Montgomery Ward Water Heater FAQs

We switch off the toggle switch that turns off one of the electric elements on our Ward Water Heater to save electrical cost - Is that OK?

We have a 1970’s Montgomery Ward hot water heater with a lever which we switch on for 2 hours to have a full tank of very hot water then we turn the lever off which saves electricity. It still works at our cabin which we use three months every summer then we drain the tank at season end.

My brother said his friend said that we may be wearing out the tank by turning it off and on like this?

But my question is that we have been doing this for years and my grandfather bought this and installed it and told us to use the lever as I explained above and only when you need to have hot water.

Can anyone give me information. I know our P G and E bill will skyrocket if we leave it on full time. On 2026-07-27 by Harriet

by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@Harriet,

Thank you that's a very interesting question. If you would be kind enough to post a photo of the water heater and a close-up of its data tag I may be able to find the original instructions to see what they say.

But from just your description it sounds like you are using it as intended.

I don't understand why your brothers friend thinks that turning one of the heating elements off and on from time to time is damaging or wearing out your water heater. If anything I would expect the heating element that's not always in use to last longer. Daniel Friedman

by Harriet

Thank you for your quick response. Here’s the serial number SN057303201. The model number SRM35044. I’ll try also to send a photo of the heater. I’d sure appreciate if you can locate any instructions for this 1970’s model.

Explanation of the Ward's Water Heater Manual Toggle Switch by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@Harriet,

OK so over at our home page for Wards water heaters info MONTGOMERY WARD WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Wards_Heater_Age_Decode.php

We provide a free PDF download of this Montgomery Ward GAS Fired WATER HEATER USE & CARE MANUAL [PDF] - noting that this is focused on gas, not electric, water heaters.

That I'm sorry, however, to say will not include your electric water heater Model SRM35044. It covers gas water heaters whose model number begins with SRM-33, SRM-34 and SRM-35

Evidently SRM-35 water heaters had this special electric heating element manual toggle-switching feature that you've described.

But the manual does refer to Wards "Energy Saver" water heater series and I suspect that "E.C.O." character string past your serial number refers to an energy saving cutoff. I'm researching that further and will post an update here.

Below is a squared-up copy of your water heater's data tag.

Almost certainly the switch you described (I've asked you for a photo of it and of the whole heater) was designed by Ward's electric water heater engineers and so long as you're using it as you described you are using it correctly.

I'm pretty sure (doing more research on the details) that your Wards Electric water heater has two electric heater elements.

In Economy mode or Energy Savings Mode the switch is surely turning one of those elements off. It would be the upper one that would be turned off.

That's because in a water heater the hotter water flows (by natural convection - warmer water is less dense) to the top of the heater. So if we turned off the bottom element you'd have only a small volume of hot water - you'd run out quickly during a shower.

By keeping the bottom element on the whole heater is warmed up but more slowly and probably to a bit lower overall temperature than when both heaters are on.

Now that's just MY water heater operating theory but it's based on field observation and consumer/reader complaints such as "how come my electric water heater runs out quickly - the water is hot but there's not much of it?" In the field when I went to the home of such a complaint I found the lower electric heater element had burnt out so there was very hot water but only in the upper portion of the water heater.

I've written about this at InspectApedia in the diagnosis of electric water heater failures.

When it's the upper electric water heater element that burns out (or is switched off) the symptom is quite different. In this case we have plenty of "hot" water but it may be just tepid or not as hot as occupants wish.

So if the Ward's heater switch turned off the upper element you'd have a good volume of water but not so hot.

If the Wards's heater switch turned off the lower element you'd have very hot water, but not so much of it.

I *suspect* from your description, therefore, that the Energy Saver switch on your Ward's electric water heater in the SRM-35 series that it's turning off the UPPER heating element.

I'll see what else I can find.

Daniel Friedman

More About Your Water Heater

OK so notwithstanding my page to assertion

The accuracy & trustworthiness of every article or Q&A is researched by human experts.

I checked with Google's Gemini AI (Previously Bard) to see what Gemini thought. The answer was pretty useful and as I excerpt from it here I'm at least saying I've vetted the answer for technical reasonableness.

We don't see an "Energy Saver" switch on this Montgomery Ward 500 electric water heater.

Excerpting from G's response:

--- Below is from Gemini AI --- 2026/07/27 ---

"The Switch:

A prominent toggle, push, or rotary dial labeled "Energy Saver" or "Savings" mounted near the upper thermostat access panel."

