Electric Hot Water Heater Installation

An electric water heater is a device that helps in minimizing the chilling effects of winters. Have you got a new electric hot water heater, but don't know how to install this electric device. No worries, here I have some simple instructions. But before that, let us understand how does an electric hot water heater work? The normal water enters the tank from the one side marked as 'input'. Some electric resistant elements placed inside the tank heats the water. The hot water is stored in the tank unless required. Though the working of the water heater is very simple, installing an electric water heater requires little effort. The process is not difficult for electric water heater installation, rather involves electrical work along with plumbing skills and patience as well. If you are doing it for the first time, then you must plan the installation process on a paper first and make a checklist of the tools required and water heater parts so that you have all the things handy before you begin.

The Installation Process

Requirements:

• Concrete blocks
• Gas torch
• Tube cutter
• Soldering flux
• Pads of steel wool
• Wire brush
• Lead-free solders
• Teflon tape
• Wrench pipe

Procedure:

1. Choose a suitable place to install the water heater or you can also create a platform by placing 2-3 blocks made of concrete on the surface. The concrete blocks do not let the heater get damaged due to water.
2. Place the heater on the concrete blocks. Make sure that the drain outlet is in the front and the tank is stable.
3. Clean the mating surface and cover it with flux. Make sure that the tubing cuts that you make are square and the fittings should not be damaged in any case.
4. Cut a ¾ inches diameter tube of about six to eight inches long with the help of a tube cutter for the inlet point for cold water in the tank.
5. Clean the tubing with the steel wool and apply soldering flux and insert the piece inside the fitting. Also, add flux inside the fitting and slide it over the end of the tube.
6. During the process, solder the fitting (female adapter) with the tube (copper tube). Also, solder the male end of the pipe with the other end.
7. Once you are done with soldering the various joints, use Teflon tape to wrap the threads of the pipe's nipple that is on the top of the water heater.
8. Tightly fit the joints with the help of the wrench pipe and carefully join the copper tube and make sure that it does not bend.
9. In the next step, you need to fix small pieces of piping to the joint just made.
10. To install the ball valve, wrap Teflon tape around the threads after removing the temperature and pressure relief valves. Solder the pipe attached to the relief valve until three to four inches above the ground.
11. Locate the threaded end of the conduit connector in the holes that are there on the knockout plate that is placed on the cover plate. You can find this cover plate on the top of the water heater. Connect the two with the provided nuts tightly.
12. Now comes the final step. The electric water heater wiring has to be very carefully done. Connect the electric water heater first through the conduit piece, then connect it to the tank through the connector. After this, attach the ground wire with the ground screw. The wire of the same colors should be attached at the end.

Task completed! Now check the functioning of the water heater by supplying power to it. Make sure that you thoroughly go through the instructions given in the manual of the water heater that would help you in the process of installation. While installing any water heater, be it a gas water heater or electric tankless water heater, precautions should be taken while installing. If you are not confident to install it yourself, then you can contact the water heater company for assistance. The approximate installation cost is somewhere around USD 250 - USD 350. The bottom line is to be safe during the whole process of installation.