GMC Water Heater Elements

Ken H.

Active member
Sep 9, 2000
19,428
5
38
Having no experience with GMC water heaters, I'm dependent upon Y'All for
advice: Our 80 gallon home electric water heater developed a leak last
week. Before they hauled the hulk away, I removed the two heating elements
(3500W & 4000W, 240vac IIRC) and the two thermostats. I've read here that
such elements are good replacements for those in GMC heaters. If so, I'll
bring these to GMCMI Tallahassee as giveaways; otherwise they'll go into
the trash. Here's the link to a photo of them; they're obviously well
used, but were working perfectly:

What say ye?: Keep 'em or throw 'em?

Ken H.
 
Ken, Keep them
The wattage is halved, running on 110, but they will last almost forever. I'm not sure about the thermostats. For free, it's buyers choice. LOL

Tom
--
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
 
If you run a 240 Volt heater on 120, the wattage will be down to 1/4 of rated. Half the voltage will result in half the current as well. 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4.

D C "Mac" Macdonald​
Amateur Radio K2GKK​
Since 30 November '53​
USAF and FAA, Retired​
Member GMCMI & Classics​
Oklahoma City, OK​
"The Money Pit"​
TZE166V101966​
'76 ex-Palm Beach​
k2gkk + hotmail dot com​

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Thomas Phipps
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2018 20:28
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMC Water Heater Elements

Ken, Keep them
The wattage is halved, running on 110, but they will last almost forever. I'm not sure about the thermostats. For free, it's buyers choice. LOL

Tom
--
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG

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I understand the electrical details. What I don't know is whether these
elements will fit into a GMC heater.

Ken H.

On Sat, Oct 13, 2018 at 9:43 PM D C _Mac_ Macdonald
wrote:

> If you run a 240 Volt heater on 120, the wattage will be down to 1/4 of
> rated. Half the voltage will result in half the current as well. 1/2 x
> 1/2 = 1/4.
>
> D C "Mac" Macdonald​
> Amateur Radio K2GKK​
> Since 30 November '53​
> USAF and FAA, Retired​
> Member GMCMI & Classics​
> Oklahoma City, OK​
> "The Money Pit"​
> TZE166V101966​
> '76 ex-Palm Beach​
> k2gkk + hotmail dot com​
>
> ________________________________
> From: Gmclist on behalf of Thomas
> Phipps
> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2018 20:28
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMC Water Heater Elements
>
> Ken, Keep them
> The wattage is halved, running on 110, but they will last almost forever.
> I'm not sure about the thermostats. For free, it's buyers choice. LOL
>
> Tom
> --
> 2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
> KA4CSG
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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Tom
Sorry, but the wattage is 1/4 if you run a 240 volt element on 120 volts. So a 240 volt 4000 watt element running on 120 volts would put out 1000 watts.

Emery Stora

>> From: Gmclist on behalf of Thomas
>> Phipps
>> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2018 20:28
>> To: gmclist
>> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMC Water Heater Elements
>>
>> Ken, Keep them
>> The wattage is halved, running on 110, but they will last almost forever.
>> I'm not sure about the thermostats. For free, it's buyers choice. LOL
>>
>> Tom
>> --
>> 2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
>> KA4CSG
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>
>> https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flist.gmcnet.org%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fgmclist_list.gmcnet.org&data=02%7C01%7C%7Ce4b7f938b50c4b06b79f08d63174e229%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636750775404909623&sdata=DX2yyJ3TTT9QOyCim4HWxON8LcEnFV2YzKsaEexcYuk%3D&reserved=0
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I taught Phipps Ohm's Law :) :)

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
I think the gmc element is a 1 inch npt thread
--
Trevor
Brisbane Australia
Siesta Koala 76 Edgemont (old Bobby Moores)
71 Cadillac Eldo Convert
58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Project
 
The original element (at least in my 1977 Kingsley) is a square flange mount with 4 bolts in the corners that bolt to a matching flange on the water heater. A gasket fits between the flanges.

More modern heating elements have screw threads. One can purchase an adapter flange which has a threaded section in the center. This makes it easier to change the element and allows the use of the modern elements. I bought the adapter at Home Depot many years ago.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> I think the gmc element is a 1 inch npt thread
> --
> Trevor
> Brisbane Australia
> Siesta Koala 76 Edgemont (old Bobby Moores)
> 71 Cadillac Eldo Convert
> 58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Project
>
>
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