- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Had a call today about a Lowes install of a new water heater. HO says the circuit needs to be 30 amps.
I get there and the old water heater is there-- leaking not working, with a 10/2 nm cable. They wanted me to upgrade the circuit before they put the heater in-- so I disconnected the old one and added a disco (pullout) and left a tail for them to hook it up-- thinking that's what they wanted.
They hook it up and said it failed their inspectorion. I asked what was wrong. They said the circuit needed to be 30 amps and the breaker was 25 amps.
I argued with them for 10 minutes on the phone saying it is perfectly legal with a heater with a 4500 watt element. Finally they called me back and told me the heater was a 5500 watt heater. Had to change the breaker.
Never seen one--- better change those residential clculations for the water heaters.
Here is the product and it does look interesting.
http://www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/products/electric/index.php
It uses smart energy technology and remembers how the family uses water.
I get there and the old water heater is there-- leaking not working, with a 10/2 nm cable. They wanted me to upgrade the circuit before they put the heater in-- so I disconnected the old one and added a disco (pullout) and left a tail for them to hook it up-- thinking that's what they wanted.
They hook it up and said it failed their inspectorion. I asked what was wrong. They said the circuit needed to be 30 amps and the breaker was 25 amps.
I argued with them for 10 minutes on the phone saying it is perfectly legal with a heater with a 4500 watt element. Finally they called me back and told me the heater was a 5500 watt heater. Had to change the breaker.
Never seen one--- better change those residential clculations for the water heaters.
Here is the product and it does look interesting.
http://www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/products/electric/index.php
It uses smart energy technology and remembers how the family uses water.
