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How to install a
water heater
timer
First, please realize that water
heater timers might not save as much money
as you'd expect. That's because a
typical electric water heater only runs
about three
hours a day anyway, and modern
energy-efficient water heaters run only
1.3
hours or so. Standby losses (how much
heat the tank loses by just sitting there)
aren't that great, especially for modern
heaters. (In fact, if your heater was made
after 1998, it's possibly not worth using
a timer at all.) And even with a timer
you'll still have standby losses as soon
as you leave for work and after the tank
shuts off for the night. A timer for an
old (pre-1998) heater will save
about 25kWh/mo. for a family of two using
40 gallons a day with the heater off four
to six hours a day, but only 14kWh/mo. for
a family of four using 80 gallons a day.
(Florida
Extension
Service)
On the other hand, installing a
heater timer couldn't hurt, and it's
pretty cheap to do. So let's see how
to do it.
If you're lucky enough have a heater
that plugs into a standard electrical
outlet, your solution is simple: Plug
a regular 120-Volt timer into the outlet,
set it, then plug your water heater into
the timer. You'll be able to use a generic
timer, which is cheaper and smaller than a
water heater timer.
But more likely, your water heater
is 220 volts, and the power cord goes
straight into the heater. If that's
the case, you'll need a special water
heater timer (about $40 at your home
improvement store), and you'll have to go
through a few more steps to install it. Of
course, you could always pay an
electrician to install it (probably $50 or
so, including the house call), but it's
not hard to install yourself.
The timer will come with
instructions, but here's what you'll be
doing:
- Verify
that your water heater really is 220V
and not 120V. (Look at the
heater or the heater manual and see
whether it's labeled 220V or 120V.) If
the power cord runs from the wall into
the heater and there's no electrical
outlet between them, it's probably
220V. Once you're certain of the
voltage, go to a home improvement store
to get the parts.
- At the
store, get these things:
- a 220V water heater timer
- #10 electrical wire (to reach
from the wall to the heater;
probably about 3 feet)
- a combination wire
cutter/stripper
- a screwdriver, if you don't
already own one
- Back at
home, take the timer out of its case,
and mount the case to the wall with the
screws that came with it.
(If the timer tells you to make the
connections first before mounting it,
then follow the instructions. For that
matter, allows go with what the timer
instructions say if they differ from
what you read here.)
- Turn off
the circuit breaker to your water
heater. For 220V heaters it
may be two circuit breakers connected
together by a tab.
Make
absolutely sure that you turn off the
correct breaker(s)! If you don't shut
off the power to your heater, you'll
electrocute yourself when you make the
connections. If you want to
be really safe, turn them ALL off and
do the wiring work with a flashlight.
If you're uncomfortable with any of
this, call an electrician instead.
- Once the
power is off, unscrew the plate on top
of the water heater where the power
cable goes in, and remove the
electrical cord.
- Fish the
cord you just removed from the water
heater through the timer case on the
wall, and connect the ends to the
timer.
- Connect
one end of the wire you bought at the
store to the timer, and the other end
to the heater. Screw the
plate back onto the top of the heater,
and screw the timer into its case.
- Set the
timer, and turn the breaker back
on. You're done!
See also my
page about saving on water
heating, and questions I've
received and answered about how saving on
water heating costs.
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