Water tank heating element

6 years ago

One of my heating elements went out on my 11 year old Rheem tank. I picked up a Utilitech brand replacement at Lowe’s, but have never been impressed with that brands qualitY on other items (believe it’s the store brand, discount option but it was all they carried).

Online, an OEM part is just a few dollars more, I’d simply have to wait which is fine.

Will the OEM part perform better, ie more efficient or faster reheat?

Thanks

Featured Answer

DavidR

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hard to say. Maybe someone else has tried that particular element. I have no direct experience with that part, only with other generic parts, so I can only speculate.

Sometimes generic aftermarket parts are actually made by the same factory that makes the OEM parts. Sometimes they're not.

I installed a generic clothes dryer belt a few years ago, and it lasted only about a year. The OEM replacement for that one cost more, but it's still working.

The aftermarket blower wheel I put in that dryer more recently looked exactly like the OEM one, and works fine so far.

My refrigerator door handle broke a while back, and I bought a no-name replacement through the big auction website. I had to grind it with a Dremel and replace a retaining clip with one from the old handle before it would fit properly on the fridge.

Does the back of the Utilitech package say "Made in China," by any chance?

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Comments (6)

DavidR
6 years ago
Yeah, no significant efficiency difference. It'll heat faster if it's a higher wattage, but make sure your thermostats can handle the additional current.

Water heater elements are made with nichrome wire inside a ceramic core surrounded by a metal jacket. Inferior products could have a thinner or theoretically less corrosion-resistant jacket that might fail sooner, They could have inconsistencies in the nichrome wire inside leading to hot spots and early failure. Or they might be just as good as OEM. Only experience will tell you.

Check to see whether the generic element has a UL mark.

I'd say that the safe choice is OEM, especially it it only costs a little more.

Utilitech is the Lowe's store brand.
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Stax
6 years ago
It is likely that the wattage is accurately marked on this resistive device...

I'd lean toward the generic if at all cheaper.

If you got 11 years out of an original element, you're doing fine.
HU-736147389
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks David and Stax,

Shockingly, it does not say Made in China but I expect it was.

My thoughts are also a resistor is a resistor is a resistor, but the Rheem OEM is cooper and the Utilitech is not.
HU-736147389
Original Author
6 years ago
Just found the specs on the Utilitech, copper with a zinc coating.

I expect the difference with the OEM is minimal

thanks again
The great Milenko
5 hours ago
I bought a cheap heating element from lowes and first power surge we got after a week it burned out immediatly. bought a slightly better name brand element on line and had no more problems even with the usual power surges we get.