DoesTheMath

Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** vs LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1**: which uses less energy?

At the medium draw pattern the Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** uses 3,493 kWh a year and the LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1** 3,531 — 38 kWh (1%) less, about 380 kWh over ten years. Both are filed as an electric tank, so the comparison holds. Enter your ZIP below to price the difference.


Side by side

Compared within one class only: models filed as an electric tank at the medium draw pattern.

Filed and computed figures
Figure Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1**
UEF (Uniform Energy Factor) 0.93 (better) 0.92
Energy use per year (kWh) 3,493 (better) 3,531
First hour rating (gal) 52 51
Rated storage volume (gal) 42 48
Installed cost range $1,684–$2,169 $1,765–$2,103
ENERGY STAR certified not matched not matched
DOE CCD · 2026-09-19

What it costs to run

Lennox WHES050L45TN240S****: 3,493 kWh a year LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1**: 3,531 kWh a year

Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** — 3,493 kWh a year LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1** — 3,531 kWh a year

Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** is 38 kWh a year lower than LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1**.

DOE CCD · 2026-09-19

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Reliability

Not published: Reliability, failure rates and each model’s actual warranty term.

The registries these figures come from certify energy performance under a federal test; none of them records how long a unit lasts or how often it fails, so this page does not rank the two on reliability.

What is here instead:

  • The filed efficiency, capacity and tank size of both models, side by side below.
  • The actual warranty term is printed in each model’s documentation, not in any registry.

Which should you pick?

  • Pick the Lennox WHES050L45TN240S**** if running cost matters most: it uses 38 kWh less a year on the same test.
  • Pick the LOCHINVAR ENL-50 1** if it is the one you can get installed sooner or for less — on the filed figures it has no advantage over the Lennox WHES050L45TN240S****.
  • Neither if your household's busiest hour needs more than 52 gallons of hot water — neither lists more. Check whether a 40-gallon heater is enough.

Each model on its own