A water heater breaker can trip because of shorted wires, wires that get wet from a leaking water heater, bad water heater element, bad or weak circuit breaker.
In some cases a breaker can become weak and trip without being overloaded although most times it's either a short circuit, loose wires or bad heating element that causes the water heater breaker to trip.
A residential water heater is around 22 amps for a 240 volt water heater and around 13 amps to 15 amps for 120 volt heater.
You can use Romex to wire a water heater as long as you use the correct size of wire.
For a 240 volt water heater you need at least 10-2 Romex and for a 120 volt water heater you need 12-2 Romex wire.
The size of wire you need for an electric water heater is 10-2 wire for a 240 water heater and 12-2 for a 120 volt water heater.
A 240 volt hot water heater draws around 22 to 23 amps and requires at least a 30 amp breaker and 10-2 wire.
A water heater needs it's own breaker and own circuit.
Whether the water heater is 120 volt or 240 volt it requires a dedicated circuit and it's own breaker without any other appliances or outlets on the circuit.
Most electric water heaters require a 30 amp circuit breaker and 10-2 wire unless it's a 120 volt water heater and in that case the 120 volt water heater requires a 20 amp breaker and 12-2 wire.
The size breaker that is required for a hot water tank with a 240 volt heating element that draws 4500 watt is 30 amps and you need at least 10-2 copper wire.
The amp breaker you need for a 240V 40 gallon electric water heater is 30 amp breaker and 10-2 copper wire.
Most 240 volt electric water heaters are a 30 amp breaker.
An electric water heater is most often a 30 amp breaker although it can vary depending on the water heater you have and how many watts is uses as well.
However the majority of 240 volt electric water heaters require 10-2 copper wire and a 30 amp breaker.
110 Volt Water heaters are usually 13.75 amps to 15 amps and you would need at least a 20 amp breaker and 12-2 copper wire.
Some 220 volt or 240 volt water heaters use only 22 amps but you need at least a 30 amp breaker and the 10-2 wire to be sufficient enough to power the water heater without tripping the breaker.
240 volt electric water heaters require a 240-volt dedicated circuit, which serves only the electric water heater and no other appliances or devices.
The circuit wiring for a 240 electric water heater typically includes a 30-amp double-pole circuit breaker and 10-2 non-metallic (NM) or MC cable.