How to Hook Up a Water Heater Timer

A timer lowers the amount of electricity a water heater uses. A water heater's thermostat cycles on and off constantly, even during periods of time without a demand for hot water. A timer hooked up to a water heater prevents this. Setting the timer to turn off in the middle of the night -- and during the day if everyone is away from home -- maximizes its energy savings. Water-heater timers have a manual override switch, which allows a user to bypass the timer and turn the water heater on at any time.

• 1

  Flip the water heater's circuit breaker to the "off" position. The correct circuit breaker has a "water heater" label.

• 2

  Inspect the timer and its wiring guide. The timer's housing contains two round disks in its bottom section. The wire guide, usually located on the inside of the timer's lid, labels each wire terminal -- usually with the numbers 1 through 4 and "GRD" -- and lists each terminal's function.

• 3

  Remove the two disks from the bottom of the timer's housing. Slip a slotted screwdriver between the edge of a disk and the housing, and then pry on the edge of the disk. Moving the disk back and forth will break it off.

• 4

  Install a wire clamp in both of the timer's wire-access holes, or the holes in the bottom of the timer's housing. Wire clamps use a half-moon-shaped bar to hold a wire against the clamp's body. Slip the threaded portion of the clamp's body through the wire-access hole, and spin the clamp's locking nut onto the threads from inside the timer's housing. Finger-tighten each locking nut.

• 5

  Remove 1/2 inch of the insulation from each coated wire in both wire sets using wire strippers. Each wire set contains two coated wires, usually with white and black insulation, and a bare wire. One wire set comes from the circuit breaker and the other wire set leads to the water heater's electrical connection box.

• 6

  Slip the ends of each wire set into a wire clamp. Push the wire sets into the timer's housing until the wire set reaches the farthest wire terminal.

• 7

  Route the bare wire from each wire set to the green-colored ground screw, usually labeled "GRD." The ground screw mounts to either the timer's housing or the panel to which the timing mechanism mounts. Twist each wire around the screw and tighten the screw with a slotted screwdriver.

• 8

  Route the circuit breaker's black wire to the timer's Line 1 terminal, usually labeled "1." Wrap the end of the wire around the terminal's screw. Tighten the screw with the correct screwdriver.

• 9

  Route the water heater's black wire to the timer's Load 1 terminal, usually labeled "2." Wrap the end of the wire around the terminal's screw. Tighten the screw with the correct screwdriver.

• 10

  Route the circuit breaker's white wire to the timer's Line 2 terminal, usually labeled "3." Wrap the end of the wire around the terminal's screw. Tighten the screw with the correct screwdriver.

• 11

  Route the water heater's white wire to the timer's Load 2 terminal, usually labeled "4." Wrap the end of the wire around the terminal's screw. Tighten the screw with the correct screwdriver.

• 12

  Bend each wire neatly into the timer's housing. Verify the timer's lid closes without touching the wires.

• 13

  Tighten the wire clamp's screws with a slotted screwdriver. This locks the wires in place.