A water heater timer can do wonders in cutting out the water bills into half. With a water heater timer, the heater can only be turned on about 20 minutes before washing up or about 40 minutes to have a bath. It can save about $20 each month, which would cost to a total of $240 annually. That would be about 8% of a standard electric bill. More so, it would preserve the water heater by using it only when needed, saving cost, water, and energy that would be more efficient not just for the family but everyone else. Installing a water heater timer would lead to fewer replacements, less chemical build-up, less cost, and smaller bills that would largely benefit people.

To install a water heater timer, certain materials should be gathered, such as the following: (1) a timer or switch, (2) an old-work box from the hardware store, (3) a contactor with 120Volt coil and 30 amp contacts, (4) a 6x6x4 enclosure, (5) a cut lengths of 10-2 with ground and 14-2 with ground, and (6) misc stuff from the hardware store. After gathering the materials, connect the wires by dropping the end of 14-2 wire into the old-work box, and then connecting the water heater timer to the end of 14-2 wire inside the box. Inside the enclosure, mount the contactor at an angle using the 8-32 bolts with the lock nut, and attach the 10-2 wire from the breaker to the one side of the contactor, and the another one from the water heater to the other side of the contactor.

Put a couple of green ground screws in the bottom of the metal box, and then ground the wire from the breaker box to the ground enclosure, and then twist the ground wires from both 10 gauge wires and cover them with red wire nut. Use a fuse inside the enclosure and then connect a 14ga wire from the breaker side of the contactor towards the fuse holder. After installing the water heater timer, connect a black wire to the fuse holder and another white wire to the side of contactor, and another ground wire to the green ground screw. Connect the white wire to the side of the contactor, and then close-up both of the ground screws.

Finally, finish the wiring contractor by running 14-2 romex from the attic light to the enclosure to connect the circuit to the neutral wire. Connect a white wire from the attic light to the contactor, so that the water heater would turn on whenever the timer is turned on. A water heater timer is efficient in decreasing the amount of electric bills, as it turns on the water heater only when needs arise.

A water heater timer or switch usually ranges from $30 to about $120 depending on the features. An hour dial water heater timer costs about $35, which is almost the same as the price of a 24-hour electrical water heater timer that costs $38. A 7-day programmable timer, however, would originally cost $85, but it can be purchased with discounts that would cost about $70. Installing a water heater timer can do wonders to the water and electrical bill, and it only costs a fraction of time and money in installing something that is worth the extra effort.

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