WI #102
85 gallon electric Rheem water heater
0%
Description
Picked up this $6500 in April 2026 for less than 500. Never used. Suspect owner bought it for his house and a real heist. He didn’t have three phase power. You can do single phase, but was unsuccessful at hooking it up. Now we need to figure out where best to put it and ensure that all parts are complete. Preference is for regular residential single phase power but if that’s not possible, we’ll be hooking it up at budget in.
rheem model number es85-18g
Cold Water Inlet (Side/Bottom): 1-1/2 inch NPT
Hot Water Outlet (Top/Center): 1-1/2 inch NPT
Since this is an 18 kW commercial unit- most likely need a 70-amp 3-pole breaker and #4 or #6 AWG copper wire .. and at 70amps, this would take up most of a 20amp circuit.
Files
History
Updated by Sieu Ngo 8 days ago
What AI is suggesting.. goes back to what i said in original ticket about converting the unit itself instead of wyatt's suggestion about providing a 3 phase outlet... ... just not as powerful of a unit since only doing 2 of the 3 heating elements.
Single-Phase Conversion: An electrician can open the top or side panel of the heater and rearrange the internal "jumpers" on the terminal block to run on single-phase (240V).
The "Hack": If your panel can't handle 100 Amps, an electrician can disconnect one or two of the heating elements. This turns your 18 kW heater into a 12 kW or 6 kW heater. It will take longer to recover hot water, but it will safely run on a standard 40A or 60A double-pole breaker that fits your current panel.
Updated by Kim Ramirez 4 days ago
- File image_1777159853389_3408419839_027d8c5b_v1.jpg.rvx.1777161553406 added
- File image_1777159885659_9603323533_027d8c5b_v1.jpg.rvx.1777161498773 added
Sieu Ngo wrote:
Picked up this $6500 in April 2026 for less than 500. Never used. Suspect owner bought it for his house and a real heist. He didn’t have three phase power. You can do single phase, but was unsuccessful at hooking it up. Now we need to figure out where best to put it and ensure that all parts are complete. Preference is for regular residential single phase power but if that’s not possible, we’ll be hooking it up at budget in.
rheem model number es85-18g
Cold Water Inlet (Side/Bottom): 1-1/2 inch NPT
Hot Water Outlet (Top/Center): 1-1/2 inch NPTSince this is an 18 kW commercial unit- most likely need a 70-amp 3-pole breaker and #4 or #6 AWG copper wire .. and at 70amps, this would take up most of a 20amp circuit.
Updated by Kim Ramirez 4 days ago
- File deleted (
image_1777159853389_3408419839_027d8c5b_v1.jpg.rvx.1777161553406)
Updated by Kim Ramirez 4 days ago
- File deleted (
image_1777159885659_9603323533_027d8c5b_v1.jpg.rvx.1777161498773)
Updated by Kim Ramirez 4 days ago
- File Screenshot 2026-04-26 222549.png Screenshot 2026-04-26 222549.png added
- File Screenshot 2026-04-26 222616.png Screenshot 2026-04-26 222616.png added
Sieu Ngo wrote:
Picked up this $6500 in April 2026 for less than 500. Never used. Suspect owner bought it for his house and a real heist. He didn’t have three phase power. You can do single phase, but was unsuccessful at hooking it up. Now we need to figure out where best to put it and ensure that all parts are complete. Preference is for regular residential single phase power but if that’s not possible, we’ll be hooking it up at budget in.
rheem model number es85-18g
Cold Water Inlet (Side/Bottom): 1-1/2 inch NPT
Hot Water Outlet (Top/Center): 1-1/2 inch NPTSince this is an 18 kW commercial unit- most likely need a 70-amp 3-pole breaker and #4 or #6 AWG copper wire .. and at 70amps, this would take up most of a 20amp circuit.