Electric Water Heater Circuits

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Swampman

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Location
Addis, Louisiana
I work for a YMCA that has numerous electrical problems. The company that did the original wiring cut corners and did things that were beyond carelessness into criminal acts). Anyway, I have an electric water heater that is supplied with 240 volt AC. There is a black line, a re-coded white line (red tape wrapped around it) and a green ground. According to the NEC, this device should have a double pole breaker. The only double pole breaker in all three 120 AC panels does not operate it (we aren't sure what it does as we did not receive as built plans). I have several breakers we have not identified yet which are side by side vertically. I have turned off all of the pairs of breakers to see if they might feed this water heater. Nothing. I have traced the re-coded white wire to a large junction box where it is connected to a black white which goes into a large conduit that leads to the panels. Could this be wired which the breakers are not side by side but horizontal? Since the panels are three phase 120 AC, would this cause a problem with having both lines the same phase? One thing that I did find in the past was two separate circuits which connected to a double pole breaker. It has since been removed and single pole breakers installed. I have ordered a 240 circuit tracer to help with finding the breakers but thought you all might have some ideas.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Please get someone who has more experience to check this out.

I am closing this thread, in accordance with the Forum rules. This Forum is intended to assist professional electricians, inspectors, engineers, and other members of the electrical industry in the performance of their job-related tasks. However, if you are not an electrician or an electrical contractor, then we are not permitted to help you perform your own electrical installation work.



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