Hot Water Heater Bonding Wire

According to the experts we spoke with bonding wires may actually extend the life of the water heater by diverting electrolysis from the anode rod and tank even on electric models.

Hot water heater bonding wire.

In any case if you need a bonding wire it usually consists of a 6 awg bare copper wire connected to a ground clamp on each of the hot and cold water pipes. This bonding is essential to maintain continuous ground path. Each clamp should be on a smooth part of the pipe and not too close to any fittings. Bronze ground clamp for bonding bare copper wire bronze ground clamp for bonding bare copper wire to water pipe or for use as a water meter shunt.

Bonding the plumbing attempts to keep the hot and cold plumbing at the same electrical potential. It typically has two brass clamps with a thick copper wire strung between them. The bonding wire is usually a heavy copper wire fastened with brass clamps at one end to the cold water pipe and at the other end to the hot water pipe. Most electricians automatically bond the cold water line but do not ensure that the cold and the hot water lines are metallically interconnected through mixing valves in the plumbing fixtures.

The pressure of the clamp may stress soldered joints and valve connections. 10 sol 2 0 str ground wire range. Run the bonding wire from a point near your water heater a convenient spot if you have a gas fueled water heater to an exit point where the wire can be bonded to the grounding wire that leads to the exterior grounding electrodes. The southwire water heater grounding kit is designed for residential water heater use but can be used across any continuity break in residential plumbing.

If this bond is not in place it s possible for the hot and cold plumbing to be at different voltage potentials. This bonding jumper is sized using the same section and table used for the grounding electrode conductor for the service. The parts cost only about 10 and can be installed in just minutes. Because your water heater has dielectric unions so the hot and cold plumbing are isolated from each other.

A bonding wire is an external part that is attached to the water heater. So whether or not your local code calls for the bonding wire you may want to install one to get more life out of your water heater. 10 sol str 2str. Kit includes two brass ground clamps and copper conductor.