Power outlet for external mounted tankless water heater

[maxdad118]

I’m wondering what is the easiest or preferred way to run electrical to the outside wall of one of my bathrooms to power a tankless water heater? There is an outlet in an odd place that is never used but is not gfci protected, at least the outlet itself isn’t? I’m wondering how would I get that wire to the outside, pull it back up to the attic, attach a junction box and add romex or single wire thru rigid conduit out through an attic soffit vents and down to the unit? Another idea I had was to piggyback off a wall outlet on the same exterior wall and run it to the unit? Any suggestions? I can get a few pictures tomorrow or when I get a chance? Any do’s or don’t s I should pay attention to?

 

[Snoonyb]

For just this bathroom, or was this addressed in your previous thred,"Removing galvanized and going copper"?

And if just for this bathroom, are isolating just the hot, or both?

 

[maxdad118]

Not sure I understand your question? I need an electrical outlet outside for a near future tankless addition. The tankless will serve 2 bathrooms.

 

[Snoonyb]

So you are isolation 2 of the bathrooms from the recently repiped copper change over?

Will this be a 240V elec. on demand system?

 

[maxdad118]

Not sure if I’m going to isolate it yet, was wondering how it would work with both connected...in case the tankless is down for whatever reason I could still get hot water? The 40 gal is on the other side of the house from the bathrooms. We have a large jacuzzi bathtub and it uses most of the 40 gal hot water not to mention wasting a lot of water until it gets hot.

 

[JoeD]

The cable used to power a receptacle is not even close to what is needed for a tankless heater. You will need to pull new cables back to the panel. I say cables because electric tankless heaters most often require two or three 40 amp or 60 amp feeds.
If this is a gas fired unit then the cable might be suitable for the 120 volt control supply.

 

[Snoonyb]

Removing galvanized and going copper"

In that thred you were referred to a recirc. system which, when correctly programed, would have afforded you hot water virtually on demand, at all locations.

So, assuming this on demand will be gas fired, a 120V GFCI for the pilot, and maybe just maybe, a recirc. system tied between the two hot water feeds will, sort of, isolate these 2 bathrooms.

 

[maxdad118]

It’s going to be gas, it only needs 120vac and uses very little, mainly small fan and igniter. The copper water pipes was a different issue all together and I left a 3/4” stub close by in the crawl space for this reason....dedicated 1” gas line already plumbed over a few years ago by myself. Just need the electrical outlet and tankless, of course.

 

[nealtw]

If you are in a cold zone you may want a dedicated circuit just for a heat strip to prevent freezing.