"Normal Mode:

Both upper and lower resistance elements functioned on a standard non-simultaneous "flip-flop" thermostat cycle to heat water fast."

"Saver Mode:

Flipping the switch locked out one element (limiting operation to just one active element), reducing total electrical draw (often from 4500W down to a lower load footprint) to save money during high-rate hours, at the cost of a slower hot water recovery time."

--- Above is from Gemini AI ---

I've looked for a photo of the switch and haven't found one so I hope you'll post or email a photo of the switch on your water heater.

Adding: AI cited some sources so I'm posting here some details. Technical articles like the first probably describe the work behind the Energy Saver switch on your Wards heater but a full copy of the article isn't free unless you've got an academic access - or you can buy a copy for about $50. U.S. [I don't recommend this step for the purposes of our discussion here]

• Wilson Jr, R. P. "Energy conservation options for residential water heaters." Energy 3, no. 2 (1978): 149-172. - www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0360544278900671
  
  Abstract
  
  Current designs of gas-fired and electric water heaters present a substantial opportunity for energy conservation through reductions in jacket losses, pilot losses and flue-gas losses. A systematic analysis and comparison of alternative energy-conserving designs has been carried out.
  
  Promising options for gas-fired water heaters include increased insulation, thermostat setback, forced-draft burners with intermittent ignition and flue closure, and instantaneous (low storage) designs.
  
  High efficiency electric water heaters incorporate increased insulation, thermostat setback, solar preheat, and heat pump operation.
  
  The evolution and market penetration of these alternative designs, some of which are commercially available at this writing, can reduce the energy usage for residential water heating in the U.S. by approx. 0.3 quads in the near-term, and up to 1.0 quads in the long-term as advanced designs achieve widespread saturation.

Notice the reference to a "thermostat setback" - which is in effect what happens on your water heater when you switch OFF one of its heating element (the upper one).

I should add for technical accuracy that Montgomery Ward didn't actually manufacture your water heater.

The company would have contracted with one of the existing water heater manufacturers such as Rheem.

My research found that often, however, big retailers like Ward and Sears did write their own product specifications so heaters made for and sold through Sears or Wards stores may have varied in some features or design details from others made and sold by the same manufacturer but under different brands or outlets. That remains the case even today.

Later designs for two-element electric water heaters used what I describe at our Wards Water Heater Page as a "Non-Simultaneous Electric Water Heater " design that would automagically run just one of two electric heating elements at a time.

I think the company (and Rheem and others) figured making it automatic was simpler for consumers and would still save energy. Then they did away with the manual toggle switch found on your water heater.

The non-simultaneous water heater element design uses an *automatic* "flip-flop" electrical control switch to turn the upper element off and the lower heating element on once the upper element has sensed that water there has been heated enough to satisfy the thermostat.

Perhaps your toggle switch is like the one in this photo.

We looked at Harriet's water heater and don't see the Energy Saver switch but we know that Montgomery Ward did include "Energy Saver" switches on various appliances such as this Montgomery Ward Window Air Conditioner [PDF] (at Wards.com)

Daniel Friedman

by Harriet - Montgomery Ward Five Hundred Glass Lined water heater

Wow thanks for your detailed analysis.

When we have the lever “on” I notice that the pipes on top of the heater get hot and the upper quarter or third of the tank gets warm.

When I’m up there next this August I’ll see if the tank gets at all warm toward the bottom. Hopefully I’ll hear back from my brother and I’ll get those photos to you.

by InspectApedia Publisher (mod)

@Harriet,

Thanks Harriet.

Your description confirms my hypothesis that it's the upper element that's "on" in energy savings mode.

When you're next at your cabin I'll be grateful to see photos of the heater and switch.

Working on this with you I learned more about that generation of water heater but also that there's not much information and no photos that I could find, even in older Wards catalogs.

Thank you for the conversation.

Daniel

Above and below are the top and electrical box for this water heater.

Replacement Heating Elements or Thermostats for a Wards electric water heater?

I have a Montgomery wards signature elite series 82 gallon tank. Model SRM 35750 A , Serial #0984C14699 both elements are 4500 watts. I think I bought this back around 1980? at montgomery wards in Albany NY.

The old Steiner warehouse building. I put an insulated blanket around it when I installed it. It's basically fiberglass wrapped in plastic. Its still working, I keep it flushed out and I am on well water. I want to replace those elements and I think it may also have an annode also . Not sure. Any input will be appreciated On 2020-04-02 by Bob

by danjoefriedman (mod)

Bob

The good news is that electric water heater anodes are pretty generic as long as you get the right wattage, electrode length, and mount type.

