albee wrote:
....
My mistake on the two leads with 120v to ground; I was measuring from
the thermostat, wherein I wasn't measuring the lead; merely another
point in the circuit, so I was measuring the ONE lead both times. When
I disconnected the thermostat and measured, only one lead had 120v to
ground, the other is 0.
I understand not wanting to address it anymore. I truly don't think
anything's really mucked up, in that it's always worked and all I've
done is replace breakers (and they aren't reversed).
....
Sorry, but I don't think you have the requisite knowledge to recognize
it if it were (or weren't).

That's not intended personally; no reason everybody needs to know NEC,
etc. But, just because something may have worked doesn't mean it was
ever compliant and proper and the description you gave elsewhere about
how/where conductors were going didn't give me any feeling of
comfort--it surely sounded like a homeowner-type job rather than
professional. I can't think of any reason a water heater circuit would
have separate conductors running different directions from the panel.

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