[gatesj1221]

I'm installing a water heater in place of an old one. There is a 60 amp shutoff that was going to the existing water heater. The new water heater only draws 30 amps. can I connect the breaker/shutoff to the water heater or is that too many amps?

Thanks for your help!

 

[JoshuaChrysler]

I'm installing a water heater in place of an old one. There is a 60 amp shutoff that was going to the existing water heater. The new water heater only draws 30 amps. can I connect the breaker/shutoff to the water heater or is that too many amps?

Thanks for your help!

I would shut off the main power breaker. Pop put the 60A breaker. Throw in your 30A breaker and run the conductors according to local code/NEC2011. Now you have a whopping 30 extra amps to use for another project.

 

[HouseHelper]

I'm installing a water heater in place of an old one. There is a 60 amp shutoff that was going to the existing water heater. The new water heater only draws 30 amps. can I connect the breaker/shutoff to the water heater or is that too many amps?

Thanks for your help!

Is that shutoff protected by a 30A breaker? If so, all is well as it sits.

 

[Jim Port]

I would shut off the main power breaker. Pop put the 60A breaker. Throw in your 30A breaker and run the conductors according to local code/NEC2011. Now you have a whopping 30 extra amps to use for another project.

It is possible that the 60 amps is just the maximum rating of the disconnect. I doubt anyone ran wiring that large for a water heater.

You do not have a neutral in the disconnect either.

 

[gatesj1221]

Thanks for the reply's! I just switched out the breaker on the panel and took it down to single phase.

 

[rjniles]

Thanks for the reply's! I just switched out the breaker on the panel and took it down to single phase.

What does this mean? Did you change to a single pole breaker?

If so, it is wrong.

 

[Jim Port]

Standard residential service is single phase. Even a 2 pole breaker.

 

[a7ecorsair]

First this:

There is a 60 amp shutoff that was going to the existing water heater.

Then this:

I just switched out the breaker on the panel and took it down to single phase.

In your first posting you mentioned a 60 amp breaker. You didn't add 30 and 30 together did you?
In the followup posting you said you took it to single phase. It was single phase to the old heater. If you put in a single pole breaker - one that only has one screw and one lever - what did you do with the other wire?

 

[frenchelectrican]

Let me post a photo of the example what we are talking about


This is a single pole breaker

This is two pole breaker

There are few diffrent style but it will have two pole in there.

Now this is a three pole breaker this typically used on three phase supply

Again this will have diffrent style and shape depending on breaker manufacter but basically it will give you a idea what we are talking about.

The single phase is used for one or two hots or line and in resdentail the one hot is 120 volts { north americiané side } while two pole will have 240 volts so that will make the diffrence.

The three pole is not very often used in resdentail side in North Americian side but if you have it let us know then we can cover the details on it later.

Merci,
Marc

 

[gatesj1221]

Thanks for all the help! I have an electrician friend that I was able to get a hold of that ended up doing to work. Not sure exactly what he did but he got it done.

Thanks again!

 

[joed]

A double handle breaker with 30 on both handles is NOT a 60 amp breaker if that is what you had. It is a 30 amp double pole.