You cannot put a 40A breaker on #10 wire. If you are sure there is (at least) #8 wire all the way from the breaker to the water heater, you can just replace the 30A breaker with a 40A breaker, but if and only if you have verified the size of the wire throughout the entire circuit.
What amp breaker do you need for a water heater?
30-amp
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.
What amp breaker do I need for a 40 gallon water heater?
A 40-gallon water heater should have an average 4500 Watt capacity and 240 V emf. Thus, a 25 or 30A breaker is sufficient for a 40-gallon breaker. However, for your safety, we recommend getting a 30A breaker.
Can I replace a 20 amp breaker with a 40 amp breaker?
The answer is, “No, do not put a 30 Amp breaker in place of a 20 Amp breaker because the wiring is most likely’sized’ for the 20 Amp load and -may- overheat if a 30 Amp load is used with wiring sized for a 20 Amp load.”
How much can a 40 amp breaker handle?
40-amp 240-volt circuit: 40 amps x 240 volts = 9,600 watts. 50-amp 240-volt circuit: 50 amps x 240 volts = 12,000 watts.
Can I use a 40 amp breaker for a 30 amp water heater?
If you are sure there is (at least) #8 wire all the way from the breaker to the water heater, you can just replace the 30A breaker with a 40A breaker, but if and only if you have verified the size of the wire throughout the entire circuit.
Can I use a 50 amp breaker for a hot water heater?
Electric water heaters use anything between 220 to 250 volts of alternating current. You’ll need a double circuit breaker that is correctly rated for the power draw of the water heater. We’re looking at between 20 Amp and 30 Amp for most electric water heaters.
What size wire is used for hot water heater?
It’s a good idea to wire a hot water heater with wire that’s larger than the current requirement. A 20-amp hot water heater requires 12-gauge wire, a 25-amp hot water heater requires 10-gauge wire, and a 30- to 40-amp hot water heater requires 8-gauge wire.
Is there a breaker on a hot water heater?
You can cut off power to your hot water heater in either one of two ways: Locate your water tank and turn the power to it OFF by pulling the electrical plug out of the wall socket. Another way to turn the power off is to flip the circuit breaker (the breaker that’s labeled water heater) to the OFF position.
Why does my water heater keep tripping the breaker?
Breaker Breaker
There are three possible explanations for a breaker being tripped by a hot water heater: water dripping on the electrical lines, a problem with the unit’s thermostat or a problem with the breaker. A malfunctioning thermostat is the most common cause. In this case, the thermostat should be replaced.
What is a 40 amp breaker used for?
Double-pole breaker
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.
What size wire goes on a 40 amp breaker?
8
40 AMP Wire Size
For a maximum of 40 amps, you’ll need a wire gauge of 8. Many electric cooking appliances require 40 amps such as electric cooktops.
Is a double pole 20 amp breaker 40 amps?
Is a double 20 amp breaker 40 amps? – Quora. Nope. It means that two 20 A breakers are ganged together to protect a circuit using two hot wires. Tripping either one at 20 A will trip both to prevent a safety situation where live voltage can be found in the device after one breaker tripped.
What size breaker do I need for a 240-volt heater?
Adding a 240-volt baseboard heater usually requires a new 20- or 30-amp double-pole circuit breaker and new circuit wiring to supply one or more heater units. This is a dedicated circuit that serves only the heater.
How many watts is 40 amps?
9,600 watt
A 40-amp circuit is equivalent to 9,600 watt.
Can you use a 40 amp breaker on a 30 amp plug?
the breaker can’t be 40 amp, it has to be swapped for a 30 amp. Most dryers can operate with either a three wire cord with no ground, or with a four wire cord with a ground wire.
What size breaker is needed for a 50 gallon electric water heater?
An electrical water heater typically uses a 30-amp breaker, so something like the Q230 30-Amp Double Pole Type QP Circuit Breaker will do the work well.
What size breaker do I need for a 30 gallon water heater?
The branch circuit needs to be calculated at 125% of the rated ampacity for this type of water heater to be considered a continuous load. In order to work on a 20 Amp OCPD, you will need a 25 or 30 Amp circuit.
What size breaker do I need for AO Smith water heater?
A. O. Smith’s Tankless Electric design includes a soft start to produce a softer electric draw when powering on, reducing light dimming. This model requires 240 volts, 58.3 amps, 1 x 60 amp double pole breaker and #6 AWG wire size.
How many amps does a 240 volt water heater use?
18.8 amps
Most electric water heaters use 18.8 amps with 240 volts and a 4,500 watt heating element. A gas water heater uses less ampsabout 12 Amps with 115 volts. The average residential container heater has a 40-gallon tank and usually requires a 30-amp breaker.
Can I use 10 3 wire for a hot water heater?
A water heater requires a black wire, white wire, and a ground wire. With a 10-2 ground shielded cable, white and black wires act as hot conductors. The ground wire will run to the neutral plug. If you have a 10-3 ground shielded cable with an extra conductor, the black and red wires are the hot conductors.
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