I have a water heater connect to tha breaker box direct and i need one switch to off the heater when water is hot what switch i need

test and check element draw -safety [reset ] switch failing -water flow

Turn off the power at the fuse box (circuit Breaker Box) relative to the Water Heater. Allow for a few minutes rest and flip the breaker back on again. Go to the Heater and check it again. If it works ok, you good to go. If the same problem exists, then the controller board to the heater is either defective or the limiting switch has been compromised. Before getting a professional to test it, contact Richmond directly and see if they have a fix.

Most Larger water heaters are 220 volt ac single phase. This means you need 3 wires, two hot wires one neutral or ground. You will need to come from the breaker box off of a dual breaker of 30 amps or better. See the manual with the new heater. In your breaker box you have two sides or in coming service. The right side and the left each side is hot 110volts ac. you need to pull one leg (hot) from each side into the dual breaker out to the heater connections. The ground or neutral wire is un-insulated copper. Run these wires out to the heater. One black hot at 110 vac, one white hot at 110 vac and one plain copper ground.

Sounds like you have a short in wiring for 120VAC system of water heater. Shut breaker at panel off, and remove cover on back of water heater to look for any burnt wiring at connections such as switch, or thermostat/eco assembly.

Need to confirm hydro to water heater, all switches breakers etc on, and check to make sure switch at back of water heater at connection box on as well. If power to back of water heater, then check for reset in center of ECO on back behind cover. If power going to element ( behind cover as well) then replace element. Be careful when removing cover on back. Shut breaker off at main panel until you can get cover off and ready to test voltage.

You have electric water heater.
You replaced elements and thermostats but heater still won't work.
And tank was completely full of water, and water was running out of a faucet before turning power ON.
If elements are not fully immersed in water, they will instantly burn out.
If upper element is burned out, then tank will have NO hot water.
If lower element is burned out, and upper element is not burned out, then tank will have some hot water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-it-works.html

If elements did not burn out, then that leaves 1 main suspect: the electricity.

1) Push in ECO red reset button on upper thermostat. If ECO is tripped out, then heater will not work.

2) Click circuit breaker all the way one direction and then back the other direction to make sure breaker is latched.

3) If tank has 2 elements, then it is 240volt.
If 1 leg of 240Volt circuit is not working, then 240V appliance will not work.
240Volt circuit needs both hot wires to complete the circuit:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-EH40-hot-water-heater-timer.html#120-240

Buy cheap multimeter from Home Center and set dial to 240-250-277VAC
Tape tester leads to woods sticks to keep hands away from power.
Power is ON
Test across top 2 screws on upper element should show 220-240 volts.
If you have 240 at top two screws, then skip down to step 6.
If no reading across top two screws, then move to top of tank.

4) Open connection point where wire connects to heater.
Test across both insulated wires should get reading of 220-240 volts.
If no reading, move to circuit breaker box.

5) Mark water heater breaker.
Turn off all breakers except water heater breaker and main breaker. (and breaker to light fixture where box is located)
Do not hold or touch or lean against anything metal.
Stand on dry boards and wear dry clothes.
If main breaker is OFF, the big wires that connect to main breaker are still HOT.

Remove box cover.
240Volt breaker has 2 wires connected with screws.
Test across both screws for 240Volt.
See if wires are loose.
If there is no reading, then breaker is not working on one leg.
To double check, move water heater wires to another same-size 240V breaker and then put ear against water heater to listen for bubbly-fizzing sound.

6) If you are getting 240 to water heater, then wire inside tank could be loose.
Do 30 minute troubleshoot:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, fixya expert speaks with you over phone while you work on timer.

You have water heater with two elements.
Two-element water heaters are 240Volts.

1) Lets talk about what makes a 240Volt circuit
See basic water heater circuit:
http://waterheatertimer.org/B220C.html

Open link, and illustration at top of page is your water heater circuit

Notice that two insulated wires come from the circuit breaker and go to the water heater.
These two wires are 120volt each. When these two 120Volt wires combine, they create 240Volts
These are called hot wires because they come from the hot busbars.
There is also a bare copper wire that comes from neutral busbar.
The bare copper wire is a safeguard, and is not necessary for the 240V circuit to work.

Inside each circuit breaker box is 1 neutral busbar, and 2 hot busbars.
Open image below, and it shows typical residential breaker box
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/Inside-Main-Breaker-Box-420.jpg

In a residential home, each circuit takes two wires to complete the circuit.
For 120Volt circuit, you need 1 neutral wire and 1 hot wire to complete the circuit. These are usually a black and white wire. The bare copper wire is a safeguard.
For 240Volt circuit, you need 2 hot wires to complete the circuit, and each hot wire comes off a different busbar. These can be a black and white wire, and sometimes a black and red wire. The bare copper wire is a safeguard.

With a 240Volt water heater the two hot wires connect to the black and red wires located on top of water heater.

2) Let's talk about wiring inside a water heater.
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/WH-w-combined-530.jpg

Open image on link above, and it shows your 240volt water heater wiring.
The 2 hot wires from breaker box connect to the red and black wires on top of heater.
Inside each water heater, the wires are color-coded and will appear the same, or nearly the same, as shown on link above.
As long as your wiring appears like the image, and the hot wires from breaker box connect correctly, and the circuit breaker is working fine, then your water heater will work.

Add a comment any time.

3) More electric water heater links about water heaters, thermostats and tank wiring:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-electric-water-heater-works.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-water-heater-thermostat-works.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-water-heater-thermostats.html

WH40 is 240Volt timer.
WH40 will not work with 120V circuit.

See WH40 wiring illustration at following link:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-EH40-hot-water-heater-timer.html

There are two hot wires in 240V circuit because every circuit requires two wires to complete the circuit.
Hot wires from breaker connect to terminal 1 and 3.
Notice that small white wires are also connected to terminals 1 and 3.
Small white wires power clock motor located on back of mechanism, so this says power from breaker box must arrive on terminals 1 and 3. This insures that clock motor runs continuously.
If clock motor only runs when manual override switch is clicked ON, then your Hot and Load wires are reversed.

Bare ground wire connects to green ground screw.
Wires going to Load (water heater) connect to terminals 2 and 4.

FYI: Terminal A is not used unless circuit also has a Neutral wire,
See basic water heater circuit Diagram #2:
http://waterheatertimer.org/240-v-water-heater-circuit.html

Terminal A is also used if you want to convert WH40 to 120V timer by replacing 240V clock with 120V clock.
How to convert Intermatic 240V timer to 120V timer
http://www.fixya.com/support/t7353947-intermatic_timer_wg

Hi,

If your electric hot water heater is not working...check out this tip about electric hot water heater problems

Electric Water Heater not Working

heatman101

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As long as the hot water tank is no more than fifty feet from the panel, you will need 10/3 with ground wire, wire staples and a 30 amp double pole breaker. Be sure to purchase enough wire with about 4 feet extra to allow for connections.

Be sure to fill the water tank before turning on the power. To be sure it is full, run water through the nearby faucets, turning on the hot water faucets or both to be safe. If you fire up an empty hot water tank you will destroy the heating elements almost instantly.