What Size Breaker Do I Need for a 4500 Watt Water Heater?

4500w water heater: source Quora

When you purchase a new water heater, you’ll need to ask the vendor which circuit breaker your home needs in order to safely use the water heater. If your home’s circuit breaker is smaller than the one recommended by the water heater manufacturer, they will not be able to switch it on. Let’s take a look at how we can find out what breaker size we need for our 4500 Watt electric water heater.

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Circuit breaker size for 4500 watts water heater

Let’s start by going straight for the answer. You will need between 25 amp to 30 amp circuit breaker if you are planning to buy 4500 watts water heater.

How have we arrived at this answer? You may wonder.

We have just used the 125% rule as stated by the National Electric Code for the circuit breakers. This rule requires that you should not use a circuit breaker that exceeds 80% of the rated current continuously. And since we are using the heater for 4500 watts, we need to use a circuit breaker that has at least 125% of the value. So, we have calculated 125% of 4500 watts and arrived at a minimum requirement of 30 amps. This means that you will not be able to install a circuit breaker smaller than 30 amps.

We have used the same rule in order to figure out what breaker size is required for a 7500-watt water heater. You can use this information to calculate circuit breakers for any electrical appliance in your home.

Calculating the breaker size for a 4500-watt water heater

The right size of a circuit breaker is calculated by dividing the total wattage of the load by the supply voltage. In this case, the wattage is 4500, and the total voltage in most households is 240 volts.

So, we will simply divide 4500 watts by 240 volts. This will give us 18.5 amps.

Remember that in this case load device is a water heater and it operates continuously. This is where the rule of 125% comes into play. This is the minimum requirement for circuit breakers. So, we need to add 25% to the 18.5 amps, which will give us 22.25 amps (or 30 amps).

So, a 30-amp breaker is required for a 4500-watt water heater that operates continuously.

What does continuous load mean?

As I mentioned above, the circuit breakers that we use in our homes are rated on a continuous load. This means that they can continuously withstand the amount of power that is necessary for the appliance to operate.

So, what does this mean? Well, it simply means that if you have a 4500-watt water heater and you have a 30-amp breaker, then your circuit breaker will be able to provide power to your water heater for as long as it is turned on.

This might sound like a very long time but remember; this is an average of 10 hours a day for about 300 days of the year.

You should also know that some appliances require more than one circuit breaker. For example, if you have a refrigerator and an oven in one kitchen outlet, then you will need two 30-amp circuit breakers installed in order to control their power separately. This will prevent overloading your home’s electrical system and avoid any accidents or injuries caused by faulty wiring or worn-out switches or breakers.

How can I calculate the right side of my circuit breaker based on my appliance?

If you want to calculate the right size of your circuit breaker based on your appliance wattage, then here is how: First figure out how much power do you use per hour and multiply it by 24 hours per day (in case you use it continuously). Then take this number and divide it by 1000 (you need kilowatts for calculations). Then multiply this number

Consider the size of the wire

even after choosing the right size of breaker for your 4500 watt water heater, you should also pay attention to the size of the wire. The wire should be the right size to carry the current safely. If you use a thicker wire than needed, it will get hotter, which can cause fires or other problems. If you use a thinner wire than needed, it will not carry as much current and may not work as well.

The approximate sizes of wires for breakers up to 50 amps are:

14-gauge wire for 15-amp circuit breakers

12-gauge wire for 20-amp circuit breakers

10-gauge wire for 30-amp circuit breakers

8-gauge wire for 40-amp circuit breakers

The approximate sizes of wires for breakers up to 100 amps are:

8-gauge wire for 50-amp circuit breakers

6-gauge wire for 70-amp circuit breakers

4-gauge wire for 100-amp circuit breakers

Now you should be able to choose the right size of electrical breaker and wire without any trouble.

How can I tell if my circuit breaker is overloaded?

Image source internachi forum

In general, circuit breakers are designed to operate within a safe range of current flow and voltage. A circuit breaker that overloads or becomes overloaded cannot handle all the current that is flowing through it without overheating and melting. Therefore, when a circuit breaker becomes overloaded, there are usually warning signs that let you know something is wrong with it. These signs include:

A loud buzzing sound from your electrical switchboard

The lights in your house dim or flicker as your circuit breaker is operating

If any of these signs occur in your home, contact an electrician right away so they can determine what is wrong with your circuit Breaker and fix the problem before something worse happens to you or your family!

Where to buy circuit breakers for 4500-watt water heater?

Now that you know the technical aspects regarding the breaker size, your next concern should be where to buy. Always choose reliable circuit breaker suppliers and manufacturers in China. This way, you can rest assured that your circuit breaker will not fail when you are using it.

You can find many reliable and professional suppliers in China if you just do a little research.

The first step is to find the type of circuit breaker you need and then search for the manufacturer that makes it. Once you have found a reputable manufacturer, contact them for more information about the product. Or, you can use a reputable sourcing agent to find such a manufacturer.