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Basic 240 & 120 volt water heater circuitsElectric water heaters are resistive loads with power factor of 1 |
| Use only 600 volt wire. Lamp cord, extension cords are not rated 600 volt. Use copper wire only. Aluminum wire is fire risk and should be avoided or installed by professional. 30 amp breaker use 10 gauge / 120-240 volt 30 amp outlet can be installed on 30 amp breaker only/ use 10 gauge wire ... cannot be connected to 15-20-40 amp breaker.  Orange/ #10 gauge wire, with ground ... 30 amp capacity. Safe maximum: 30 x 80% = 24 amps. Buy: 10-2 gauge/ 30 amp 10-3/ 30 amp Southwire electric tools |
Yellow
12 gauge 20 amp 120 volt 20 amp outlet can be installed on 20 amp breaker, but not 15 amp breaker/ use 12 ga wire. ... cannot be connected to 30-40 amp breaker. 1  Yellow/ #12 gauge wire, with ground ... 20 amp capacity. Safe maximum 16 amps. Buy: 12-2 gauge/ 20 amp 12-3/ 20 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground Rolls of stranded wire HOOK UP Wires |
White
14 gauge 15 amp 120 volt 15 amp outlet, AFCI, GFCI, timer, switch etc can be installed on 15 or 20 amp breaker. Never connect 15 gauge wire to 20-30-40 amp breaker.  White/ #14 gauge wire, with ground ... 15 amp capacity. Safe maximum 12 amps. Buy: 14-2 gauge/ 15 amp 14-3/ 15 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
| 50-60
amp breaker use 6 gauge / 240 volt 50 outlet can be installed on 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 6-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
40-50
amp breaker use 8 gauge / 240 volt 40 amp outlet can be installed on 40 or 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 8-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
  Copper ground wire. Every device, load, metal enclosure etc must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous throughout installation, never switched on-off, never used as a Neutral wire. Generally ... use same size as other wire in circuit Buy: 12 gauge copper ground wire Ground wire Green ground wire Ground pigtails Ground rods/ ground clamps at Amazon |
 Non metallic flexible cables must carry ground wire, but do not have hazard of short circuit causing injury from shock. Armored steel cable can be used as a grounded connection, and will protect wires from damage. Metal can be energized from an insulation failure. All conduit ...metal, plastic ... flexible and rigid ... must be attached to structure, and attached to enclosures, boxes. Movement, damage and deterioration are major cause of electrical failure. Buy: Non-metallic flexible conduit Power whip Armored cable Southwire armored cable cutter Pull boxes |
 Electrical tools must be insulated. Always best to disconnect power, but insulation failure, lack of proper grounding, grounded neutral, lack of GFCI, out-of-code wiring, generator operating without transfer switch, and other problems still pose a risk to anyone working on electric power ... even when breaker is off. Buy: Electrician tools kits KLEIN TOOLS Tools kits IRWIN tools KNIPEX Telephone cable knife Low Voltage Mounting Bracket for Telephone |
 600 volt 12 ga Stranded wire ot THHN wire is good for conduit with multiple wires ... but stranded cannot be installed under screw terminals on outlets, switches, timers etc without risk ... of heat causing splayed strands ....that come loose ... and begin to arc. Connect stranded to short piece of solid copper wire, and attach solid to screw terminal. Do not solder residential or commercial wiring. Project wire, extension cords, thermostat, bell and automotive wire are not rated for residential or commercial wiring. Only wire marked 600 volt can be used for permanent household wiring. Buy: Southwire 600 volt stranded wire Rolls of stranded wire HOOK UP Wires |
 Protect wiring from damage Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable. -Code says: Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15 Buy End cutting nippers at Amazon |
  Electrically insulated tools When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistance and heat on wire and creates possible weak point. Buy tools: KLEIN TOOLS Wire strippers at Amazon Electric Wire Stripping Machine Linesman pliers Utility knife at Amazon |
 Multimeters Voltage is tested across two separate wires. Ohms or resistance is tested across both ends of same wire. Amperage is tested along one or two points on same wire. Buy: Analog multimeter Multimeters at Amazon Klein multimeter Electric testers at Amazon Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line |
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Dia
1)
Typical residential water heater: 240
Volt 4500 watt:
Black and White wires are hot > bare copper is ground  |
30 amp 10 gauge wire
supports up to 5500 watt
non-simultaneous water heater When
using
black-and-white wires for 240Volt, add tape to white wire.
