Do it yourself Water heater timer

Back to Page 1: gather materials

Skip to Page 3: Finish wiring contactor:

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Do-it-yourself plan to control water heater with a timer or switch.

Page 2 of 3: Connect the wires

Step 1.

>Drop one end of 14-2 wire into old-work box
see old-work box installation

14-2 romex

Step 2.) Connect timer to end of 14-2 wire inside box

Click here to compare wiring for all 4 timers
-or- click small image to see wiring for individual timer

Leviton Programmable

EJ500 Programmable

EI210 Countdown

FD Countdown

Do you want to review basic water heater circuit?

See larger image

Step 3.) Work inside 6x6x4 enclosure <> enlarge image on left

>Note: romex connector used in each hole where wire enters enclosure
>Mount contactor at angle using 8-32 bolts with lock nut
>Attach 10-2 wire from breaker to one side of contactor
>Attach 10-2 wire going to water heater to other side of contactor
>Put 2 green ground screws in bottom of 6x6x4 metal box (when using 6x6x4 plastic enclosure: connect all grounds with wire nut)
>Ground wire from breaker box is wrapped on ground screw and carries forward > this will ground enclosure back to breaker box
>Ground wires from both 10 gauge wires are twisted together and covered with red wire nut > this will ground water heater back to breaker box
green ground screw

ground screws

romex connector

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Busman:
HKP-HH fuse holder
MDA-15 Amp ceramic fuse
Tip: push either end of fuse firmly into cap and then twist cap onto body

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Step 4.) Work on Busman fuse inside 6x6x4 enclosure

>Drill 1/2" hole and install Busman fuse holder with 15A fuse

>Using terminals or solder, connect 14ga wire from breaker side of contactor to Busman fuse holder. Must be on breaker side so power is always on.

Female terminal crimped on end of 14ga wire

>Why use a fuse? To protect timer from too many Amps. We are drawing 120 Volts off 'one leg' of the 240 Volt 30Amp water heater circuit. The 120 Volts will power the timer which is rated 15 Amps. The 15 Amp fuse will protect timer and wire going to timer.

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Step 5:) Wire from Timer arrives in 6x6 enclosure

In Steps 1 & 2, a timer was installed at one end of 14-2 wire.

Here in step 5, other end of 14-2 wire arrives inside enclosure.

Connect black wire to Busman fuse holder > this will put power to the timer.

Connect white wire to side of contactor > this will power the contactor and open circuit to water heater whenever timer orders

Connect ground wire to green ground screw > this grounds the timer to enclosure which is grounded back to breaker box.

The ground must be continuous back to breaker box for some timers to work.

Connect white wire to side of contactor

Close-up of both ground screws after step 5

Here is where we are so far

There is one step left

go to final step, Page 3 of 3

E-mail: info@waterheatertimer.org