Water Heater Copper Wire Size

Wire a hot water heater with wire that s sized to accommodate the heater s current requirement.

Water heater copper wire size. When a water heater is connected with copper piping the union where the copper meets the steel fittings on the water heater is subject to a slight electrical potential that can accelerate corrosion. Some large heaters draw up to 50 amps requiring 6 gauge wire. The circuit wiring typically includes a 30 amp double pole breaker and 10 2 non metallic nm or mc cable. Less than 1500 watts may be wired 14 gauge with 15a protection.

For example a 20 amp hot water heater needs 12 gauge wire a 25 amp hot water heater requires 10 gauge wire and a 30 to 40 amp hot water heater requires 8 gauge wire. Electrical wiring and circuit breaker for a water heater. May or may not be in conduit. This electrical wiring project is about changing the wiring for a water heater in a home.

10 awg for up to 30 amps 8 awg for 40 to 50 amps and 6 awf for more than 50 amps. If you are able to follow the wire you may find it is used to bridge an electrical discontinuity in the plumbing you d see this across your main water meter or to carry a ground connection to another piece of equipment such as a telephone termination box. Circuit breaker protection wire gauge size chart for water heater the following chart shows the circuit breaker size in amperes and copper wire size in gauge for 120v 208v and 240v ac. I agree with you that this water heater circuit is not a typical configuration and the common circuit for a new home is 10 copper wire protected by a 2pole 30amp circuit breaker however lets look at this application carefully.

Electric water heaters require a 240 volt dedicated circuit which serves only the water heater and no other appliances or devices. At the water heater the black circuit wire connects to the black wire lead on the water heater and the white circuit wire connects to the white wire lead on the water heater. When it comes to 120 volt circuits the most common range wire sizes are 14 and 12 awg. This would be a single conductor usually a stranded wire made of copper or aluminum clamped to the pipe.

The bonding wire is intended to allow that faint current between the water pipes to bypass the copper to steel fittings and thereby prevent corrosion caused by electrolysis. How to install a 120 volt 20 gallon electric water heater. Because they draw more current 240 volt appliances require a minimum wire size of 10 awg.