ughh, water heater

Topic: ughh, water heater (Read 849 times) previous topic - next topic

ughh, water heater

December 14, 2010, 03:00:37 PM

my 13 year old elect. water heater quit me yesterday. I've replaced both elements once each since '06. It doesn't leak, just doesn't heat. Not sure if both elements are bad, or it needs replaced. Thoughts?

ughh, water heater

Reply #1 – December 14, 2010, 03:28:43 PM

The electric co-op I'm a member of said they'd fix it for free, and that's probably a thermostat. Hope it's an easy fix...

ughh, water heater

Reply #2 – December 14, 2010, 04:14:44 PM

Hopefully that's all it is. Should be easy enough if so. You might be able to bypass/jumper it (prob only a 2-wire grounding unit) to test the elements.

Mine (gas) went the beginning of the year. Just finished a shower and had wandered downstairs to what sounded like the washing machine filling up. I then realized I hadn't started the washing machine, and found the H2O heater leaking out the top, and it had JUST started doing it. So I turned off the water and didn't have much of a mess. Had a VERY cold shower the next AM before I picked up the new one to install.

ughh, water heater

Reply #3 – December 14, 2010, 11:21:19 PM

You test the elements by checking the amps being drawn when heating.The top element is charged first when that is satisfied it will power up the bottom element. Each element has a separate t stat witch is tested like a switch volts or continuity. keep in mind that most heaters have a 240 volts and its a whole new kind of hurt than 110 vac. So if you can get it for free thats for me

ughh, water heater

Reply #4 – December 15, 2010, 03:36:08 AM

Ehhh, I took a closer look at it tonight when I got home from work...the top thermostat has a reset button....it was popped out. It's pretty unobtrusive, wish I'd seen it before I unhooked the wires and pulled it off. Water is hot again...awesome. If it it resets again in the next few days, I'll replace it, or I might turn the water temp down a little bit...it's set to 120 degrees right now. But anyway, all's well that ends well.

ughh, water heater

Reply #5 – December 15, 2010, 10:21:47 AM

One thing I had to learn while troubleshooting my electric tank was that both elements cannot run simultaneously. I took my thermostat apart just to see how it worked... It runs one or the other, never both. If I remember correctly, the bottom element does most of the work.

Really though, for mine, I just got both elements and thermostats for about $60 just to know that it's all new. Don't forget to flush it while you have it drained. In my area we get sediment real bad, I drain it, then leave the drain open and turn the water back on and flush it out.

Where I used to live, we were lucky to get 3 years out of a water heater. That water was super-corrosive!