or Threaded Pipe

(bottom).

THREADED PIPE

Shut-Off

Valve

Union

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut

Hot Water

Outlet

3/4” Female Coupling

Extension Fitting

(included with heater)

(included with heater)

Hex Union Nut

3

90° Elbow

Union

Seal Ring

HOT Outlet

T & P
Relief

Valve

Shut-Off

Valve

Cold Water

Inlet

90° Elbow

Union

*

Vacuum Valve Ass’y

(included with heater)

Seal Ring

(included with heater)

COLD Inlet

Hex Union Nut