Inducer fan for water heater

mathew stouffer · 07-27-2011, 05:22 AM

Are inducer draft fans for water heaters required to be plugged into a GFCI outlet or is this not a good idea? The water heater was manufactured in 02, gas unit.

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**John Arnold** · 07-27-2011, 06:59 AM

I just looked up the installations instructions for a high efficiency Bradford White gas WH, and it didn't say anything about GFCI protection. All I saw was that the circuit must be dedicated.

**Billy Stephens** · 07-27-2011, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

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Are inducer draft fans for water heaters required to be plugged into a GFCI outlet or is this not a good idea? The water heater was manufactured in 02, gas unit.

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Not a Good Idea.
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**Jerry Peck** · 07-27-2011, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

Are inducer draft fans for water heaters required to be plugged into a GFCI outlet or is this not a good idea? The water heater was manufactured in 02, gas unit.

Depends on where the water heater is located ... the receptacle may be REQUIRED to be GFCI protected.

What's the problem with having the fan GFCI protected? Is this like where some say not to put sump pumps on GFCIs even though it is required to do so?

There is an interlock switch for the fan should the fan not work - the water heater will not fire (at least that is how I remember the few that I've seen in years past.

**Billy Stephens** · 07-27-2011, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Depends on where the water heater is located ... the receptacle may be REQUIRED to be GFCI protected.

What's the problem with having the fan GFCI protected? Is this like where some say not to put sump pumps on GFCIs even though it is required to do so?

There is an interlock switch for the fan should the fan not work - the water heater will not fire (at least that is how I remember the few that I've seen in years past.

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So Your saying it's a Good Ideal ?
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**Jerry Peck** · 07-27-2011, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Depends on where the water heater is located ... the receptacle may be REQUIRED to be GFCI protected.

What's the problem with having the fan GFCI protected? Is this like where some say not to put sump pumps on GFCIs even though it is required to do so?

There is an interlock switch for the fan should the fan not work - the water heater will not fire (at least that is how I remember the few that I've seen in years past.

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

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So Your saying it's a Good Ideal ?
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Yes.
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If the fan does not come on, or the fan shuts off, the burner shuts off.
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You would rather electrocute someone touching the fan or the water heater, or the metal plumbing which was supposed to be bonded to ground but was not?
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