BRADFORD WHITE CEHD50 45 to 54 kW Commercial Electric Water Heater (50 gallons) | Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore & North Shore

Nine elements in a 50 US gallon tank: continuous hot water where demand never lets up

Some businesses do not draw hot water in waves: they use it without interruption, hour after hour. For those situations, the Bradford White CEHD50 commercial electric water heater comes in a nine-element version offered at 45 kW or 54 kW. The tank stays compact, at 50 US gallons (42 imperial gallons, 189 L), but the installed power is that of a unit built to reheat water as fast as it is drawn. AirGreen installs it in commercial and industrial establishments in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the South Shore and the North Shore.

It is a specialist’s choice. It is aimed at laundries, auto detailing shops, food processing businesses that wash their equipment over and over, and any place where there is no room for a large tank but hot water has to keep pace. For more moderate use, a lower-power version of the same unit will often make more sense, and we will tell you so plainly.

When power matters more than volume

In a tank, the hot water reserve absorbs peaks. But when demand is continuous, the reserve always runs down sooner or later, whatever its size. What makes the difference then is how fast the unit reheats the incoming cold water. By combining nine elements in a 50 US gallon tank, Bradford White favours exactly that recovery capacity: the volume acts as a buffer, and the power provides continuity.

This trade-off also has a practical advantage. A compact tank fits into a room where a large tank would not, and it needs less floor space and less structure than a high-capacity unit.

A major electrical load: what to plan

At 45 kW or 54 kW, this water heater ranks among the largest electrical loads in the building. The project therefore starts at the panel: service capacity, space for the breaker, conductor size and wiring route. Depending on the establishment’s electricity rate, power demand can also weigh on the bill, which is a good reason to choose the power carefully rather than defaulting to the maximum.

The manufacturer offers the CEHD at 208 V, 240 V, 277 V, 380 V, 415 V, 480 V and 600 V. Voltage and phase must be specified when ordering, and all units are shipped from the factory as standard three-phase models. In industrial buildings supplied at 600 V, note that only conversion of the kW rating is permitted on these models.

Manufacturer data for the nine-element CEHD50

• Capacity: 50 US gallons (42 imperial gallons, 189 L).
• Elements: nine standard screw-in elements, Incoloy-sheathed, low watt density.
• Power ratings offered: 45 kW or 54 kW.
• Conversion: nine-element models "can be converted from 45 kW to 54 kW ONLY".
• Water connections: 1 1/2 in. (38 mm) NPT, factory-installed true dielectric fittings.
• Tank: Vitraglas lining with Microban.
• Drain valve: brass, low restriction, vandal-resistant design.
• Height: 50 7/16 in. (1,281 mm). Diameter: 24 in. (610 mm).
• Weight: 270 lb (122 kg), standard model.

The uses that justify nine elements

We recommend this version when the demand analysis confirms it, not before. Typical cases:

• a laundromat or a commercial laundry, where washers fill one after another;
• a hand car wash shop, where hot water runs for the full length of every cleaning;
• a food processing business, where equipment and floors are washed several times per shift;
• a production shop whose cleaning processes require a sustained flow of hot water.

45 kW or 54 kW: how to decide

The nine-element version has only two power ratings, and the manufacturer allows switching from one to the other. We start from your real demand: number of appliances, flow, required temperature and length of the periods of use. If the building’s electrical capacity is tight, 45 kW leaves some margin on the panel. If demand is very sustained and the electrical service allows it, 54 kW provides the fastest recovery. Either way, the selected power is written into the quote and confirmed at ordering.

Location and access

The CEHD50 measures 24 in. in diameter and 50 7/16 in. in height, and weighs 270 lb empty. It fits easily into a mechanical room or a corner of a shop, but nine elements also mean more electrical connections and more components to maintain. We therefore keep generous clearance in front of the access panels, away from forklifts and traffic areas. A floor drain nearby receives the relief valve discharge and the flushing water.

Maintaining a nine-element unit

The harder a water heater works, the more its maintenance matters. In continuous use, we recommend at least one visit a year, and more if the water is heavily mineralized. The visit includes flushing through the low-restriction brass valve, which clears sediment better, checking each element and the tightness of its electrical connections, then testing the relief valve. The Incoloy-sheathed screw-in elements are replaced individually, without removing the tank.

Options and compliance

According to Bradford White’s documentation, the CEHD design is UL certified for field conversion, ASME construction is available and NSF kits are offered. For an industrial project overseen by an engineer, these options make it easier to align with the plans and specifications. The Vitraglas lining with Microban and the factory-installed true dielectric fittings round out the tank’s protection against corrosion.

What the quote specifies

The full model number of a CEHD indicates the power, voltage, phase and ASME option. For the nine-element version, it is therefore set with you and confirmed at the time of ordering. The manufacturer’s warranty terms that apply to the selected unit are stated in the written quote.

Installation of the Bradford White CEHD50 (45 to 54 kW) by AirGreen

AirGreen is a family business established in Montreal, active for more than fifteen years in heating, ventilation and air conditioning and holder of RBQ licence 5645-9605-01 (ventilation, refrigeration and electrical). A unit of this power calls for a rigorous installation, from the electrical analysis to commissioning. Our work includes:

• a free on-site assessment of hot water demand, location and electrical service;
• a recommendation on power, voltage and phase, confirmed in a written quote;
• draining and removing the old unit, then disposing of it;
• connecting the cold and hot water to the tank, the relief valve and its discharge;
• the electrical connections, made under our RBQ licence;
• commissioning, temperature settings and a check of all nine elements;
• a maintenance plan suited to your production pace.

Service area

We work in Montreal, including the industrial areas of Anjou, Saint-Laurent and LaSalle, in Laval, Longueuil, Boucherville and throughout the South Shore and the North Shore.

Request your free on-site estimate for the Bradford White CEHD50, 45 to 54 kW. You will receive a detailed written quote, and financing options are available for your business.