Does a water heater need a double pole breaker?

Understanding Water Heater Wiring





Electric water heaters require a 240-volt dedicated circuit, which serves only the water heater and no other appliances or devices. The circuit wiring typically includes a 30-amp double-pole breaker and 10-2 non-metallic (NM) or MC cable.

How many amp breaker does a tankless water heater need?

Use the Power formula

The final answer concludes that in order for this heating element to work, 31.7 amps is required. However, using the exact amperage as the breaker size is a terrible idea. Do not use the same calculated amperage as your final size breaker for tankless water heater.

Do tankless water heaters need special wiring?

You must utilize either a 120- or 240-volt circuit, wholly devoted to the heater. Both voltages require 8-gauge wire, and the section exposed to the area under the sink must be armored cable. If the manufacturer’s instructions call for a larger cable, the National Electrical Code says you must comply.

How many watts can a double pole 30 amp breaker handle?





-30 amp double breaker. 240 volts x 30 amps = 7200 watts of power.

Can you use a 30 amp breaker for a water heater?

Electric water heaters require a dedicated 240-volt dedicated 30-amp circuit and a 10-2 non-metallic (NM) or MC cable. This means the breaker only powers the water heater and no other appliances. A 30-amp circuit breaker can power all 4500watt water heaters regardless of gallon size.

How many amps does a 50 gallon water heater use?

18.75 amps

A typical 50 gallon electric water heater runs at 4500 watts. In an electric circuit of 240 volts, 4500 watts is equivalent to 18.75 amps.

Does a tankless water heater need a GFCI breaker?



Most tankless water heaters are placed outdoors. The attachment plug serves as the disconnect and the receptacle shall be protected by GFCI. If there’s a new circuit that serves only exterior receptacles, no AFCI is required.

How many amps does a Rheem tankless water heater use?

RHEEM 240V General Purpose Electric Tankless Water Heater, 8,000 W Watts, 33 A Amps – Water Heaters – 53UJ83|RTEX-08 – Grainger.

What is a 30 amp double pole breaker used for?

Double-pole breaker



Uses the entire 240 volts available to the panel. The 15-amp and 20-amp breakers often handle baseboard heaters, 30-amp serve water heaters and electric dryers, 40- and 50-amp are for electric ranges, and the 70-amp could serve a large air conditioner or a subpanel.

Does a double 30 amp breaker equal 60 amps?

A main breaker is the same as any double breaker in the box, except that it supplies power to each busbar. The answer is no if you want to draw 60 Amps off a 30 Amp double breaker.

How many watts can 50 amp breaker handle?

12,000 watts

A 50-amp breaker can run appliances like ovens, hairdryers, air conditioners, and multiple lights simultaneously while (possibly) still sparing power. The reason for this breaker’s capacity is because it can hold up to 12,000 watts running on a 240-volt circuit (50-amps x 240-volts).

Can I hook up my 30 amp to 50 amp?



In summary, you can plug your 30 amp RV into a 50 amp plug, and vice versa, you just need to make sure you know the limitations and how to do it safely. Again, we highly recommend using an auto-shutoff surge protector, like the Watchdog, to make sure you are protected near the plug at all times.

What’s the difference between 30 amp and 50 amp?

A 30 amp plug has three prongs – a 120 volt hot wire, a neutral wire and a ground wire – and is generally used on RVs with lower load requirements. A 50 amp plug has four prongs – two 120 volt hot wires, a neutral wire and a ground wire – that supply two separate 50 amp, 120 volt feeds.

How many appliances can be on a 30 amp circuit?

The NEC states that you can only have 30-amp receptacles on a 30-amp circuit.

What can run on 30 amps?

In a typical RV with a 30 amp electrical service some of the power hungry appliances and portable devices are the air conditioner, electric water heater, microwave, coffee maker, electric skillet, hair dryer, space heaters and a toaster.

Can you put a 20A outlet on a 30A circuit?



You can’t use a 15A or 20A receptacle on a 30A breaker because if you had an overloaded device (not planned – malfunctioning) that pulled 30A, it would melt the receptacle but the breaker wouldn’t trip to stop it.

Is 30 amps enough for a house?

Most homes require an electrical service of at least 100 amps. This is also the minimum panel amperage required by the National Electrical Code (NEC). A 100-amp service panel will typically provide enough power for a medium-sized home that includes several 240-volt appliances and central air-conditioning.

Do I need a 30 or 50 amp transfer switch?

Sizing a Manual Transfer Switch

The best way to size a manual transfer switch is to match it to the largest outlet on your generator. For example, if you see that your generator’s largest outlet is rated at 30 amps, you will need to buy a 30-amp transfer switch to get the full power load.

How many watts is 50 amps?

12,000 watts

50-amp 240-volt circuit: 50 amps x 240 volts = 12,000 watts.