Help, Hot Water Heater Timer Install?
#1
07-28-01, 10:26 PM
I just bought the Intermatic "Little Gray Box" 40amp Hot Water Heater Timer Switch, for use with my 240 VAC hot water heater.
I'm having problems installing it because the last time I tried, I got a "POW!" and a bright flash when I flipped on the circuit breaker.
The box has 6 terminals, labeled:
"Ground"
"A" Neutral
"1" Line
"2" Load
"3" Line
"4" Load
My water heater has 2 leads: one red wire, one black wire
The wall cable has 3 leads: one bare ground, one white wire, one black wire
Prior to starting this project, I noted that the Red and White wires were connected to each other, the Black and Black wires were connected to each other, and the Ground wire was attached to a lug on the water heater.
I bought 10' of matching spec romex cable to do this project. I need help with getting the connections right.
The timer is pre-connected on the "2" and "4" terminals.
The instructions are very vague, and I have no idea what the "1".."4" and "A" stuff means.
Can you please instruct which wires should be connected to what terminals?
Also, is it OK that my ground wires are bare and touching the side of the metal box?
BTW, I scanned and posted the instructions to my website at:
http://scottkeen.paradisesoftware.com/heatertimer.asp
Thanks,
Scott
scott@scottkeen.com
I'm having problems installing it because the last time I tried, I got a "POW!" and a bright flash when I flipped on the circuit breaker.
The box has 6 terminals, labeled:
"Ground"
"A" Neutral
"1" Line
"2" Load
"3" Line
"4" Load
My water heater has 2 leads: one red wire, one black wire
The wall cable has 3 leads: one bare ground, one white wire, one black wire
Prior to starting this project, I noted that the Red and White wires were connected to each other, the Black and Black wires were connected to each other, and the Ground wire was attached to a lug on the water heater.
I bought 10' of matching spec romex cable to do this project. I need help with getting the connections right.
The timer is pre-connected on the "2" and "4" terminals.
The instructions are very vague, and I have no idea what the "1".."4" and "A" stuff means.
Can you please instruct which wires should be connected to what terminals?
Also, is it OK that my ground wires are bare and touching the side of the metal box?
BTW, I scanned and posted the instructions to my website at:
http://scottkeen.paradisesoftware.com/heatertimer.asp
Thanks,
Scott
scott@scottkeen.com
#2
07-29-01, 06:47 AM
You have a double pole time clock which is right but the motor on your timer might be a 110v motor seeing that you have a neutral connection in the timer but the problem with that is you dont have 110v present you only have 240v I would bring the timer back and get one with a 240v timer motor this is probably your problem.When you do get the right timer line 1 and line 2 are the wires from the circuit breaker. load 1 and load 2 are the wires from the heater.
#3
07-29-01, 08:15 AM
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I'm not a plumber or electrican, but I've installed timers, and I thought they could be used for either 110v or 220v, if they had a neutral terminal. You just do not use the neutral terminal for 220, but you do need a neutral for 110v. raca may be right, I just don't know for sure. One of the pros in here (maybe raca is one) can set you straight.
"Line" is from the power source. In this case, both the black and white wires from your double-pole breaker are 110v hots. (No neutral for 220). If it were 110v, the white would be neutral and the black would be the hot.
"Load" is from whatever you have the timer connected to (water heater, irrigation pump, outdoor lights, etc.).
You can connect either wire from the breaker to Line 1 and 3 connections, and either wire from the water heater to Load 2 and 4. They are all 110v hots.
The bare ground wire goes to the green ground screws on the heater and in the timer. It is o.k. if the bare ground touches the metal timer box.
You should be using 10/2-with-ground for the romex for the 220v water heater on a 30 amp breaker. The 40 amp timer is more than adequate to carry the load.
Good Luck!
"Line" is from the power source. In this case, both the black and white wires from your double-pole breaker are 110v hots. (No neutral for 220). If it were 110v, the white would be neutral and the black would be the hot.
"Load" is from whatever you have the timer connected to (water heater, irrigation pump, outdoor lights, etc.).
You can connect either wire from the breaker to Line 1 and 3 connections, and either wire from the water heater to Load 2 and 4. They are all 110v hots.
The bare ground wire goes to the green ground screws on the heater and in the timer. It is o.k. if the bare ground touches the metal timer box.
You should be using 10/2-with-ground for the romex for the 220v water heater on a 30 amp breaker. The 40 amp timer is more than adequate to carry the load.
Good Luck!
#4
07-29-01, 08:34 AM
The Timer is 250 v
The timer is the correct voltage for the heater.
From the side of the timer box:
10,000 Watts at 250 Volts
40 Amps Per Pole
Switch (Double Pole Single Throw)
From the side of my water heater:
5,500 Watts
240 Volts
I can only think that either the unit is defective, or I hooked it up wrong. I'm assuming the latter, since the instructions weren't specific about which color wires go where. That's where I'm confused.
