Tankless water heater on GFCI circuitry

[JIM MURPHY]

Inspected a 2015 house today that had a tankless Rheem tankless water heater. It did not appear to be giving real hot water so I went to find the thermostat which turned out to be in within the water heater. When I pulled it out, I realized it was not on. After doing some research at the service panel, I noticed a garage GFCI receptacle was tripped from when I tripped an exterior receptacle. I reset the GFCI and tankless water heater thermostat can alive. I have never seen this before and since the buyer was with me, now he knows but is this correct? Like I said, I have never seen this and I inspect houses with tankless water heaters daily. I advise the customer to have it rewired to an independent receptacle. Your comments.


Jim Murphy

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[Jerry Peck]

Shouldn't be any problem with that being on a GFCI ... other than someone or something tripping the GFCI - however, 'no hot water' will be a good reminder to check and reset that GFCI.

If that unit trips the GFCI, that would indicate something is wrong with that unit.

Besides, EVERY 120 volt, 15 and 20 amp receptacle outlet in a garage needs to be GFCI protected, so, it a tankless water heater is in a garage, and it is plugged into a 120 volt outlet, then it should be GFCI protected anyway.

[JIM MURPHY]

Thanks, Jerry. It was on the exterior wall of the garage so technically they were treating it like an exterior receptacle.

Shouldn't be any problem with that being on a GFCI ... other than someone or something tripping the GFCI - however, 'no hot water' will be a good reminder to check and reset that GFCI.

If that unit trips the GFCI, that would indicate something is wrong with that unit.

Besides, EVERY 120 volt, 15 and 20 amp receptacle outlet in a garage needs to be GFCI protected, so, it a tankless water heater is in a garage, and it is plugged into a 120 volt outlet, then it should be GFCI protected anyway.

[Jerry Peck]

Thanks, Jerry. It was on the exterior wall of the garage so technically they were treating it like an exterior receptacle.

Same thing.

If that is plugged into an exterior outlet which is not GFCI (not readily accessible and for snow blower use only) ... well ... then it isn't for snow blower use only, is it?

In which case it needs to be GFCI protected.