wirebender
Senior Member
- Location
- North Central Texas
Is a local disconnect required for the igniter for an on demand gas water heater?
I always install a SP switch in a bubble cover beside the WH. 422.31Is a local disconnect required for the igniter for an on demand gas water heater?
The ones I have hooked up were over the 300 w limit. On a gas unit you have more to power than just the igniter. It powers the igniter, fan, control valve and for the ones that can be installed outdoors they have a small elect. heater in them to keep the heat exchanger from freezing.I doubt it, the load is probably under 300 watts, 422.31.
I have yet to see a gas water heater with electronic controls not come with a cord and plug for connection, the combustion blower is about the only load on them that might draw any kind of power.
I have no idea of one with an electric heater for the heat exchanger? I would think if it was installed outdoors it would have the hot water to keep it warm, personally I would not even think of installing a water heater outdoors in an area that it gets cold enough to freeze, mainly if it ever stopped working the tank could freeze and burst, but also the heat loss would be much greater in colder temps as well as the pipe to and from it would be subject to freezing, what about a long power outage? what part of this just doesn't sound like a good idea?:dunce:
I have yet to see a gas water heater with electronic controls not come with a cord and plug for connection, the combustion blower is about the only load on them that might draw any kind of power.
I have no idea of one with an electric heater for the heat exchanger? I would think if it was installed outdoors it would have the hot water to keep it warm, personally I would not even think of installing a water heater outdoors in an area that it gets cold enough to freeze, mainly if it ever stopped working the tank could freeze and burst, but also the heat loss would be much greater in colder temps as well as the pipe to and from it would be subject to freezing, what about a long power outage? what part of this just doesn't sound like a good idea?:dunce:
I have yet to see one with a cord and plug. All of the Rinnai units I have done are hard wired in. The gas units are mounted on an exterior wall with the pipes well insulated. The electric heater is just to keep the exchanger from freezing. It is true that you are in trouble with an extended power outage but there a lot of other things going on also. ( Makes selling a stand by generator easer)I have yet to see a gas water heater with electronic controls not come with a cord and plug for connection, the combustion blower is about the only load on them that might draw any kind of power.
I have no idea of one with an electric heater for the heat exchanger? I would think if it was installed outdoors it would have the hot water to keep it warm, personally I would not even think of installing a water heater outdoors in an area that it gets cold enough to freeze, mainly if it ever stopped working the tank could freeze and burst, but also the heat loss would be much greater in colder temps as well as the pipe to and from it would be subject to freezing, what about a long power outage? what part of this just doesn't sound like a good idea?:dunce:
That is all true. Where I am the min. depth for water lines is 18". My brother that lived in Ohio said their min. was 48". So there is a difference. On the ones I do I just come into the back of WP box next to the heater, carflex to the heater with #14 THWN, SP switch with a bubble cover. Inspector is happy.I agree, but I am also from farther north like you are, where it freezes and doesn't necessarily thaw out for weeks or months.
You are talking to people farther south that see freezing temps but almost never see these temps for any significant time.
We are burying underground water lines 5 or 6 feet deep to ensure they never freeze where they could probably put them 3 or 4 inches deep and they would never freeze.
I have yet to see one with a cord and plug. All of the Rinnai units I have done are hard wired in. The gas units are mounted on an exterior wall with the pipes well insulated. The electric heater is just to keep the exchanger from freezing. It is true that you are in trouble with an extended power outage but there a lot of other things going on also. ( Makes selling a stand by generator easer)
That is all true. Where I am the min. depth for water lines is 18". My brother that lived in Ohio said their min. was 48". So there is a difference. On the ones I do I just come into the back of WP box next to the heater, carflex to the heater with #14 THWN, SP switch with a bubble cover. Inspector is happy.
I have yet to see one with a cord and plug. All of the Rinnai units I have done are hard wired in. The gas units are mounted on an exterior wall with the pipes well insulated. The electric heater is just to keep the exchanger from freezing. It is true that you are in trouble with an extended power outage but there a lot of other things going on also. ( Makes selling a stand by generator easer).