- 1). Place a water heater pan on the floor under the water heater's water lines. Water heater pans catch leaking water.
- 2). Screw a 3/4-inch water heater nipple into each water line port with a pipe wrench. Water heater nipples, plastic coated metal nipples, screw into the water ports and provides a place for the home's water pipes to connect to the water heater. The water heater's water ports, located on top of the water heater, use "Hot" and "Cold" labels to identify the ports.
- 3). Set the water heater in the pan. Turn the water heater so that nothing obstructs the heating-element access panels, located on the side of the water heater.
- 4). Screw a pressure relief valve into the water heater's pressure relief port with a pipe wrench, if needed. Many manufacturers install a pressure relief valve at the manufacturing plant. The pressure relief valve, a brass valve with a pop-up valve handle, regulates the water heater's internal pressure and if it exceeds a safe level, then the relief valve opens. A label identifies the pressure relief valve's port.
- 5). Sand the bottom 1 inch of the ends of both water lines with sandpaper. Clean all of the tarnish and corrosion off of the copper pipes.
- 6). Slide a 3/4-inch male compression fitting onto the sanded portion of a water line. A compression fitting provides a water-tight connection without soldering. Its nut tightens a brass sleeve against the pipe.
- 7). Place an adjustable wrench on the compression fitting and tighten the compression nut with a second adjustable wrench. Tighten a second compression nut on the second water line.
- 8). Wrap the threads on both compression fittings and both nipples with plumber's tape. Plumber's tape protects the threads and helps seal the connections.
- 9). Screw a water heater flex pipe onto each male compression fitting. Place an adjustable wrench on the compression fitting and tighten the flex pipe with the second adjustable wrench. Repeat this for the second water line.
- 10
Screw the end of the flex pipe that connects to the right-hand water line to the nipple that connects to the water heater's "Cold" port. Tighten the flex pipe's water heater connection with an adjustable wrench. - 11
Screw the end of the flex pipe that connects to the left-hand water line to the nipple that connects to the water heater's "Hot" port. Tighten the flex pipe's water heater connection with an adjustable wrench. - 12
Open the water heater's electrical connection cover with a flat-head screwdriver. A tag identifies the electrical connection cover. - 13
Push the wire that leads to the water heater through the water heater's wire clamp. The wire clamp, located near the edge of the connection cover, uses two flat-head screws to hold the wire still. - 14
Strip one half inch from the insulation of each wire with wire strippers. The wire, usually 12-2 wire, contains two insulated wires and a single non-insulated wire. - 15
Twist the non-insulated wire around the water heater's ground connection screw. The ground connection screw, colored green, grounds the water heater and prevents electric shocks. Tighten the screw with a flat-head screwdriver. - 16
Twist the water heater's black wire to the black insulated wire and hold them together with a wire nut. - 17
Twist the water heater's white wire to the white insulated wire and hold them together with a wire nut. - 18
Replace the electrical connection cover. - 19
Turn the water on and fill the water heater. Check for leaks. Tighten any leaking compression fittings with the adjustable wrenches. After fixing any leaks, turn on the electric.
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