- Bonding the water heater - V.I.P Membership Todays work - Reason for today’s visit with the customer was a tripped main breaker. The reason for the tripped main was the water heater failing. The failing of the water heater came from a nicked wire that then overheated and burned off the sheathing of the hot conductor. Once the wire was at catastrophic failure it grounded out and tripped the 30 amp breaker. Customer noticed it was tripped and tried to reset it which then cause the main to trip. Upon arrival I disconnected the water heater from circuit from the breaker. I then turned back on the main which came on without issue. I then tried the 30 amp breaker to make sure it wasn’t failing. The breaker worked without issue. I then made my way over to the water heater. I noticed an immediate charring and burning smell. I opened it up to discover the charred and burnt up wire. From my analysis I am inclined to lean toward the water heater having a cut in its wire leading to this failure