I got a problem, My son-in-law and I installed a new fuse box, recontected everything up to the proper size circut breakers, everything works but the water heater(electric). It is on a 30 amp breaker, correct wire size, both black and white are hot(240v) but no hot water. We put a meter on the wires both have 120. Checked to make sure the are conected to the right braker and they are. Any ideas?

Maybe a new heater? Check if it isn't a heater that demnds to be grounded or something.

I'm assuming the heater runs on 240V. A total of three wires in the power line to the house. 120VAC, 120VAC that is 180 degrees out of phase with the other, and neutral. The house also has an earth ground wire for safety hooked up to grounding rods or underground water pipes. On a 240V appliance you use both 120V hot wires for power. On a 120VAC appliance you use one of the two 120V hot wires and the neutral for power. Put the multimeter across the two hot wires at the heater hookup and you should have 240V AC. The neutral wire should not be hooked up to anything on a 240V appliance except possibly the ground. The earth ground should be hooked up to the ground connection. A 240VAC reading means you've got power. If you've got power to the heater, but it's not working, then the heater has to be busted. The amperage of the breaker will only be a problem if it blows, which it shouldn't.

<font color=skyblue>Dude! Can you tell me how to set in ground wires for my house? The circuit box was replaced within the last 10 years from what I have been told, but only the new built-on room contains grounding. I want if nothing else, my PC grounded. I currently have it running from a battery and a seperate surge suppressor for the things like the printer. </font>

[ 06-22-2004, 09:06 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

That's what I thought, I've got a digital multimeter, set it on AC put the black lead to the ground and the red to one of the hots I get 122.9 I do the same for the other hot I get the 122.8. When I put the red across both hots I get 122.9 also.

I've got a GE breaker box and I didn't know if the breaker could be only for 120v, though it's a 30amp breaker with 2 poles. This is driving me upthe wall cold showers in the morning aren't fun. ;)

Larry maybe a gfci outlet? I'm not electricain so not sure how it would work but cant hurt

[ 06-22-2004, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Lord of Alcohol ]

It turned out to be that little space saver "wish I was a breaker", it had a pole broken I replaced it with a full size real man breaker and everything is working now.