Water Heater questions in an older Scamp

[Jackpine]

I am the proud new owner of a 1987 16' Scamp.It has an electric only 1500 watt water heater, which I assume is original and it works.

I have a 1000 watt Honda generator so thought I would just replace the heating element with a 750 watt from Home Depot, but when I took off the cover plate I discovered what I considered an unusual setup. Instead of the submerged heating element as in a conventional electric water heater, there is a metal "tube" which extends into the water heater tank that is open to the outside and the element resides, dry, inside the tube. It is made by General Processing and is a model 1-6-c. A Google search did not develop anything.

Anyone have any experience here?

Thanks,

Jackpine

[Donna D.]

Bill, my Scamp is a 1988 and it too has a General Processing Corp, Speed-O-Matic Electric Water Heater. I have a two page flyer for it. No model number on the flyer, However, the exploded view shows an anode road just to the right of the thermostat cover.

My scanner is currently disconnected. I can scan the info I have on Tuesday and I'll post it to the Document Center.

This is at the bottom of the flyer:

General Processing Corp
Livingston Road
Crossville, TN 38555
931-464-5163 ext. 406
800-877-6265

Hope this helps a bit

BTW: It would be helpful if you expanded the info in your profile. It current just says: Trailer: Scamp

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Jackpine

, but when I took off the cover plate I discovered what I considered an unusual setup. Instead of the submerged heating element as in a conventional electric water heater, there is a metal "tube" which extends into the water heater tank that is open to the outside and the element resides, dry, inside the tube. It is made by General Processing and is a model 1-6-c. A Google search did not develop anything.

Many of the RV and boat water heaters have as Donna suggests an anode rod to help with preventing corrosion, they should be replaced from time to time. or does it look something like a Rod Water heater such as this one?

[Jackpine]

Thanks to both of you for the responses. I will be watching for the flyer to be posted.

It does have an anode, but that is not where my concern is. Most electric hot water heaters are pretty generic. There is a thread hole in the side of the tank, similar to how the anode screws in, except larger. A heating element screws into the threaded hole and the heating makes direct contact with the water. My tank has what I would describe as a steel tube, about 2 inches in diameter which extends about 8 inches into the tank. The end that is in the tank is closed and the end at the outside of the tank is open. The heating element fits inside the tube, but does not make contact with the tube.

What I need is a non-emersion electric heating element of some kind that is between 500 and 750 watts. A couple of months ago I threw away an old fashioned, large, soldering iron, that I probably could have tried to use. Have had it laying around for twenty years and never used it. Go figure!!!

I could install the Hott Rod type heater in the anode fitting, but they are pretty expensive for my cheap taste and the relatively small number of times I will use it, so would like to figure out a cheap fix.

[Thomas G.]

Something like this?

Camco 1500 Watt Open Coil Dry Water Heater Element | Mobile Home Parts Store

[Jackpine]

Yes, Tom, that is exactly what I have and I want one like that, except in 500 or 750 watt so I can power it with my 1000 watt generator.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jackpine

Yes, Tom, that is exactly what I have and I want one like that, except in 500 or 750 watt so I can power it with my 1000 watt generator.

It is hard to tell by looking at it, but would it be possible to disconnect one of the coils or are they all in series?

[steve dunham]

Try and find a 1500 watt or 2000 watt 240 VAC element that will physically fit . Running the 240 VAC heater element on 120 VAC will give you 375 watts output on a 1500 watt element and 500 watts output on a 2000 watt element . It will not have a detrimental affect on the element.and remember to put anti seize on the screw thread of the element

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Try and find a 1500 watt or 2000 watt 240 VAC element that will physically fit . Running the 240 VAC heater element on 120 VAC will give you 375 watts output on a 1500 watt element and 500 watts output on a 2000 watt element . It will not have a detrimental affect on the element.and remember to put anti seize on the screw thread of the element

Great idea! Here is a 2000 watt 220 volt element (bottom of pull down window):

Plumbing > Water*Heater*Repair*Parts*and*Supplies - Open Coil Dry Element for mobile home water heaters

Here is a 1000 watt 120 volt:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLVFS/...SIN=B0006JLVFS

[Jackpine]

Steve, that must be a brilliant idea, because I understand the watts conversion on going from 240v to 120v and that is EXACTLY what I was planning on doing when I thought it was a conventional emersion heating element that I could be at a plumbing supply house for less than $10. I just don't have any idea what kind of non-emersion element I could use. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Tom, your idea may work. I would be money by looking at it that there is just one long element, because you can see the return loop where it goes back to the far end. It may be possible to simply remove the entire element and reattach it making just one run down and one back. What I don't remember from my century own education of electrical calculations is if I cut the length of the resistance wire in half, do I reduce the wattage by half, or is length not a straight line variable. Steve, or anyone else smart out there, do you have answers.

Thanks,

Jackpine

[Jackpine]

Tom, you are good. I was still typing my question and you had already posted an answer!!!

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jackpine

...... What I don't remember from my century own education of electrical calculations is if I cut the length of the resistance wire in half, do I reduce the wattage by half, or is length not a straight line variable. Steve, or anyone else smart out there, do you have answers.

Thanks,

Jackpine

If you cut the length in half you would halve the resistance and double the current. Not good. I thought maybe there were three coils wired in parallel.

One of the links above may help you.

[steve dunham]

Look in the WW Grainger catalog for Vulcan heating elements . My newest catalog is from 2010 E= I X R & I X R = W (Non inductive (resistive) loads are at 100 % PF )