See details at ELECTRIC WATER HEATER ELEMENT REPLACEMENT

and let me know what questions remain.

Same for electric water heater anodes. ANODES & DIP TUBES on WATER HEATERS

 

Where do I get age and manual and replacement thermostat for my old Wards SRM water heater?

I have a MW. SR 36XC 0663-16532. Model SRM3312B. I too am looking for the age and a manual. It seems like the thermostat is bad On 2018-07-01 by dlegere

by (mod) -

Often a generic replacenent thermostat will work. Did you remove the old one?

If your water heater is an electric one, which I infer from your Wards SRM- model number, see our repair guide at ELECTRIC WATER HEATER THERMOSTATS

For a Ward's gas water heater see THERMOCOUPLE REPAIR / REPLACEMENT 

Then download this free PDF: Montgomery Ward Gas Fired WATER HEATER USE & CARE MANUAL [PDF] 

 

Age Estimages or Serial Number Decodings for Other Wards Water Heaters

How old is my Signature Glass Lined Water Heater S/N is 566 29127?

Hi I am trying to find out how old my W/H is, the S/N is 566 29127. The outside says " Signature with on demand augmentation glass lined" how old is this one? On 2018-06-11 by Marty

by (mod) - guessing the age of a Wards Signature glass lined water heater based on S/N

Signature is indeed a Montgomery Ward water heater.

Could be 5 1966

More likely 2 1991

How old is the home where the water heater is installed?

Check this old Montgomery Ward & Co Electric Water Heater Data tag & Tell me the Heater Age?

567 12441..... May of 1967? On 2018-02-23 by How old

by (mod) - is this data tag telling us a manufacture date of 5/87?

yes, with no other data and given the style of the data tag I'm guessing May 1967. I've sent you a much more detailed reply and I am copying that information into the article above.

 

On 2018-01-24 by ashli W

I have a Water Heater:
Manufacturer Montgomery Ward
Model Number: SEM 35334A
Serial Number: 0884B36447
I am trying to determine age. Thank you!

by (mod) -

Ashli

Probably, based on the guidance in the Wards age decoder article MONTGOMERY WARD WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS , your heater was made in 08/84 or August 1984

MW Fairway 52 gal electric hot water heater NG-3308-A.

I have a MW Fairway 52 gal electric hot water heater which I suspect is 60 years old. Still working like new. Serial 0035855 Model NG-3308-A.

Cannot find any information online, but have found several newspaper ads circa 1958 which show illustrations. Any way of finding the date of manufacture? On 2017-08-30 by RLH -

Reply by (mod) A Montgomery Ward Fairway Electric Water Heater

I haven't seen information about a Wards NG-series water heater anywhere that suggests it's an electric heater.

I think the NG- prefix means yours is a natural gas fired water heater.

But you can still use this Wards water heater age decoder to make a reasonable guess: MONTGOMERY WARD WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS

There we discuss guessing the age of older water heaters whose serial number doesn't match those on later models.

Help figuring out the age of a Water Heater 669 11860 SN

We are looking at a home in NC for our daughter built in 1969.

The I Spector came today and we are trying to figure out the age of the hot water heater. The numbers are not the same as the regular formula for the month and date ...

So I am thinking either June of 1969 or Nov Of 1986. The daughter of the owner says she thinks it is the original one... Can anyone shed any light here? Thanks! It reads 669 11860 SN

live link given below. On 2015-12-29 by Lisa

by (mod) - on older Wards heaters the month and year are in the beginning of the serial number

Lisa usually on older Wards heaters the month and year are in the beginning of the serial number just as you guessed.

Original and June 1969 would make sense.

More water heater brand ID help and manuals are at WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS - separate article series -

Value of a 1900 side arm water heater by Montgomery Ward

What would a 1900 side arm water heater by Montgomery Ward be worth today? All original Parts On 2016-02-02 by Sam Bradley -

Reply by (mod)

My OPINION is that that water heater has no market value except possibly in the smaller arena of people or companies performing historic restoration who might be looking for an antique side arm coil like your heater.

For other readers who may not know what a "side arm coil" water heater looks like, we include a photo here, though this heater is certainly not from 1900.

Montgomery Ward, based in Chicago, IL in the U.S. was founded by Aaron Montgomery Ward. Ward began providing plumging and heating appliances and issued its first "single sheet" catalog in 1872. The company was taken public by Ward's business partner, George R. Thorne in 1919.

Also see TANKLESS COILS - DF