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Do-it-yourself plan to control water heater with a timer or switch.
Page
2 of 3: Connect the wires
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Do-it-yourself plan to control water heater with a timer or switch. Page
2 of 3: Connect the wires |
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| Step
1. >Drop one end of 14-2 wire into old-work box  |
 See old-work box installation |
| Step
2.) Connect timer to end of 14-2 wire inside box Click here to compare wiring for all 4 timers -or- click small image to see wiring for individual timer  |
Leviton Programmable Wire Programmable |
EI210 Countdown Wire countdown |
FD Countdown Wire countdown |
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Step
3.)
Work inside 6x6x4 enclosure >Note: romex connector used in each hole where wire enters enclosure >Mount contactor at angle using 8-32 bolts with lock nut >Attach 10-2 wire from breaker to one side of contactor >Attach 10-2 wire going to water heater to other side of contactor >Put 2 green ground screws in bottom of 6x6x4 metal box (when using 6x6x4 plastic enclosure: connect all grounds with wire nut) >Ground wire from breaker box is wrapped on ground screw and carries forward > this will ground enclosure back to breaker box >Ground wires from both 10 gauge wires are twisted together and covered with red wire nut > this will ground water heater back to breaker box  ground screws
 romex connector |
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  Larger image Busman: HKP-HH fuse holder MDA-15 Amp ceramic fuse Tip: push either end of fuse firmly into cap and then twist cap onto body |
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Step
4.) Work on Busman fuse inside 6x6x4 enclosure >Drill 1/2" hole and install Busman fuse holder with 15A fuse >Using terminals or solder, connect 14ga wire from breaker side of contactor to Busman fuse holder. Must be on breaker side so power is always on.  Female
terminal crimped on end of 14ga wire>Why use a fuse? To protect timer from too many Amps. We are drawing 120 Volts off 'one leg' of the 240 Volt 30Amp water heater circuit. The 120 Volts will power the timer which is rated 15 Amps. The 15 Amp fuse will protect timer and wire going to timer. |
 | Add solder when attaching terminals to solid copper wire. Put solder iron point where wire terminates. Wait until hot. Keep solder iron in place. Touch solder to copper wire. Solder melts. Withdraw solder. Withdraw solder iron. How to make terminal connections Yellow for 12 gauge wire; Blue for 14 gauge wire | |
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Step
5:)
Wire from Timer arrives in 6x6 enclosure In Steps 1 & 2, a timer was installed at one end of 14-2 wire. Here in step 5, other end of 14-2 wire arrives inside enclosure. 
Connect black wire to Busman fuse holder > this will put
power to the timer.
Connect white wire to
side of contactor > this will power the contactor and open
circuit to water heater whenever timer orders
Connect ground wire to green ground
screw > this grounds the timer to enclosure which is
grounded back to breaker box. 
The ground must be continuous back to breaker box for some timers
to work. |
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Here
is where we are so far There is one step left go to
final step, Page 3 of 3 |
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E-mail: info@waterheatertimer.org Site map |
Close-up of both ground screws after step 5