Electric Water heater GFCI?

[Protek]

I do a lot of troubleshooting on various electrical equipment as an electrical technician at a resort. A few years ago I had a situation where electric steamer showers in a hotel were shocking some guests. After I located a faulty steamer element that was going to ground (milliamps), I decided to put GFCI breakers on all the steamers in the whole building. My question is this; why does the code not require GFCI breakers on steam heating units like this and why are water heaters not NEC required to have GFCI protection also? Hot tubs are, what's the difference? I realize you step into a hot tub and touching ground, but the same hazard exists in the shower with hot water coming from the water heater element.
Thanks for your input....Craig

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Are all the plumbing pipes bonding or is this a plastic system except where the steamer is installed? The egc should take care of bad faults but small leakage may not be enough to trip a breaker.

I guess no one has died from a steamer yet.

 

[Protek]

Not sure about the actual plumbing involved. Just using that situation as an example. The question stands, why no GFCI requirement for electric water heater? In my opinion, there is a shock hazard, I' seen it happen, and measured the current with a meter.

 

[raider1]

Not sure about the actual plumbing involved. Just using that situation as an example. The question stands, why no GFCI requirement for electric water heater? In my opinion, there is a shock hazard, I' seen it happen, and measured the current with a meter.

Welcome to the forum.

For the NEC to require GFCI protection of a water heater someone must submit a code change proposal with substantiation that such GFCI protection is needed.

I would suggest that if you feel it is important that you submit the proposal for the 2014 code cycle and see if it is accepted.

Chris

 

[Protek]

Thanks for the suggestion Chris. My intentions here are to get anyone else to offer an explanation on the water heater/GFCI issue. Just wondering what other electricians/technicians have seen or think about the shock potential there. The NEC is quite adamant about GFCI protection where water and power meet. Kitchens, bathrooms, outside, etc. But nothing about an electric heating element submersed in water that we all touch?

 

[iwire]

The NEC is quite adamant about GFCI protection where water and power meet. Kitchens, bathrooms, outside, etc. But nothing about an electric heating element submersed in water that we all touch?

For the most part the NEC does not require GFCI protection of hardwired equipment. (There are a couple of exceptions)

I can locate an electrical panel right beside a sink with no GFCI requirement.

More recently the NEC has started requiring hardwired pool pumps to be GFCI protected.

If you would like to get a proposal passed you will need to provide more of a reason than 'I think GFCI protection is needed'.

My first question in regards to the heaters you where talking about would be did you check for proper grounding of the heater and bonding of the water lines?