Electric Water Heater Wiring With Diagram

In the above diagram i shown that the upper water heater element is switched OFF and lower heater element is switch ON. Note that these element is 220 volts ratings and you can also 440 volts heater elements but you need to provide the line supply, my mean to lines or two hot wires supply 440 volts.

The wiring connection for both single phase 120V and 240V are same i.e. the Line is connected to the L 1 terminal while neutral or second line is connected to the L 3 terminal. The water heater element is connected to the thermostat via T 2 as hot and L 4 as neutral. Black color is “Neutral” while red is “Phase or Line” and the yellow/green wire is used for ground / earth.

Now there is the option of wiring a hot water heater so the both elements run at the same time. This reduces the recovery time and will provide more hot water. The trade off it that it uses more amps and requires heavier wire. Wiring an electric water heater with simultaneous element operation will mean a 45 Amp breaker and #6 wire.

An electric water heater's wiring diagram enables someone to completely rewire a water heater even after removing all of the wires and parts. Water heaters contain three basic electrical components: elements, thermostats and a high-temperature limit switch.

Understanding Water Heater Wiring . 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.

But your electric water heater wiring may differ in that it may have only one heating element, or the two-element heater may operate the heaters individually (non-simultaneous), or your unit could be a 120V heater (less common at residential buildings) or even a three-phase installation (more likely at larger heaters and commercial installations).

Most home hot water heaters are powered by a 240-volt circuit. While all voltages are dangerous, it is this particular voltage which is most notorious for causing severe injury or death. It is extremely important that the circuit be OFF when wiring an electric water heater.

Assortment of wiring diagram for hot water heater element. A wiring diagram is a simplified conventional photographic representation of an electrical circuit. It shows the elements of the circuit as streamlined shapes, and the power and also signal links in between the devices.