[GMCnet] water heater [message #112088] |
Sat, 15 January 2011 19:54 |
john arbuckle
Messages: 122 Registered: March 2010
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I am completely redoing the coach. I have recently just recived my new
hot water heater and I got me one of those pretty stainless steal ones
from Canada. New thermostat the whole bit. Wiring again. How would I
wire the thermostate to the elemant? I mean there is no marked
positive and negative on either element or thermostat. So which color
to what terminal I am lost. Two terminals on the thermostat and two on
the element. Thanks for any help;
John Arbuckle
1976 Palm Beach
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112096 is a reply to message #112088] |
Sat, 15 January 2011 20:52 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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There is no =,or - of either the heater element or the thermostat. This is 120 volt AC.
That said, the heating element should be wired with one of the terminals going direct to the neutral, which is usually the white wire, going back to the circuit breaker box.
The black wire coming for the circuit breaker is wired to one of the terminals on the thermostat.
That leaves two terminals open. One on the thermostat and one on the heater element. Wire these two together and you are finished.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112246 is a reply to message #112096] |
Mon, 17 January 2011 14:39 |
john arbuckle
Messages: 122 Registered: March 2010
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Ken,
Thank you for the info. The only thing is I have a white wire and a
black wire but I also have a copper non insulated bare wire. It looks
to me like a ground or something. Just connect it to the frame or
where else can I attach it? Thanks again
John Arbuckle
1976 Palm Beach
Tucson AZ
On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 6:52 PM, Ken Burton <n9cv@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> There is no =,or - of either the heater element or the thermostat. This is 120 volt AC.
>
> That said, the heating element should be wired with one of the terminals going direct to the neutral, which is usually the white wire, going back to the circuit breaker box.
> The black wire coming for the circuit breaker is wired to one of the terminals on the thermostat.
>
> That leaves two terminals open. One on the thermostat and one on the heater element. Wire these two together and you are finished.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112265 is a reply to message #112246] |
Mon, 17 January 2011 18:20 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
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The white wire should be neutral and attached to one of the heater element terminals.
The black wire should be hot and attached to one of the thermostat terminals.
The bare wire is a safety ground and should be attached to the metal tank or one of it's metal fittings some how. I'm not sure exactly where mine is attached. It has been a few years since I was working in there.
You will still need to add one additional wire (14 gauge) between the remaining terminal on the heater element and the remaining terminal on the thermostat.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112281 is a reply to message #112270] |
Mon, 17 January 2011 20:37 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
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I think you are confusing "green wire" safety ground with 120 volt AC neutral.
Safety ground is connected to the chassis of the motorhome at the breaker panel.
Neutral is attached to ground at the Onan or if you are on shore power back at the shore power supply outside of the coach.
We attached this appliance chassis (the electric water heater) to the breaker panel ground via the bare wire in his cable.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112282 is a reply to message #112275] |
Mon, 17 January 2011 20:43 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
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I'm not sure which electric box you are talking about. Is this electric box attached to the heater or tank some way?
All you are trying to accomplish is grounding the tank in case the heating element internally shorts to the water some day. Grounding the tank, or the electric box if it is electrically attached to the tank, is all you need to do.
What does the second bare wire attach to?
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112314 is a reply to message #112310] |
Tue, 18 January 2011 01:02 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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You can attach the bare wire to the electrical box. I do not remember where that box is so I do not know if the box is also attached to the tank some how. Is the box electrically mounted to the tanks assembly?
The bare wire is a safety ground and without the box electrically connected to the tank the heater will still run. I just wanted to have the tank also grounded. I got shocked one time from a defective heater element and an improperly connected safety ground. This is why I'm trying to also make sure that your tank is grounded.
HTH
Ken B.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112344 is a reply to message #112333] |
Tue, 18 January 2011 14:05 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
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john arbuckle wrote on Tue, 18 January 2011 10:35 | Ken,
No the electrical box is in no way connected to the tank. I can easily
run a wire from this safety ground to the tank and attach it where the
thermostat is connected to the tank. Is that the safe way to do this?
Ken you are an electrical genius and I really appreciate the help.
John Arbuckle
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That is exactly what I would do. Terminate the two wires to the electrical box. One wire then goes to the tank and the other wire through the wire loom back to the circuit breaker panel.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112375 is a reply to message #112365] |
Tue, 18 January 2011 22:04 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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john arbuckle wrote on Tue, 18 January 2011 19:24 | Ken,
I connected the bare wire out of the loom and the bare wire grounded
to the back of the electrical box and connected a wire with a wire nut
to those two wires I then ran it to the tank and connected it to the
tank at the bolt that holds the thermostat on to the tank. I'm not to
sure what you mean by terminate the wires to the electrical box.
Thanks Ken
John Arbuckle
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What you did is fine.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Re: [GMCnet] water heater [message #112383 is a reply to message #112377] |
Tue, 18 January 2011 23:29 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030 Registered: January 2004 Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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john arbuckle wrote on Tue, 18 January 2011 22:21 | Thx Ken I appreciate all the help wiring is almost impossible for me
so you saved me. I still have a long way to go with this beast so you
will probably hear from me again.
John Arbuckle
1976 Palm Beach
Tucson AZ
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Any time John. There are lots of other people on here that will also help so do not feel you need to wait for me.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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