Dual element electric water heater with selectable control modes

摘要

An electric water heater (10) has upper and lower resistance type heating elements (18,20) respectively controlled by a single pole, double throw upper thermostat (38) and a single pole, single throw thermostat (40). The upper and lower thermostats (38,40) are operatively interconnected by a wiring harness (42) having outer wire end portions that may be connected in various orientations to the terminal block portion (46) of an external junction box (48) to provide the water heater (10) with a variety of heating element operating modes without having to replace either of the thermostats (38,40) or varying the wiring harness interconnections. The water heater (10) may be manufactured in a single variant that can be modified in the field to selectively alter the heating element control mode of the water heater (10).