What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black, black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was started
up?

"Davy" wrote in message
news:h7f7f.50194$Io.26875@clgrps13...
What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black, black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was
started
up?



Assuming they were properly wired in the breaker box, both of them attached
to the hot side of the breaker, it would make absolutely no difference.
Red and black are interchangeable.

Colbyt

Davy wrote:
What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black, black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was started
up?


No ill effects. It does not matter with 220v each line has 110v nominal.

Davy wrote:
What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black,
black wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater
was started up?

Your water will be the wrong polarity. When you open both the hot and cold
faucets, it will not mix properly. Sort of line trying to get two magnets
to stick together when the N & S are reversed. In the washing machine, the
agitator may overcome it, but showers will be most uncomfortable.

--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

If 220V, then no effect but make sure you have the proper ground there.
Normally black is the hot wire.

J


Davy wrote:

What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black, black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was started
up?

On a 220 V line both the red and black wires are hot to the neutral wire.
There is no differance in the red and black wires except they go to
differant sides of the incomming 220 V wiring.

"Joey" wrote in message
...
If 220V, then no effect but make sure you have the proper ground there.
Normally black is the hot wire.

J


Davy wrote:

What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black,
black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was
started
up?

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
news
On a 220 V line both the red and black wires are hot to the neutral wire.

Partially correct. Both red and black are hot, period. It's easy to ignore
the current that the neutral carries because the neutral is grounded. Don't
forget the neutral does connect to the transformer at a live spot. It is
center tapped from a 220 volt split phase (single phase) conductor. Since
the neutral is grounded as well you don't feel curent running through you
when you touch the neutral and ground, but she's hot too.

There is no differance in the red and black wires except they go to
differant sides of the incomming 220 V wiring.

Since those wires are hooked to both legs of the split phase 220 at the
transformer their alternating currnents appear to be 120 volts AC out of
phase with eachother when tested to neutral or ground. If there was no
difference between the red and black wires they'd provide no voltage between
them.


The OP's water heater should be fine, but I like the reversed-polarity water
hypothesis.



"Joey" wrote in message
...
If 220V, then no effect but make sure you have the proper ground there.
Normally black is the hot wire.

J


Davy wrote:

What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black,
black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was
started
up?

I understand what everyone else were saying on here, and I am not an
electrical expert..but.. wouldn't it depend on how the wire is connected at
the electrical panel. What would happend if your red is connected to the
'hot' point and the red is wired to the neutral (white)?
Can someone else add to this?

Thanks.


"Olaf" wrote in message
...

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
news
On a 220 V line both the red and black wires are hot to the neutral wire.

Partially correct. Both red and black are hot, period. It's easy to ignore
the current that the neutral carries because the neutral is grounded.
Don't
forget the neutral does connect to the transformer at a live spot. It is
center tapped from a 220 volt split phase (single phase) conductor. Since
the neutral is grounded as well you don't feel curent running through you
when you touch the neutral and ground, but she's hot too.

There is no differance in the red and black wires except they go to
differant sides of the incomming 220 V wiring.

Since those wires are hooked to both legs of the split phase 220 at the
transformer their alternating currnents appear to be 120 volts AC out of
phase with eachother when tested to neutral or ground. If there was no
difference between the red and black wires they'd provide no voltage
between
them.


The OP's water heater should be fine, but I like the reversed-polarity
water
hypothesis.



"Joey" wrote in message
...
If 220V, then no effect but make sure you have the proper ground there.
Normally black is the hot wire.

J


Davy wrote:

What would be the result if an electric hot water heater wires were
reversed?
If the wires going into the hot water heater were red wire to black,
black
wire to red, what would be the result when the hot water heater was
started
up?

Dave wrote:

What would happend if your red is
connected to the 'hot' point and the red is wired to the neutral
(white)? Can someone else add to this?

If it was connected as you state, the electrician and the inspector should
both have their licenses take away.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

According to Dave :
I understand what everyone else were saying on here, and I am not an
electrical expert..but.. wouldn't it depend on how the wire is connected at
the electrical panel. What would happend if your red is connected to the
'hot' point and the red is wired to the neutral (white)?
Can someone else add to this?

A water heater requires 240V. When correctly wired, the black and red
wires supply the 240V. "Correctly wired" means that the black is connected
to one side of the hot feed in the panel, and the red is connected to the
other side. There's 240V between them, and 120V from either one to neutral
(usually white).

It simply doesn't matter "which way around" they are.

There is _no_ neutral needed in a 240V water heater. Just two hots
and a protective ground (usually bare).

If, on the other hand, the electrician wired one of the wires of the
HWT (red or black) to the neutral (coloured white in cables, one
of the busbars in a panel), the HWT is only getting 120V, not 240V.
The HWT will work, but it will take a very long time to heat up.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

replying to Edwin Pawlowski, dougofkc wrote:
holly hell batman! LOL


--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ing-44186-.htm

replying to Chris Lewis, Twirling plumber wrote:
I mustve wired a 240 water heater backwards the other day.
2- red wires supply
The fuse blew and the wire nuts melted.
I just flipped the wires not sure if the heater got damaged yet.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ing-44186-.htm

"Twirling plumber" m
wrote in message ...
replying to Chris Lewis, Twirling plumber wrote:
I must've wired a 240 water heater backwards the other day.
2- red wires supply The fuse blew and the wire nuts melted.
I just flipped the wires not sure if the heater got damaged yet.

--
for full context, visit
https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ing-44186-.htm


OMG. Are you sure you are not dead? That is a 13 year old post.

Really, a fuse and not a breaker?

You must be truly blessed because you screwed up 240 V water heater wiring
that can't be screwed up.

You best get a pro to check what is actually wrong with the wiring before
the house burns down.