![]() Does an electric water heater require a disconnect?.Does a tankless water heater in an attic require a drain pan?.Why is there water in my water heater drain pan?.When is a water heater drain pan required?.Does a tankless water heater require a pressure relief valve?.What is the difference between a manufactured/mobile home water heater and a regular water heater?.Why do water heaters have a sacrificial anode?.Does a tankless gas water heater still work with no electricity during a power outage?.What is the minimum clearance to doors and windows for an outdoor tankless gas water heater?.Is it alright to have a shut-off valve on both the hot and cold water pipes at a water heater?.Why is the water heater older than the house?.What is required clearance for access and working space in front of an electric water heater?.Can you wire a 240-volt water heater with 120 volts?.How can I tell if a water heater is HUD-approved for mobile/manufactured homes?.Can you use a light switch for a water heater disconnect?.Is the minimum size water heater inlet pipe 1/2" or 3/4" according to the building code?.Where are gas water heaters not allowed to be installed?.Can a Temperature and Pressure Relief (TPR or T&P) valve be mounted to discharge horizontally?.Are water heaters required to be raised off the floor?.Here’s links to a collection of more blog posts about WATER HEATERS: The NEC now requires that any appliance that is cord-connected must "be designed to permit ready removal for maintenance or repair,” and the pipe connections at a water heater disqualify it.Īlso see our blog posts What is required clearance for access and working space in front of an electric water heater? and Does a water heater need a shut-off valve? The 2017 edition, however, added “where the switch or circuit breaker is within sight from the appliance” to the citation to clarify the intent.Ī “cord and plug within sight,” like in the photo below, was once acceptable for water heaters but has not been allowed for at least the past 25 years. Prior to the 2017 edition of the National Electric Code, appliances rated at not over 300 volt amps (watts) or not over 1/8 hp motor were required to have a disconnect, but it was not clear that it must be within sight if not lockable. The NEC also defines the range of “within sight” is maximum 50 feet away. So, if the switch is just around a corner from where the water heater is located, and you can see it when standing at the switch, but the switch itself is not visible when you are at the water heater, it’s no good. ![]() Only a permanently installed lockout device is acceptable.īy the way, the first three options that are specified as “within sight” mean “within sight in both directions”: the switch should be visible from the appliance and the appliance visible from the switch. It has a hasp with a hole in it that accepts a small padlock, and allows the circuit breaker to literally be locked into the off position. ![]() If you do choose this option, the switch be 30-amp rated (not a regular light switch).Ĥ) Lockout device at panel - This is a metal gizmo that attaches permanently around the circuit breaker for the water heater in the electric panel, and is used when the panel is not within sight of the water heater. Your next shower will be a cold one unless you label the switch as “WATER HEATER”. After flipping it back and forth several times, they will decide that the switch doesn’t work, leaving it in the off position. So a water heater that is in a garage or utility room with a direct sightline to the nearby panel serving it would be acceptable.Ģ) Pull disconnect or circuit breaker panel within sight - This is the solution we see most often in new construction.ģ) Wall switch within sight - This is acceptable, but not necessarily the best choice, because eventually someone in the house will use the switch to try to turn on a light in the closet or room. When someone is repairing an electric water heater, they need to be assured that the electricity stays off while they are handling wiring and connections that could shock or kill if the circuit were to suddenly become “live.” So the building code addresses this safety issue by providing several choices of solutions that make the means of disconnecting the circuit either within sight or under the exclusive control of the person working on the water heater.ġ) Panel within sight - If the main electric panel or a subpanel that serves the water heater is within sight, a second means of disconnect is not necessary.
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