Electric Water Heater

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wmeek

Senior Member
Location
Texas
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Electrician
Is it legal to run romex to water heater without having any type of conduit protecting it. The water heater is mounted in the attic. I know you have to have a disconnecting means. But am not sure about the romex unproteceted.

Thanks
 
wmeek said:
Is it legal to run romex to water heater without having any type of conduit protecting it. The water heater is mounted in the attic. I know you have to have a disconnecting means. But am not sure about the romex unproteceted.

Thanks
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I have seen many done that way but you must be able to support the NM at the appropriate places. I usually just sleeve the NM in a piece of carflex with a 90 degree fitting and strap it close to the unit.

I believe some inspectors will call you on it not being protected. Personally I see nothing wrong with it.
 
I've seen it many times. Even seen the NM ty-wrapped to the cold water pipe. Gotta have a disconnect if not within sight of the panelboard serving it.
 
To me, your installation would be a violation of 334.15 also 334.30(B).
Common practice in this area is to use flex or at lest sleeve the NM.
 
Code wise you are fine with the proper support already mentioned.

For the record, this is how residential water heaters are usually wired in my area, regardless of location in the dwelling. I have yet to see a disconnect on one either (when a disconnect is required.) :confused:
 
peter d said:
Code wise you are fine with the proper support already mentioned.

For the record, this is how residential water heaters are usually wired in my area, regardless of location in the dwelling. I have yet to see a disconnect on one either (when a disconnect is required.) :confused:
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I'm thinking 422.31(B).:smile:
 
wbalsam1 said:
I can't see the specific prohibition. Cite me on it and make it stick. :-?:smile:
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334.15 defines how NM is to be installed for exposed work. b A piece of NM "floating: and not secured to or following a building finsih or on runnimng boards and no protected from physical damage does not meet the requiremts of 334.15. Nor does it meet the requirements of 334.30(B) for unsupported cables.

Cited often, has always "stuck"
 
wbalsam1 said:
I'm thinking 422.31(B).:smile:
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I know a disconnect is required. I just rarely see them installed. I wire electric hot water heaters once in a blue moon. They are not very common here, at least not in the areas that I work in with natural gas readily available.
 
augie47 said:
334.15 defines how NM is to be installed for exposed work. b A piece of NM "floating: and not secured to or following a building finsih or on runnimng boards and no protected from physical damage does not meet the requiremts of 334.15. Nor does it meet the requirements of 334.30(B) for unsupported cables.

Cited often, has always "stuck"
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Where did the OP say that the wire was not secured. Do all the wires in an attic have to protected-- I think not. If there is support for the nm-- a board with staples-- then I cannot see the problem.
 
augie47 said:
334.15 defines how NM is to be installed for exposed work. b A piece of NM "floating: and not secured to or following a building finsih or on runnimng boards and no protected from physical damage does not meet the requiremts of 334.15. Nor does it meet the requirements of 334.30(B) for unsupported cables.

Cited often, has always "stuck"
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Just a question here...I know the code doesn't specifically state it, but isn't the intent the same to fasten the NM to the cold water pipe as it is to fasten it to a running board? In either example the NM is protected from injury from the backside and not from either side or the front. :)
 
Here, attics and crawl spaces are fine. If it is in a storage room or part of the home that may have storage, it is to be protected. No code reference, just the way it is ...:D.

c2500
 
I always sleeve the NM-B coming into a water heater and ditto for a furnace or well pump control box or pressure switch. Just a personal preference and if for no other reason, it just plain looks better:)
 
peter d said:
Code wise you are fine with the proper support already mentioned.

For the record, this is how residential water heaters are usually wired in my area, regardless of location in the dwelling. I have yet to see a disconnect on one either (when a disconnect is required.) :confused:
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The disconnect can be at the panel, if it can be locked in the off position and the disconnecting means remains in place with the lock removed.
Yep, one of those cheesy breaker locks.
 
This is the best method:

IMG_1549.JPG
 
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