Water Heater Electrical Connection Issues.

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Kris Van

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Hello All,

New here, need some advise. Please help.

About 2 weeks ago my water heater quit working. When I checked it out small rain drop per half hour had developed on the hose feeding hot water to the house. The person that installed the water heater - before I bought the house - did not use thread compound of any type. The water worked itself across the top of the water heater and into the little compartment where the electrical connection is tucked away. The breaker tripped thankfully because this happed while no one was home.

Being the handy person I 'think' I am, I corrected the leak, cut the end off the fried wire and made fresh connections. I am not an electrician so I was careful to connect everything exactly as it was before.

Then last night I just happed to be standing 10 ft from the water heater when sparks flew out from under the compartment cover. I went to check of the breaker and it had not tripped. Yikes. The interesting part is that there was no leak this time, just an electrical short.

I left the breaker off - it was 11PM and I needed to get to bed for 5AM wake up. I am a little befuddled that in the previous 3 years of living in the home we had no issues, and after making the connections exactly as before, we now have issues.

Can someone tell me if the connection was done incorrectly? or if the previous water induced short may have contributed to this redo? I have attached a couple of photos. Please help.
Thanks,
Kris
IMG_1292.JPG
IMG_1293.JPG

Kris

Whirlpool model E2F40RD045V.
 

hj

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Your "problem" is probably that you have aluminum house wiring connecting to copper tank wires. At the very minimum you have to coat the connection with an Analox type paste, or use a different type of connector to join them. The "box" on the heater may have stated, "use copper wires only". It heated up and melted your wire nut.
 

Reach4

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Is the plastic on that connector on the right melted? If that is the case, that would say that there was a bad connection for the wires that were in it.
 

Kris Van

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Your "problem" is probably that you have aluminum house wiring connecting to copper tank wires. At the very minimum you have to coat the connection with an Analox type paste, or use a different type of connector to join them. The "box" on the heater may have stated, "use copper wires only". It heated up and melted your wire nut.
Thanks for the info !!
 

hj

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Aluminum/copper connections expand and contract causing looseness and heat. Which is why aluminum wires causes houses to burn down, unless they are periodically checked to be sure the wire nuts are still tight. This person should probably be feeling his switch and outlet plates periodically to see if they are warm. Unless, his house was wired with copper and only the "heavy loads" were done in aluminum.
 

Kris Van

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Aluminum/copper connections expand and contract causing looseness and heat. Which is why aluminum wires causes houses to burn down, unless they are periodically checked to be sure the wire nuts are still tight. This person should probably be feeling his switch and outlet plates periodically to see if they are warm. Unless, his house was wired with copper and only the "heavy loads" were done in aluminum.
Only the heavy loads were done with aluminum. Everything else is copper, I know this because I replaced some electrical outlets and light fixtures. I did not know that copper an aluminum did not mix well though.
 

Onokai

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You need better connectors and that special paste mentioned above-just google this -copper to aluminum and do it right.
This is a dangerous situation unless you correct it.
If all your heavy loads (what does this mean?) are this way you better check all the heavy connections to see if they go to copper antwhere else?
Mark
 

hj

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quote; If all your heavy loads (what does this mean?)

Meaning 220/240 v. appliances. They CAN be connected with aluminum wires, although I would discourage it if the opportunity presented itself.
 
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