Adding a power source outside

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maxdad118

maxdad118

JOAMOS
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
342
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Location
Northern California, bay area
So I’m in the stages of adding a tankless water heater outside and currently there is no power source nearby. Can I tie into an existing outlet inside and feed it that way? It’s a stucco wall, can I, or should I use Romex or single wires? Can it go through plastic conduit or should it go through metal conduit? I know it’s got to be gfci so is it as simple as a gfci outlet? My main panel is on the opposite side of the house so I’m trying to avoid it’s own circuit. Not concerned of being up to code but want it safe.
 
Are you just adding the appliance, or are you also adding a recirc. system?

You should be able to just do a thru-wall connection. If your existing box is metal it's very easy to add a surface mount box with a pipe nipple, through which you can use individual conductors.

It's always better if your system is grounded, however the recep will operate anyway.
 
No recirc as both bathrooms are close by- not to concerned on water waste there but need the endless hot water feature. So the through hole pipe/nipple you are talking about just exits out the back of the box? Then use single wire conductors?
 
Sorry, a bit confused here.

Are you saying you want to tap into an existing receptacle to power this hot water heater? Most instant hot water heaters are 240 volts and usually requite quite high amp rated two pole circuit breakers.

Do you have the make and model of the hot water heater that you want to install? If so can you post the electrical requirements for it? Or provide a link to the particular make and model heater.
 
The OP works for a CA. gas utility, so that's the assumption.

Yes, thats Idea, however you need yo be aware of the existing box being, conductor overfill.
 
Not an electric but NG. 120 volts, I’m still torn about which model I want to get but I think I’ve read somewhere between one and 2 A is used when they’re operating
 
Like your kitchen appliance, they don't have a standing pilot.

I've installed both Noritz and Rinnai, as well as repaired/reinstalled a homeowner installed Bosch.
 
In your experience, which have you preferred? I’ve talked to so many people with different makes and they all just say, I love it! A handful of people say they want the tank back. Misinformed that it was ‘instant hot’, not the case. It’s not for everyone but I need one.
 
The nanny state is saving you the cost of a standing pilot, AND, saving the delta smelt, aren't you happy.

They all actually worked fine in their praticular application, IE. size, distance to outlet served and mineral content of water.

The Noritz was the largest and served 3 baths, 2 were 75+' from, a disassociated 1/2, laundry and kitchen with 2 FP dishwashers. The recirc. was programed for 30min. prior to anticipated need. It also required a 1" NG supply.
 
Got a few electrician friends I can ask to get advice but not paying to have it done. I realize safety is first. Not trying to overload a circuit or burn my house down- I get it. Thanks
 
I think I have a plan, an existing outlet in the bathroom I will turn into a junction box. From here I will connect romex and go through the floor to the crawlspace run it close to the exterior wall and put another junction box. From that junction box I will go to rigid conduit through the stucco and over to my tankless location. Does this seem like the proper way to do it? Or should I get the flexible conduit with the wire inside of it?
 
The bathroom recp. should be a GFCI, so be careful not to connect to the load side.

MC is general recommended for damp location, like porch fixtures in a soffit, but if you are more comfortable with it, then OK.
 
Yes you can do this and it will function as long as like was stated before .... “ you don’t connect to the load side “ on the gfci .
The only thing that is wrong about this is the fact it is against the national electrical code .
The code states that bathroom GFCI’s be on a dedicated circuit . You may feed multiple bathroom GFCI’s , but clearly states it be used only for these bathroom GFCI’s.
The section does have an exception but it states even in the exception it cannot leave the bathroom
“Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance with”

You could possibly have a local state amendment to this ? Or your local inspector being the authority having jurisdiction can interpret the code and allow their own exceptions
 
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I just read up on the flexible conduit and it appears to be for indoor use. I’ll go with rigid. I’m assuming I will have to have a j box in my crawl space to transition from romex to single wire before going through the conduit.
 
Also, something I had forgotten. because I've been working on slab foundation dwellings for a decade or two, any under floor "J" box must be within 25' of a recognized under floor access.

Since we had been discussing rigid in the past, I had assumed you were intending to use the MC cable from the "J" box to the rigid.
 
Next question: is it recommended to use a metal or plastic box for a junction box and I have some rolls of 12 gauge stranded copper wire from a previous job, can this be used or is solid strand(1) what I need to use?
 
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