Things You'll Need:
- Screwdriver
- 12-gauge wire (green color insulation)
- Wire strippers
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Step 1
Shut off the main circuit breaker that is feeding power to the circuit breaker box. The switch will be located at the top of the circuit breaker panel and identified as "Main."
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Step 2
Remove the outer cover to the main electrical panel by unscrewing the four or six screws that hold the cover to the metal enclosure. Identify the grounding bus bar located inside the main panel. The ground or grounding bar will have white, green and bare copper wires connected to the setscrew terminals.
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Step 3
Run the 12-gauge green insulated wire from the hot water heater to the main electrical panel. Feed the wire through an existing opening at both the hot water heater's and the main panel's electrical wire connectors.
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Step 4
Strip back the green insulation on both ends of the wire with the wire strippers to reveal at least 1 inch of the bare copper under the insulation.
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Step 5
Connect the bare copper wire to the grounding bus bar inside the main panel. Place the wire inside the setscrew terminal and tighten with the screwdriver. Connect the other end of the green wire to the green ground screw located on the hot water heater. This green screw will be located inside the hot water heater's electrical make up box.
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Step 6
Replace the main panel cover. Turn the "Main" panel switch to the "on" position.
