How to Connect an Electric Water Heater

Connecting an electric hot-water heater entails both the plumbing and electrical junctions. In most all cases, those connections will be done to existing plumbing pipes and electrical supply wires. If new plumbing pipes and electrical wires must be installed, local regulations must be followed, and generally a building inspection will be required. Connecting a new electric water heater will take approximately four hours, once the unit is set into place. You'll use some special hand tools to complete the connections.

Things You'll Need

• 2¾-inch-by-6-inch long pipe nipples
• Pipe thread tape (Teflon type)
• Pipe wrench
• ¾-inch gate valve (optional)
• ¾-inch close nipple (optional)
• 2 18-inch-long flex connectors
• Relief valve (optional)
• Wire pliers
• Screwdriver
• Plastic wire nuts

Instructions

Plumbing

1. Shut off the cold-water supply to the hot-water heater. This may entail turning off the main water valve to the home, or closing the cold-water gate valve to the hot-water heater.

2. Apply three rounds of the pipe thread tape to both ends of the ¾-inch-by-6-inch long pipe nipple. The pipe nipple must be rated for use with domestic water.

3. Screw the pipe nipples into the top female pipe connectors. There are two of them; one is marked "cold" and the other identified as "hot." Start the pipe nipples by hand. Turn clockwise.

4. Fit the pipe wrench around the pipe nipple and tighten the plumbing fitting. Turn the nipple until it can no longer advance into the female fitting of the hot-water heater.

5. Install the ¾-inch gate valve onto the cold-water supply line if none exists. This is an optional step. Apply the thread tape to the male end of the cold-water pipe. Start the gate valve onto the pipe by hand. Tighten the valve with the pipe wrench.

6. Insert the ¾-inch close nipple into the other end of the gate valve. Apply a couple of rounds of the thread tape to both ends of the nipple before starting it in the female threads of the valve. Tighten the nipple into the valve using the pipe wrench.

7. Install the 18-inch-long flexible connectors from the 6-inch pipe nipples to the respective cold- and hot-water pipes for the home plumbing system. Start the large female brass nuts by hand. Tighten securely with the pipe wrench.

8. Install a relief valve if none was provided with the hot-water heater. Most all new water heaters come equipped with a relief valve. Apply a couple of rounds of the thread tape to the male threads on the relief valve. Insert the valve into the female opening on the water heater identified as "relief." Tighten with the pipe wrench.

9. Open the cold-water gate valve or open the main water valve. Fill the hot water heater. Check for leaks.

Electrical

1. Remove all electrical power to the hot-water heater by shutting off the supply circuit breaker or pulling the two fuses. Never work on any electrical device without removing the electricity to the unit.

2. Open the top cover of the electrical box mounted on the topside of the electric water heater, using the screwdriver. Observe inside the electrical connection box that there is a black insulated wire and a red insulated wire. There is also a large green screw attached to the metal frame of the hot-water heater.

3. Connect the electrical supply wires in the following order. Secure the fully bare copper wire or green insulated wire coming from the power supply under the green screw of the hot-water heater.

4. Attach the black wire from the power supply to the black wire inside the electrical connection box. Twist the bare copper ends of the wires together using the wire pliers. Cover the bare copper connection with a plastic wire nut.

5. Secure the red wire from the electrical supply to the red wire on the hot water heater. Twist together and cover with the wire nut. Replace the cover over the electrical box. Re-energize the electrical power to the hot-water heater.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow all local electrical and plumbing regulations for your area. In most all cases, the installation of the new water heater may require an inspection conducted by the local building authorities.

• Specific installation specifications may be required according to local regulations.

References

• How to Install an Electric Water Heater
• Replacing a Water Heater