Scott
From the side of the timer box:
10,000 Watts at 250 Volts
40 Amps Per Pole
Switch (Double Pole Single Throw)
From the side of my water heater:
5,500 Watts
240 Volts
I can only think that either the unit is defective, or I hooked it up wrong. I'm assuming the latter, since the instructions weren't specific about which color wires go where. That's where I'm confused.
Scott
#5
07-29-01, 08:53 AM
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O.K., Scott. What you have sounds fine.
You can hook it up properly this way, using 10/2-with-ground.
1. Connect the black wire from the breaker panel to LINE 1 in the timer.
2. Connect the white wire from the breaker panel to LINE 3.
3. Connect the black wire from the timer to the water heater between LOAD 2 and the black wire on the water heater (twist wires together and then wirenut at heater).
4. Connect the white wire from the timer to the water heater between LOAD 4 and the red wire on the water heater (twist the wires together and then wirenut at heater).
5. Connect the bare ground wire from the breaker panel to the green screw on the timer.
6. Connect the bare wire from the green screw in the timer to the green screw on the water heater.
Or you can twist the bare grounds together at the timer with a 6" piece of bare wire, wirenut the 3 together, and attach the short pigtail bare wire to the green screw in the timer.
If there is no green screw on the timer, just twist and wirenut the two bare ground wires together at the timer.
Ignore the neutral terminal on the timer.
Good Luck!
You can hook it up properly this way, using 10/2-with-ground.
1. Connect the black wire from the breaker panel to LINE 1 in the timer.
2. Connect the white wire from the breaker panel to LINE 3.
3. Connect the black wire from the timer to the water heater between LOAD 2 and the black wire on the water heater (twist wires together and then wirenut at heater).
4. Connect the white wire from the timer to the water heater between LOAD 4 and the red wire on the water heater (twist the wires together and then wirenut at heater).
5. Connect the bare ground wire from the breaker panel to the green screw on the timer.
6. Connect the bare wire from the green screw in the timer to the green screw on the water heater.
Or you can twist the bare grounds together at the timer with a 6" piece of bare wire, wirenut the 3 together, and attach the short pigtail bare wire to the green screw in the timer.
If there is no green screw on the timer, just twist and wirenut the two bare ground wires together at the timer.
Ignore the neutral terminal on the timer.
Good Luck!
#6
07-29-01, 10:33 AM
Thanks
Thanks,
That's the configuration I had yesterday which popped the circuit.
So, I cut a new length of romex and started again.
Hooked it all up the same, and no sparks!
Unless my timer motor is blown from yesterday's experience, it appears to be working. I'll check the timer's clock an hour from now and see if it moved.
Thanks for the help.
Scott
That's the configuration I had yesterday which popped the circuit.
So, I cut a new length of romex and started again.
Hooked it all up the same, and no sparks!
Unless my timer motor is blown from yesterday's experience, it appears to be working. I'll check the timer's clock an hour from now and see if it moved.
Thanks for the help.
Scott
#8
07-29-01, 06:42 PM
I believe raca is right considering your problem.
I suspect that you have a black white and a bare 10/2wGrnd romex serving that water heater. I believe you cut that wire and ran it through the timer. This part was fine. However you most likely have a 120 volt timer motor requiring an insulated white [grounded leg] serving that timer motor and on hot line also serving that timer motor. If you truly have a black white and bare 10/2 serving that water heater you do not have an insulated grounded leg. Your white wire to that water heater is also hot not grounded. In order to use a timer that has 240 volt contacts but a timer ran on 120 volt then you need a second cable probably a 14 or 12/2 wGrnd serving the timer separate from the contacts becuase you have no insulated neutral in that 10/2wGrnd cable. Both insulated wires are hot in this wiring design. You most likely have two hot wires and an equipment grounding conductor. To feed that timer you most likely need two hot wires black and red and then a white neutral and then a bare equipment grounding conductor. I suspect you may have smoked you timer motor by connecting 220 volts to that timer motor when you needed 120 volts.
Hope this helps
Wg
I suspect that you have a black white and a bare 10/2wGrnd romex serving that water heater. I believe you cut that wire and ran it through the timer. This part was fine. However you most likely have a 120 volt timer motor requiring an insulated white [grounded leg] serving that timer motor and on hot line also serving that timer motor. If you truly have a black white and bare 10/2 serving that water heater you do not have an insulated grounded leg. Your white wire to that water heater is also hot not grounded. In order to use a timer that has 240 volt contacts but a timer ran on 120 volt then you need a second cable probably a 14 or 12/2 wGrnd serving the timer separate from the contacts becuase you have no insulated neutral in that 10/2wGrnd cable. Both insulated wires are hot in this wiring design. You most likely have two hot wires and an equipment grounding conductor. To feed that timer you most likely need two hot wires black and red and then a white neutral and then a bare equipment grounding conductor. I suspect you may have smoked you timer motor by connecting 220 volts to that timer motor when you needed 120 volts.
Hope this helps
Wg
