journeyman0217
Senior Member
- Location
- philadelphia,pa
does an electric hot water heater need a disconnect?
hot water heater disconnect?
- Thread starter journeyman0217
- Start date
- Status
mjf
Senior Member
Why would you heat hot water?
disconnect required.
can be the breaker if it meets code requirements.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
See 422 part III, and find the applicable subsection for your "water heater".
Pretty much all "water heaters" can have the branch circuit device as the disconnecting means. If it is over 300 VA and not within sight, the branch circuit device must have lockable means installed that complies with 110.25.
That information taken from 2014 NEC.
Pretty much all "water heaters" can have the branch circuit device as the disconnecting means. If it is over 300 VA and not within sight, the branch circuit device must have lockable means installed that complies with 110.25.
That information taken from 2014 NEC.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Pretty much the same in the 2008 NEC, which I believe PA is still using.
journeyman0217
Senior Member
- Location
- philadelphia,pa
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
An $8 air conditioner disconnect is suitable for this purpose. Or if you like spending time and money unnecessarily, you can use a 30 amp double pole toggle switch ($$$) with a raised cover.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
They are $5 here.
Where are you buying them for $5? Out of someone's trunk?
MNSparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor - 2023 NEC
Got you both beat. Home Depot had the GE version of the Midwest disconnect on sale this summer for $4.74. I bought 150 of them and they gave me an additional 10% off. I have about 80 of them left. They'll be gone by July. Hopefully they do that sale again in the summer!
i usually don't use a disconnect on water heaters. I just throw a breaker lock on, way quicker.
i usually don't use a disconnect on water heaters. I just throw a breaker lock on, way quicker.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
HD. I do occasionally buy firestop products on flea-bay; hard to beat a case of 4hr rated 3M or FS1 for 30$ shipped.
and what MNSparky wrote.
cbledsoe89
Member
- Location
- texas
The company I work for always installs a 3 wire
dryer cord and plug
dryer cord and plug
MNSparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor - 2023 NEC
I've never seen that before. I'd guess you'd be into it for more than $5-7 after buying the receptacle, plate and cord.
journeyman0217
Senior Member
- Location
- philadelphia,pa
thanks kwired for the article references :thumbsup:
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I fail to see how that complies with 400.7, maybe you can plead (A)(6) or (8) allows it in some rare instance, but that is pushing it on the average water heater install.
As mentioned a cheap AC disconnect and short piece of flex probably cost less anyway.
ghorwood
Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas
Why not a plug and cord connection? To disconnect, just pull the plug.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
It's a waste of money to do it that way, and it's not code compliant.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
What section(s) would that violate?
I've never seen a cord and plug water heater, but I always figured it was due to hardwiring, even with a disco, being less expensive.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
You can't add a cord to something that does not come with one from the factory and you can't get rid of a cord when it does a la UL it think. Also, you can't use a cord in place of permanent wiring methods, 400.8.
Coppersmith
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa, FL, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
400.7(A)(6) Connection of utilization equipment to facilitate frequent interchange.
I've had three water heaters in 25 years. That seems very frequent based on the time and effort to replace them. :roll:
jk
- Status