Electric Water Heater Wiring

[Jim Port]

To simplify; Straight 240v circuits use the hot leg as the return path from the other leg.

[David A. Andersen]

Not a dumb question, I just would not try to figure it out by asking here.
There are too many wrong answers that turn up a rule-of-thumb.

You should study it all again till you fully understand it.

Having a related application to go along with training make all the world of difference in understanding.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Originally Posted by krigler

The NACHI course and the other electrical books I've read all indicate that electricity seeks to complete a continuous circuit. Supply through the hot (ungrounded) conductor, to the fixture where it completes a task, and then back through the neutral (grounded) conductor.

I'm sorry if it's a dumb question. But again, if 120V fixtures need the neutral path to allow current back to the panel why don't 240V fixtures? Or am I just thinking about it wrong?

AC current thru the hot and neutral wires actually switches from positive to negative rapidly. But if you look at a particular point in time you could have the following ...

Hot Wire (Leg-A) - Positive
Hot Wire (Leg-B) - Negitive
Neutral Wire - Negative

For a 240V circuit current is flowing from Leg-A to Leg-B

For a 120V circuit current is flowing from Leg-A to the Neutral

Maybe that might help ...

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

This picture of the out put from an transformer might help

[Kenny Rigler]

Thank you and yes, those help out a lot. I can't say that I fully understand it yet, but it answers my question as to why the neutral isn't needed.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Here is another diagram that may help ...

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by krigler

Thank you and yes, those help out a lot. I can't say that I fully understand it yet, but it answers my question as to why the neutral isn't needed.

I think a few classes on Electical could help yuo a lot... Roy

[George P. Wells, CMI]

Originally Posted by krigler

Also, why doesn't an electric water heater use a neutral?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJX0nprpqA

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Kenny -

Since you're replacing the gas water heater with an electric one and from what you've said are not sure what to do with the wires ... Have the licensed electrician doing the hook-up explain it to you.