I’m thinking of going to tankless water heaters, one in the back of the house, one in the front. I’m comfortable working with electricity, and have installed outlets, ceiling light fixtures, etc.
We have a 220 v. line that used to be for the electric clothes dryer. There are 2 30 A. breakers at the box for that. Most of the POU/tankless water heaters I’ve seen require more than that.
How difficult a project is it to install bigger breakers for 220 v.? It would seem to be fairly straight-forward, but I’d have to study up before I tackle it. Also (in Colorado) is this something I can legally do for myself? More precisely, who do I contact (state department of something, I’m sure) to find out if I need permits, etc. to do it?
It looks to me like getting the electric run is a major cost of installing such a water heater.
You can’t just install bigger breakers. Well, you can, but you certainly shouldn’t. You’ll also need to run heavier wire to handle the additional current load. Since you have to ask, I’m going to say no, this is NOT something you should attempt yourself whether it’s legal for you to or not.
Indeed. Some Googling suggests that a typical model requires 120 amps (three 40-amp circuits). That will require some serious rewiring.
And since you’re looking at two tankless heaters, note that if they’re both on at once (and if they never are, why have two?) you may be drawing 240 amps, which is a huge load - more than the main breaker on many houses will allow.
Before proceding, you probably should consult with someone who has experience installing these things.
I investigated this kind of project myself. Installing the circuits easily matched the cost of the units. As others have said, you need 10gauge or bigger wire, breakers to handle the current, and the ability to install same in your service panel. Lets say you can do all that (I didn’t try and like you I have added lights, fans, switches, outlets etc as needed) and you do it safely and correctly. Something else happens and there is a fire in your home. Are you certain the insurance company won’t notice the install and demand proof that a licensed electrician did the work? Even without a fire, will the inspector approve your work? You are taking a chance-and that is after we assume you do the work correctly.
All that said, my issue came down to economics. It just wasn’t worth spending that much to have unlimited (not really) hot water. I put in a bigger hot water heater.