It is not required by the national electrical code but many plumbers will install a bonding wire even when it is not required.
Bonding wire water heater grounding kit.
Bonding the plumbing attempts to keep the hot and cold plumbing at the same electrical potential.
The water bonding jumper from the panelboard or switchboard is sized the same as an equipment grounding conductor in accordance with table 250 122.
When in use the bonding wire can serve two purposes.
The bonding wire is a unique part in that some plumbers recommend them and some do not.
Benefits of a bonding wire.
Slow down corrosion of the water heater.
Copper conductor 6 awg included.
The blackburn water heater grounding kit comes with two brass ground clamps.
Because your water heater has dielectric unions so the hot and cold plumbing are isolated from each other.
This bonding is essential to maintain continuous ground path.
The bonding wire is usually a heavy copper wire fastened with brass clamps at one end to the cold water pipe and at the other end to the hot water pipe.
Product can be used with residential water heaters.
Kit includes two brass ground clamps and copper conductor.
Product also includes copper conductor.
The bonding wire can redirect a small electrical current that passes through the copper piping to the steel fittings of the water heater.
This process is thought to prevent electrolysis and corrosion which can extend the service life of the water heater and prevent leaking.
If this bond is not in place it s possible for the hot and cold plumbing to be at different voltage potentials.
If there is no direct metal to metal connection between the hot and cold water pipes the bonding jumper from the cold to the hot water line must still be installed but the bonding jumper would be.