Yes, the backwards connection is precisely why you are having this problem. In a properly installed water heater the dip tube on the cold supply line directs the incoming cold water to the bottom of the tank where it will stay and not mix with the hot water near the top.
What happens if a water heater is wired backwards?
Can you wire a hot water heater backwards? Yes, you can get it with minimal effects. If the 220v heater has red and black wiring, it can be wired backwards. As much as this is possible, you must ensure you correctly wire the hot water heater to avoid water polarity issues.
Can water flow backwards through a water heater?
It doesn’t matter which way the water comes in. It won’t hurt the tank. It can reduce the efficiency if it was plumbed backwards permanently. But initially filling it backwards accidentally won’t cause any problems.
What happens if hot water lines are crossed?
Any mixing valve can allow a cross-over to occur should they become defective. A defective mixing valve will allow a cross-over of hot and cold water, even though there are no visible signs of trouble or leak. A plumbing cross-over can cause a complaint such as ‘water not hot enough’.
Does it matter which wire goes where on hot water heater?
No, it does not matter which wire goes to which heating element terminal in this case – electricity can flow in either direction.
How do I fix my Backdraft hot water heater?
If you find evidence of backdrafting or suspect that your water heater is leaking exhaust gas into your home, do not ignore this problem. The most immediate thing you can do is improve the ventilation in your home by opening the windows or running a nearby exhaust fan, such as in a bathroom or kitchen.
What is a dip tube in a water heater?
Dip tubes are an internal pipe that extends from the cold water inlet nearly to the bottom of the hot water heater. Normally, the tube directs cold water to the bottom where it will be heated before rising to the top of the heater.
Is there a positive and negative on water heater element?
Do water heating element terminals have polarity? What is the question? It doesn’t matter which post you use for the positive and negative wires, they are the same.
Can I use 10 3 wire for a hot water heater?
Can I Use 10 3 Wire For A Hot Water Heater? You can use 10/3 wire. Use the red and black wires as hot conductors. The ground wire will run to the green screw.
Does water heater wire need to be in conduit?
Re: Wire to Hot water tank
Does the wire to the Hot water tank need to be in some type of conduit. I always recommend that it be in a flexible conduit either plastic or MC for safety however I have a contractor arguing that Romex is OK.
Can I run Romex to water heater?
Tip: you do not want the Romex connector to be touching water pipes. You don’t want the temperature of the hot water outlet to compromise your electrical work. Connect the water heater to the circuit – back within the junction box, you will wrap the ground wire around the ground screw and secure it.
What wire do you use for a water heater?
Electrical wires
Since the generic breaker size for water heaters is 30-amps, the best wire size is a #10 American Wiring Gauge (AWG). I suggest you use a 10-2 Non-Metallic Cable (NMC) for a 30-amp 240Volt circuit.
