Trying to wire new water heater
#1
07-10-14, 10:18 AM
Trying to wire new water heater
I'm installing a new electric water after the heater coil on my boiler failed so everything is new. I can't figure out what I did wrong but I got a delayed (2 min. or so) snap, crackle from the wires after energizing the circuit.
The WH is a 50 gallon Rheem unit with a black wire and red wire coming out of the casing and a pinch ground screw on the cover plate.
From the fuse box I installed 10/2 wire to a double pole, single throw breaker. Black to one pole, white to the other pole, and bare to the ground busbar.
I connected the black wire from supply to the black wire in the WH and the white wire from supply to the red wire in the WH, the bare wire went into a slot and was held in place by the green ground screw.
When I flipped the breaker the display on the WH lit up and I was able to switch the WH on. After 30 seconds or so I noticed a smell and assumed it was the new element heating up, then after another minute or so I heard a popping noise and saw sparking from the top of the WH. I flipped the breaker as quick as I could. Now it looks like the burn smell was the plastic wire nut melting, but everything else looks okay.
Can somebody please tell me what I did wrong?
The WH is a 50 gallon Rheem unit with a black wire and red wire coming out of the casing and a pinch ground screw on the cover plate.
From the fuse box I installed 10/2 wire to a double pole, single throw breaker. Black to one pole, white to the other pole, and bare to the ground busbar.
I connected the black wire from supply to the black wire in the WH and the white wire from supply to the red wire in the WH, the bare wire went into a slot and was held in place by the green ground screw.
When I flipped the breaker the display on the WH lit up and I was able to switch the WH on. After 30 seconds or so I noticed a smell and assumed it was the new element heating up, then after another minute or so I heard a popping noise and saw sparking from the top of the WH. I flipped the breaker as quick as I could. Now it looks like the burn smell was the plastic wire nut melting, but everything else looks okay.
Can somebody please tell me what I did wrong?
#2
07-10-14, 10:37 AM
Group Moderator
Did you fill the water heater with water turning on the breaker ?
If a wire nut melted..... that would mean the connection was loose.
If a wire nut melted..... that would mean the connection was loose.
#4
07-10-14, 10:42 AM
Group Moderator
Make sure your wires are twisted and then put the wire nuts on. You should be using the big blue or gray wire nuts.
#6
07-10-14, 10:48 AM
Group Moderator
#7
07-10-14, 10:50 AM
Okay, I'm just glad to hear that I hooked up the wiring correctly!
I think the problem was that the WH wires are strand core and they are hard to wrap with the solid core of the supply. Lousy excuse, but I think that's what it was.
I think the problem was that the WH wires are strand core and they are hard to wrap with the solid core of the supply. Lousy excuse, but I think that's what it was.
#8
07-10-14, 11:14 AM
Group Moderator
