Hot water thank, then infraction a 4.5.2 & 4.1.3

[MarcusYip]

Enbridge contractor installed a hot water tank in 2020 during covid.  We asked the contractor if a 120v receptacle is required.  He said 'no', just use a heavy duty extension cord.  We followed the professionals directive.

We were not asked to sign a waiver.

2 weeks ago an Enbridge guy came by and did a leak test on the meter.  He said it looked okay, but wanted to come into the house to check the furnace room.  He came in with a sniffer and found an pipe connection that was showing at 40 ppm leak.  He said that a lot of homes around the area probably have a 40 ppm leak or more they just haven't been found out yet.  He said the pipe dope was too old and dried out.  The the first 90 elbow that connects the meter into the basement.  The gas meter was changed about 8 years ago and I'm pretty sure this leak was there, but at that time they just did the gas meter leak test and left (they didn't come in with a sniffer, not sure if the regulations require them to come in with a sniffer after installing a new gas meter)...but I'm digressing now... as I'm planning to get the gas leak infraction corrected.

Back to the how water tank infraction.  He issues a 4.5.2 & 4.1.3 for a heavy extension cord connected to the hot water tank.  He said there should be a 120v receptacle close to the hot water tank. 

I looked up the manual of the hot water tank manufacturer and also the codes 4.5.2 and 4.1.3 in the tssa manual and also looked up the CSA and ESA codes regarding this.  No where does it state that an grounded extension cord of proper gauge (the draw isn't even high in a hot water tank) is not permitted.

I also read this forums tech notes on this thread:  https://www.hvactechgroup.com/hvacforum/index.php?topic=2499.0

I also looked up clause 4.7.1 tssa and also looked up C22.1-15 Canadian Electrical Code

No where does it state that an extension cord is not permitted for a blower / hot water tank.

Should I call us Enbridge and discuss this issue with them? Or should I suck it up and just wire a receptacle closer to the hot water tank?


Thank you in advance for any hvac comments any of you can provide related to the aforementioned.

Cheers!

[Admin]

As someone mentioned in that post you linked the ESA will allow it as long as it's not installed permanently.

I would contact the rental company and ask them what their opinion is and if they feel they installed something against code and if they would be willing to correct it.

And if you were to provide Enbridge with something from the ESA saying they approve it and the installation manual does not specify it's not allowed I think you have a strong case.

[samihabib]

As far as the codes and gas code, this situation doesn't apply. A gas technician has to apply the gas code not the esa code. My guess is you had someone from lakeside -enbridge subcontractor- show up and just tried to find something to infract. If you call ESA ask them a simple question- does a water heater require it's own dedicated circuit?- the answer will be no because even in the gas code it's a rule of thumb to install according manufacture instructions. Unless something not mentioned then you use the gas code and in which this case- nothing indicates you can't have an extension cord. Btw, ESA code allows that you have all mechanical appliances on single 20 amp circuit. With the exception of furnace. Hence you'll see washer, dryer and water heater connected to the same plug

[Admin]

We can use Clause 4.7.1 to enforce the electrical code,

4.7.1 - Electrical connections between an appliance and building wiring shall comply with the local electrical code or, in the absence of such, with the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.

The only thing I see in the ESA Residential HVAC and Hot Water Tank Installations says,

A gas water heater that supplies both domestic hot water and heating equipment shall be supplied by a branch circuit that does not supply any other outlets or by the same branch circuit that supplies the heating unit and associated equipment.

A gas water heater is not required to have a separate branch circuit for a power vent and ignition circuit and shall not be connected to the furnace circuit. The receptacle for a gas water heater is permitted to be supplied by the required dedicated circuit for utility room receptacles or by any convenient general-purpose receptacle/lighting circuit, if the water heater is not located in the utility room.

You can download it here,

https://www.hvactechgroup.com/files/ESA-Guidelines-007-00_Res_HVAC_and_Hot_Water_Tank_tagged_FINAL-ua_80121.pdf

[Porcupinepuffer]

How do we define permanently? I suppose if the cord is stapled in a permanent manner it would be easy to call it permanent. But what would the timeframe be? If the ease of simply unplugging it and coiling it back up makes it not permanent, should there not also be an allotted time for how long it can remain in use
 for the appliance before its considered permanent? If the cord is intended to stay in place for the entire lifetime of that water heater, I would say it's permanent.

I'm to the understanding all extension cords are supposed to be temporary means of power. A permanently installed, fixed appliance shouldn't be running off one.

https://esasafe.com/assets/files/esasafe/pdf/Electrical_Safety_Products/Flash_Notices/19-19-FL.pdf

[Hvacpimp]

Enbridge will back up the fitter on an extension cord being used for the water heater. They are firm on that for some reason. Anytime enbridge turns a service back on they will do a leak test and inspect every/all appliances in the house. I can understand 4.1.3 for the cord but why did they issue the 4.5.2 infraction?

[Admin]

It's silly to provide more than one clause for a single infraction.  Clause 4.5.2 can basically be used anytime there's a hazard (code infraction), whether it's immediate or non-immediate.

[viking]

I've always thought there was something in the electrical code that stated extension cords are for temporary use only, not permanent installations. Can't seem to find it now so I could be wrong.

[Admin]

See OESC Rule 4-012(3)(a),

4-012 Uses of flexible cord (see Appendix B)
(1) Flexible cord shall be of the types specified in Table 11 for the specific condition of use and shall be suitable for the particular location involved with respect to, but not limited to
(a) moisture;
(b) corrosive action;
(c) temperature;
(d) degree of enclosure; and
(e) exposure to mechanical damage.
(2) Flexible cord shall be permitted to be used for
(a) electrical equipment for household or similar use that is intended to be
(i) moved from place to place; or
(ii) detachably connected according to a Canadian Electrical Code, Part II Standard;
(b) electrical equipment for industrial use that must be capable of being moved from place to place for operation;
(c) pendants;
(d) wiring of cranes, hoists, passenger ropeways, and passenger conveyors;
(e) the connection of stationary equipment to facilitate its interchange, where a deviation is allowed in accordance with Rule 2-030;
(f) the prevention of transmission of noise and vibration;
(g) the connection of electrical components between which relative motion is necessary;
(h) the connection of appliances such as ranges and clothes dryers; and
(i) both the connection, using an attachment plug, and the interconnection of data processing systems, provided that the cord is of the extra-hard-usage type.
(3) Flexible cord and cord sets shall not be used
(a) as a substitute for the fixed wiring of structures and shall not be
(i) permanently secured to any structural member;
(ii) run through holes in walls, ceilings, or floors; or
(iii) run through doorways, windows, or similar openings;
(b) at temperatures above the temperature rating of the cord or at temperatures sufficiently low as to be liable to result in damage to the insulation or overall covering; and
(c) for the suspension of any device weighing more than 2.3 kg, unless the cord and device assembly are marked as capable of supporting a weight up to 11 kg.
(4) Flexible cord shall be protected against mechanical damage by an insulating bushing or some other effective means where it enters or passes through the enclosure wall or the partitioning of a device or enters a lampholder.
(5) Where a flexible cord is used as an extension cord or to plug into an appliance or other device, no live parts shall be exposed when one end is connected to a source of supply and the other end is free.

[viking]

Thanks Admin.