Do you want to know how to determine breaker size for water heater? You’re lucky because this article will help you with just that! This article also includes other information to help you get going for those new to this whole water heater business.
It is essential to learn the right breaker size for your water heater as this could determine the quality of how it could perform. Of course, that applies to all household appliances.
Ultimately, this could also determine your appliance’s longevity and not to mention the expenses of repairs. Choosing the right breaker size could keep electrical fire accidents from happening and not to mention protection for your other appliances that are connected to the same circuit. As you may have caught on, this could be a daunting task for the inexperienced. But let us practice safety in every step. Without further ado, let’s start!
What Is A Circuit Breaker For Water Heater?
A breaker, also called a circuit breaker, is a switch that helps protect the electric circuits from getting overloaded, causing a short course. Circuit breakers work by disrupting the electric current flow whenever it senses a defect or fault. A series of circuit breakers can usually be found in their electrical panels at homes. It is very helpful in preventing fire hazards from occurring when any electrical defects happen. Depending on what it detects, it either redirects the electrical current or completely cuts it off.
Circuit breakers for water heaters can prevent life-threatening accidents, mainly since your appliance handles water in direct contact with your body. This also prevents your water heater from having an electrical overload or causing other devices to overload. When the breaker detects something wrong, it will shut off power only on that particular part of the house. Despite this, avoid keeping the breakers open because that lowers the guard of your electrical system.
How To Fix An Electric Water Heater
Do you think it’s your water heater that could be the problem? In some circumstances, your electric water heater could be tripping your breaker. This means your circuit breaker keeps closing. It can be tempting to keep your breaker open, leaving your appliances vulnerable to overloading and causing an electrical fire. Here are some quick and easy steps on how to fix an electric water heater:
Step #1. Check other appliances
Trace your circuit breaker and check out what other appliances are connected on the same circuit as your water heater. Make sure nothing is connected to it that is not supposed to be there. If you speculate that something was recently linked to it, that shouldn’t have been, and this could be causing your breaker to keep tripping. Try removing these appliances from the circuit and seeing if your circuit breaker keeps closing. That was probably the cause if it doesn’t, and you’ve taken care of it. If it keeps tripping, the problem could be something else in your water heater.
Step #2. Water leak
Of course, electrical water heaters tend to leak eventually. If it so happened that this leak has caused some short circuits in your appliance, your breaker will trip. Inspect your water heater if any water leaks could have affected the system. If there is a leak, turn off the power and look into fixing the leak. This is to prevent any accidents and more damage to the appliance. You may call a professional to assist you with this task.
Ways To Determine Breaker Size For Water Heater
So you want to know how to determine breaker size for water heater? It can be tricky to decide on the breaker size suitable for your heater, but it is possible. When in doubt, always call a professional for help. This article is here to help you understand how to measure the right breaker size for your heater, but it does not encourage anyone to pressure themselves to put their lives in danger. There is no one way of doing this, but the process is simple.
Look for the appliance label usually found on the back. You will find here the units of power your appliance draws in watts. The standard is 1,500. Now you’ll do the math. To determine the maximum current draw, read the label and divide the specified power by the operating voltage. If your heater can be plugged into the standard wall socket, it needs 120 volts.
Now, this is how you determine the breaker size you will need for your heater; multiply the value for current by 125 percent. Make sure you consider the other appliances or devices connected to the circuit. You may also be interested to know about the water heater is blowing breaker.
It’s A Wrap!
Now that you know how to determine breaker size for water heater, we hope you will be able to find and fix your water heater issues safely and quickly. Remember always to have a mind when handling any electrical appliances, especially those near water or any wet surfaces. The safest way is to cut the power before proceeding. We hope you learned a lot from this article. Thank you for reading! You may also want to read about how water heater thermostat works and how to dispose of a water heater.