Electrical Wiring for a Water Heater Circuit

Water Heater Wire
Electrical Question:What type of wire should I use for a water heater circuit?

• I need to relocate an electrical heater, which uses a 50 amp circuit breaker.
• 6/3 AWG wire is pretty expensive, but I have hundreds of feet of 12 AWG wire.
• Can I use 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 lines of 12 AWG, connected to one 6 AWG and still be safe?

Thanks, Richard

This home electrical wiring question came from: Richard, from Lakewood, California.

Additional Comments: Terrific web-site, which has helped me with a complete kitchen remodel, only 120 there, so I knew I could figure things out safely.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your Electrical Wiring Question Richard.

Wire for a Water Heater

Application: Wiring a 240 Volt Electric Water Heater.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced, Best installed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Work in electrical panels is not recommended for homeowners, non-experienced individuals or non-electricians.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, electric drill,  auger bits and extension cord as needed depending on the scope of the project.
Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools and install 240 volt electrical circuit wiring.
Precaution: Identify the main circuit in the panel, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring or installing the 240 volt wiring and circuit breaker.
Notice: Installing an additional 240 volt circuit should be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected.

Wire for a 240 Volt Electric Water Heater

• Selecting Electrical Wire for a Water Heater Circuit
  
  • Note: Correct Wiring Methods are the Key to safe Electrical Circuits when installing the wiring for a water heater.
• Reusing Existing Electrical Wire
  • I get this question every once and a while, and I understand you don’t want to buy more electrical wire, but it really would not be right to use a bunch of #12 wire to parallel feed a water heater circuit, so my advice it not to, this way you will avoid a lot of confusion and the possibility of a problem in the future.
• A Typical 240 Volt Electric Water Heater Circuit
  • The most common electric water heater requires a dedicated 30 amp 240 volt circuit consisting of 2 hots and a ground wire.
  • The typical circuit for a water heater is a 10/2 NM with Ground Copper cable, 3 wires in all including the ground wire.
• Different Circuit Requirements for Different Water Heater Volume or Capacity
  • This particular question refers to a water heater that may have a larger capacity and therefore larger heating elements, so the water heater requires a larger dedicated 240 volt 50 amp circuit.
  • Be sure to verify your specific electrical circuit requirement by consulting the Installation or Owners Manual which came with the water heater.

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Home Electrical Wiring and Electrical Repairs Please Note: Unless otherwise posted, please refer to the following Guidelines when working on Electrical Projects: Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced - Electrical Repairs and Circuit Wiring is Best Performed by a Certified Electrician or Licensed Electrical Contractor. Electrical Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools, a Voltage Tester and a Multi Meter. Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools, work with electrical wiring, and the available access to the project area. Precaution: Identify the project circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring. Important: Modifying existing electrical circuits or installing additional electrical wiring should be done according to local and National Electrical Codes, with a permit and be inspected.

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