Hot water tank controversy!!!!!!!!!

below is a link to a photo. i hope the link works.

http://inspectionnews.com/ubb/uploads/ElectWH.JPG

the photo shows an electric hot water tank that is not hard wired. it is on what looks like a 220 cord like a stove or electric dryer.

is this code? some say it is and some say it is not. i know this is more an electircal question than plumbing but i wanted to get some opinions from plumber since you install them.

the debate can be read at
http://inspectionnews.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000685.html

please e me if you know.

detroithomeinspector@yahoo.com

Yikes... this plumber has never installed a hwh like that before. Always hardwire them in, I am pretty sure that is illegal here, don't know what the states say about that stuff. For the record: I don't like it!

It works, thats about it

their is no real difference between that and a clothes
dryer, I have seen it before......but its best hard wired.


it does not seem like it would be too hard to just
pull that plug out and just
put a cover plate over that box and hard wire it direct
if it makes everyone happy

its only a about 5 minutes worth of work..to change ..


ps.... the poeple over at inspectioinnews.com

can and will beat a horse to death...

if you dont quote some code directly from a book,
they dont take you serious...then they try to
analyze what the code means too...

they know enough just to start trouble over the
smallest issues.

right now over there they are debateing
wether its ok to have a cleanout under a kitchen
sink , should it be a wye or tee???


ya gotta love em

heater

It has to be hard wired with a metallic sheathed wire. Even if "romex" were used from the box to the heater, it has to be protected by flexible Greenfield conduit.

I read that long, long response on that thread in another forum you provided in a link and first I would consider the integrity of the plumber/electrician who wired it, and that Gary Cox who I would compare to a wood log in comprehending simple logic. I always make sure that the wiring is protected up to where the wiring is inside the joists. Codes can be misconstrued in many ways but the bottom line is any sharp object could come in contact with that wiring and you have a human death or electrical fire. Any connection by plug in connection is considered a hot spot. That is why you see outlets crumble over the years due to heating of the connection itself. This is why we need licensed individuals doing the work; not weekend warriors trying to save their buddy a buck on the weekends helping them build a new house.


CRIPES!

It Depends

The correct answer is that it depends upon what the manufacturer's wiring requirements are for the appliance in question.

Section E 4001.3 Flexible Cords of the International Residential Code 2003 states: "Cord- and plug-connected appliances shall use cords suitable for the environment and physical conditions to be encountered. Flexible cords shall only be used where the appliance is listed to be connected with a flexible cord." This is also reflected in the National Electric Code section 422.16.

The bottom line is, if the manufacturer allows for this water heater to be connected via a flexible cord, the installation is perfectly legal.

Presuming this heater can be installed using a flexible cord, the installer used reasonable precaution to locate the disconnect high up where water from a leak would not be a hazard

EDIT: AO Smith does not prevent the installation of their ProMax water heaters from using a flexible cord. The only requirements in their technical literature for wiring an electric AO Smith heater is that the electrcial supply be on a fused circuit.

http://www.hotwater.com/frame.html?topage=/RESIDENT/reshome.htm

Unless someone else can produce evidence to the contrary, I would have to conclude this to be a fully legal and fully code compliant installation.

code

The manufacturer usually defers to the National applicable code. The "normal" use for a flexible cord is on a movable appliance. A water heater is not "movable" and therefore would be required to have a properly installed, shielded electrical supply line. If in doubt call the local electrical inspector. That installation would not pass here.

My 2 Cents

i also have a welding buss. our large welders draw more amps than that little heater. they all have plug in recips. never a problem. if there was a problem do you think lincoln elec., hobart, miller , would be doing this for over 40 yrs.? WHAT HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE?

National Code Defers to the Manufacturer

hj said:

The manufacturer usually defers to the National applicable code. The "normal" use for a flexible cord is on a movable appliance. A water heater is not "movable" and therefore would be required to have a properly installed, shielded electrical supply line. If in doubt call the local electrical inspector. That installation would not pass here.

Click to expand...

This sounds more like wishful thinking by hj since code in his own state does not agree with his assessment.

National Codes defer to the manufacturer as evidenced by the International Residential Plumbing Code prevalent in hj's own state:

M2005 Water Heaters. "Water heaters shall be installed in accordance with the manufacture's installation instructions and the requirements of the code."

National Electric Codes also neither prohibits flexible cords for water heaters nor demand the use of shielded cable or conduit, deferring instead to the manufacturer:

E4001.3 Flexible Cords. "Cord- and plug-connected appliances shall use cords suitable for the environment and physical conditions to be encountered. Flexible cords shall only be used where the appliance is listed to be connected with a flexible cord."

Never bite the hand that feeds you

I could keep entertaining this relentless post that makes no sense why it keeps going. People are comparing apples to grapes in this thread in the use of a water heater that is usually wired in and not touched till it's replaced, to a stove that conceals the connection or a welder that is used here and there? Please. I guess freedom of speech can spin the world around but the bottom line...it is not a feasible connection to the house wiring system. My point of writing this response is a simple one; I cannot knock home inspectors too much because they nitpick and find the weirdest things that are wrong with a home, the homeowner calls me to make these ridiculous repairs and the contract goes through. So, in retrospect if I knock the inspectors, I miss out on all the gravy repairs that I profit from. I have yet to find one that covers all basis in a home equally; most times when they cannot find a problem, they go searching for the littlest things that prove minor and not a problem to the future homeowner. The very reason this thread is running. I'll keep getting the calls, I'll keep shaking my head but thank you for all the work you spin off to me. If that connection was in my area, the plumbing inspectors and the electrical inspectors would be laughing their ***** off thinking that someone went straight to the MFG. to follow that rule of crap. LOL! Tear it out! It's WRONG. What I'm afraid of is the next thing we will see on here is a garden hose used for a gas line to a water heater and the reason they are allowing it (home inspectors) is because the MFG. of the product gives the thumbs up since it is "flexible". Thanks for all the good laughs folks, entertaining to say the least. You can spit as much code references as you like, the bottom line supercedes any code in a book; that meaning the local jurisdiction in the state that foolishness was performed.