Table of Contents
Electric water heaters require a 240-volt dedicated circuit, which serves only the water heater and no other appliances or devices. The circuit wiring typically includes a 30-amp double-pole breaker and 10-2 non-metallic (NM) or MC cable.
What size breaker do I need for a 40 gallon hot water heater?
With our answer, a 40-gallon water heater needs at least a 25-amp breaker, the closest to the amperage value. However, I highly recommend using 30-amps for a safer breaker size.
Can I use a 40 amp breaker for a 30 amp water heater?
If you are sure there is (at least) #8 wire all the way from the breaker to the water heater, you can just replace the 30A breaker with a 40A breaker, but if and only if you have verified the size of the wire throughout the entire circuit.
How many amps is a 50 gallon water heater?
A typical 50 gallon electric water heater runs at 4500 watts. In an electric circuit of 240 volts, 4500 watts is equivalent to 18.75 amps.
Can you use a 20 amp breaker for a water heater?
A water heater with a 4500-watt heating element requires a 10/2 wire with a 30 amp (240volt) circuit breaker. The 3800-watt heating element can be wired with a smaller 12/2 wire and a 20 amp circuit breaker.
Can I use a 40 amp breaker for a water heater?
You cannot put a 40A breaker on #10 wire. If you are sure there is (at least) #8 wire all the way from the breaker to the water heater, you can just replace the 30A breaker with a 40A breaker, but if and only if you have verified the size of the wire throughout the entire circuit.
Can I use a 40 amp breaker for a hot water heater?
Can I use a 40 amp breaker for a water heater? – Quora. Yes, if AND ONLY IF the wires from the breakers to the water heaters are sufficient to carry 40 amps (e.g. 8-gauge 90C THHN copper). The largest residential heating elements for a tanked water heater are 7000 watts.
What size breaker is needed for a 50 gallon electric water heater?
The standard for water heater circuits is #10, two conductors with ground (10/2) and a 30 amp circuit breaker for a water heater.
Can I use a 50 amp breaker for a 30 amp water heater?
30 amps is where a 30 amp breaker should cut off, and to avoid that, you should only use 80% of the breaker’s capacity. So for a 30 amp breaker, you shouldn’t be using more than 24 amps. Using a 50 amp breaker and a dedicated outlet ensures that you don’t exceed the capacity of the circuit with that appliance.
What size breaker do I need for a 20 gallon electric water heater?
Electric water heaters require a 240-volt dedicated circuit, which serves only the water heater and no other appliances or devices. The circuit wiring typically includes a 30-amp double-pole breaker and 10-2 non-metallic (NM) or MC cable.
How many amps does a 30 gallon electric water heater use?
The branch circuit needs to be calculated at 125% of the rated ampacity for this type of water heater to be considered a continuous load. In order to work on a 20 Amp OCPD, you will need a 25 or 30 Amp circuit.
How many amps does a 110 hot water heater use?
The standard amperage for an electric water heater is 18.8 Amps with 240Volts, 4500 Watt.
Can I use 10 3 wire for a hot water heater?
Can I Use 10 3 Wire For A Hot Water Heater? You can use 10/3 wire. Use the red and black wires as hot conductors. The ground wire will run to the green screw.
What size breaker do I need for a 4500 watt hot water heater?
The right circuit breaker for this appliance with 4500 watts at 240 volts is either 25 amps or 30 amps. If the water heater isn’t rated as “continuous load”, then it would have been fine to use 100% of the circuit breaker’s rating.
What size wire do I need for a 40-gallon electric water heater?
An average 40-gallon electric water heater requires 12 gauges of wire. You cannot use a 6 gauge or 10 gauge wire in that case. The current will overflow and the wire will start melting.
What size breaker do I need for a 60 gallon water heater?
All water heater models are compatible with the 2-10 copper wire and 30-amp breaker combination.
What size breaker do I need for a 240 volt heater?
Adding a 240-volt baseboard heater usually requires a new 20- or 30-amp double-pole circuit breaker and new circuit wiring to supply one or more heater units. This is a dedicated circuit that serves only the heater.
What happens if you oversize a breaker?
If there is a direct short in an appliance a breaker will kick off even if oversized, but if there is simply a crossed or burned wire it may not turn off. This would cause a possible shock hazard. It is best to size the breaker slightly above the total current draw of the appliance.
Can I replace a 40 amp breaker with a 50 amp?
In general, no. Installing a 50A breaker on wiring only designed to support 40A is dangerous and can result in a house fire.
What size breaker do I need for an electric heater?
Multiply the value for current by 125 percent to determine the size of the breaker you need for the heater. A 1500-watt heater on a 120-volt circuit thus needs a breaker of 15.6 amps. Because a 15-amp breaker would be too small, you need a breaker with the next highest rating, which is 20 amps.
Why does my water heater keep tripping the breaker?
Breaker Breaker There are three possible explanations for a breaker being tripped by a hot water heater: water dripping on the electrical lines, a problem with the unit’s thermostat or a problem with the breaker. A malfunctioning thermostat is the most common cause. In this case, the thermostat should be replaced.
What size wire would you run for a 30 amp breaker connected to a electric water heater?
Electrical wires Since the generic breaker size for water heaters is 30-amps, the best wire size is a #10 American Wiring Gauge (AWG).
Can you use a 60 amp breaker for a water heater?
Most Tankless Water Heaters, usually, require (2) 2-pole breakers. Now, per the Manufacture Specifications: Single Phase, 60 amp, 240 volt system, would require (1) 2-pole 60 Amp Breaker, If the tankless heater is a total consumption of 60 amps, then, you may need only a 30 or 40 amp, 2 pole breaker.
What is a 50 amp breaker used for?
A 50-amp breaker can run appliances like ovens, hairdryers, air conditioners, and multiple lights simultaneously while (possibly) still sparing power. The reason for this breaker’s capacity is because it can hold up to 12,000 watts running on a 240-volt circuit (50-amps x 240-volts).
Can you use 12 2 wire for a water heater?
Most electric water heaters installed in North America require a 30-ampere grounded 240-volt connection which requires a pair #10 copper wires PLUS a ground wire. Copper 12/2 wire is rated for a maximum of just 20-amperes and would be inadequate both in current capacity and for lacking a ground wire.