This action will tell next electrician that white wire carries power. Connect either wire to either wire  Breaker box |
 Meter on water heaterUse kWh hour meter to record usage of water heater. This is most accurate way to determine what percentage of bill is going to water heater over a full month. Take only showers for a week see what it costs per shower vs bath ... observe hot water usage for laundry etc. To connect meter: Temporarily disconnect wires from top of heater. Install meter on two jumper wires. Use jumpers to temporarily reconnect power to water heater. Cover with tape to secure temporary connection. Add conduit and junction box if meter is to be installed for any length of time. Buy 240 volt pass through kWh meter Resource: How many kilowatts to heat water Water heater causing high electric bill |
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 Meter on water heaterThe kWh meter is din rail mounted inside enclosure. Track exact usage Connect either wire to either wire. Black to black and white to red is my technique, but it works either way.. Buy Bomain power meter Ketotek power meter 240 volt pass through kWh meter 2T2502GA beige plastic enclosure 2T2500GA grey plastic enclosure din rails Resource: Enclosures Figure volts amp watts for water heater |
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Dia
2)
Typical residential water heater: 240
Volt 3500 watt |
20 amp 12 gauge wire supports up
to 3800 watt non-simultaneous water
heater Read label on side of water heater. Using 12 gauge wire on 4500 watt water heater can overheat wire and breaker, causing shortened breaker life and possible damage to breaker busbar Using 12 gauge wire on 5500 watt water heater will blow breaker Resources: Figure volts amps watts for water heater Choose correct wire and breaker size Water heater is tripping breaker |
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Dia
3) 3-wire 240
Volt circuit with neutral wire: uncommon Not typically found in residential water heater circuits Black and Red wires are hot > bare copper is ground > white is neutral  Larger image |
 Resources: How to wire thermostats How thermostats work  |
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Dia
4) 120
Volt water heater circuit: for under
counter water heater
Typical example of under-counter water heater Black wire is hot > white wire is neutral > bare copper is ground  Resources: Water heater will work on any voltage as long as element voltage matches supply voltage Convert 240V water heater to 120V Connect water heater to generator |
 Resource: Wire sizes  |
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Residential
Main panel has 120 and 240 volt circuits. This is called single-phase electric power. Phasing is determined by the power company transformers. -Each 120 volt circuit can include up to 12 outlets, and supply power to lights inside a room. - Generally each 120 volt circuit sends power to one area of home. This is because the wire leaves breaker box and goes to first junction box inside a room. From the junction box, the wire splits off and goes to each individual box, jumping from box to box until the final box is reached. So each box will have 1 black hot wire, 1 white neutral wire, and 1 ground wire that connect back to main breaker box. - Some circuit breakers are dedicated to 1 specific appliance. For example the kitchen microwave is usually wired to 1 circuit breaker and no other outlets or lights are connected to that breaker. This is because microwave draws so much amperage. That is called dedicated circuit, and dedicated breaker. - Each 240 volt circuit is usually dedicated to one appliance. For example electric water heater is connected to 1 240 volt breaker. The electric dryer is connected to another 240 volt breaker. The heat/AC is connected to another 240 volt circuit breaker, and so on. Resources: See inside main breaker box How to replace circuit breaker How to install subpanel Figure volts amps watts for electric water heater Difference between single-phase and 3-phase |
 Timer
installed on water heaterBuy T104 240 volt timer Resources 240 volt T100 series timers Compare all timers Control water heater with 30 amp switch Control water heater with Zwave Control water heater with remote switch Control water heater with WEMO Toggle water heater and car charger |
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Fused
safety switch Cuts power to one or both legs of 240V circuit. Rated for indoor. -3 Hp motor, 17 amps, use 30-60 amp safety switch -30 amp water heater, use 30-60 amp Since water heater is on a breaker, then either fusible or non-fusible is fine Buy from my affiliate links: L211N 30 Amp 120/240-Volt/ 30A /one plug fuse L221N 30 Amp 240-Volt/ 30A/ two plug fuses As illustrated
2-pole outdoor / 60 amp/ non-fusible2-pole outdoor / 30 amp/ non-fusible 2-pole indoor / 30 amp/ fusible 2-pole indoor / 30 amp/ fusible Heavy duty safety switches at Amazon Resource: L111N specs Single pole 30 amp 120 volt w neutral/ indoor L211N specs Double pole 30 amp 120/240 volt w neutral |
 L211N Fusible Larger image Larger image2 |
Electrical problems
-Heat means electric loss. -Hot
breaker: put hand on each breaker to feel if it is warm or hot
-Undersized wire and breaker: 4500-5500 watt water heater requires 30
amp breaker and 10 ga wire up to 150 feet away from main breaker box.
Use 40 amp and 8 gauge wire over 150 feet.Resources: Figure volts amps watts for water heater Match breaker and wire size Water-heater-is-blowing-breaker  Stress test breaker panelHow to replace circuit breaker Water heater causing high electric bill |
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 What is 3-phase electric: power plant to end user |
Electricity: The grid is defined by three parts: transmission, distribution and end user. The following links show how it works Power plant to end user power pole Power pole to residential breaker box Power pole to commercial breaker box How to wire basic home electric How to wire commercial 3-phase Why you need ground wire How to wire 3-phase timer 3-phase water heater |
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Buy
from my affiliate links every time/ thanks: Amazon ''As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases'' Enter Amazon from any link on my site, fill cart with any item ... purchases pay small commission E-mail: geno03245w@gmail.com My response might end up in spam folder, check email folders Waterheatertimer on Twitter Message thru facebook |
