Breaker Size For Electric Hot Water Tank

Understanding water heater wiring.

Breaker size for electric hot water tank.

Now in order to choose an electric breaker multiply the current draw of the water heater with 125 per cent in order to determine the size of the breaker you will need. But with a 25 amp breaker the 20 amp water heater will only cover 80 of the total capacity of the circuit breaker. Of course pairing up the right circuit breaker according to the water heater demands is useful. 1 or 2.

Some large heaters draw up to 50 amps requiring 6 gauge wire. Rheem tankless electric water heaters make it easy to enjoy instantaneous continuous hot water space saving design and significant energy cost savings. For a tank style heater household size is a simple indicator of hot water needs. Just follow the three simple steps below to choose the right model and size you need.

In north america the standard sizes for breakers are 15 20 30 and 40 amps. 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. The 15 amp size breaker is used in general circuit wiring. So it will work consistently and in a stable way.

Multiply the current rating of the water heater with 125. In the above example we would require a 15 6 amp circuit breaker for our us readers. You can estimate the necessary tank capacity in gallons based on the number of people in the house. Electric water heaters require a 240 volt dedicated circuit which serves only the water heater and no other appliances or devices.

A 40a breaker would be appropriate to protect 8 wiring but it would not be preferred to protect a standard water heater at 40a. The circuit wiring typically includes a 30 amp double pole breaker and 10 2 non metallic nm or mc cable. Wire a hot water heater with wire that s sized to accommodate the heater s current requirement. Choose the right tankless electric water heater for you.

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. First lets start with the nec code for this water heater application.