Electric Water Heater Stays on for a Day Then Shuts Off Again

April 22, 2022 Post a Comment

I similar getting my hands muddy with DIY home projects, they are a lot of fun.

Electric Water Heater Troubleshooting and Repair: The Basics

When I say "water heater," I am referring to a xxx-gallon electric water heater, but the same principles described below will apply to a lx- or 90-gallon unit.
The unit is powered with 240 volts and contains two heating elements and two thermostats.
Of the ii heating elements, only ane is used at a time. One is located at the bottom and the other at the top, and when the bottom reaches the prepare temperature, the heating element shuts off and the top ane kicks on. This cycle repeats.
If you are getting hot water for only a couple of minutes, then you may need to conform the temperature on the thermostats. Withal, make sure that you turn off the power to the water heater before y'all take off the admission panels to the thermostats.

I will be going over some basic troubleshooting here, not for gas, non for tankless, simply for electric heaters. If you need information on the other types, I am certain yous can observe an commodity elsewhere. Here, I cover everything that you need to know nigh electric water heaters.

Video How-To

How to Replace a Water Heater Hose

Before y'all go and effort to replace a water heater hose, yous meliorate have some full general plumbing knowledge. If y'all do not follow the correct steps, you could flood your house in a matter of minutes.

So the offset affair that you need to exercise before you lot commencement loosening connections is to turn off the water that is going into the h2o heater.
After yous plough it off, run a test by turning on a few faucets on the hot water side only to make certain at that place is no water coming out of them.
Now you can begin replacing the part. Begin by removing the leaky hose. Some hoses can be disconnected with a pair of pliers or a wrench, just make sure that you accept the right type of hose connections to make this work. Sometimes the hoses are connected by solder; if and so, you will have to cut the pipage and detach the hose. If y'all have soldered fittings, the new hose can be connected past using either a pinch fitting or soldering the new hose back on. If you have no feel soldering copper piping, don't try it, leave it to the pros.
Once yous take your hose connected, you tin reopen the inlet water valve (hot side) to the heater, merely make certain that you have a faucet valve that is open somewhere in the house to relieve some of the pressure.

Video How-To: Resetting the Reset Button

How to Check the Heating Elements and Thermostat

Although there are a lot of articles on the spider web that explain how you lot tin can bank check the heating elements, I have just read one or two that tell yous how to do it correctly: the others are all crap.

Before you lot start undoing access panels and all of that, check the breaker box and make sure at that place isn't a tripped breaker. If the breaker is good, allow's move to the adjacent pace.
You'll need to have a multimeter in hand, and information technology has to be able to check ohms or continuity.
Brand sure that there is sufficient power going into the water heater; you should have two wires going into the unit of measurement that have 120 volts each. If you are non getting a full 240 volts, then at that place is a problem with the billow, and it may need to be replaced. (I volition not exist going over this in this article, it'southward a whole other can of worms). If you lot are not experienced in working with electric, do not even carp, it's too dangerous, get a professional or somebody with experience to help you. Okay, if y'all've got 240 volts to the h2o heater, nosotros are expert at that place, so let's go to testing the heating elements and thermostat.
Take off the access panels, which are ordinarily secured by a couple of hex-headed screws. Look for the thermostat outset and remove any insulation that may exist blocking information technology. Await for a piffling crimson button: if information technology is off, that means that the thermostat is tripped. Pushing the button back in will fix this trouble in most cases, merely if information technology just pops back out when you turn the power dorsum on, then the thermostat needs to be replaced.
Now to test the thermostat and the water heater element, you need to turn the ability off!
Remove i of the wires from the thermostat. You lot can remove all of them if you want, but information technology is only necessary to remove one. Set your multimeter to ohms, then take ane of the probes on your meter and stick it on the start screw, the one without the wire connected. Property that there, with the other probe get and test each spiral and each connection.
If your meter is reading .ane, that means that the excursion is open: this is good, this ways that your thermostat or element is practiced. If your meter is reading something similar .003, information technology will eventually drop to 0, which ways that the circuit is closed, which means that yous volition have to supplant the thermostat or the chemical element. Below is a picture of me testing a thermostat.
If the thermostat is bad, just supercede it. Y'all already have the power off, so merely hook up the new one exactly how the old one was hooked up and set the temperature appropriately. If the heating element is bad, so replacing that is a fleck different- I will explain how to practice this below.

Here, I am testing a thermostat. Now can anybody tell me if this one is bad or good? — Here, I am testing a thermostat. Now tin anybody tell me if this ane is bad or adept?

How to Replace the H2o Heater Element

So you should have already tested the element as I said to in the paragraph above. Once you confirm that the chemical element is bad, let's get to work.

Shut off the power to the water heater and plow off its h2o.
Lots of people recommend draining the h2o heater earlier irresolute out the chemical element, and this can be washed by hooking a garden hose up to the bleed valve and siphoning the end of the hose to create a vacuum. Then you wait thirty minutes to an hour for information technology to drain. You might also check to make sure it is drained completely by opening upwardly some hot water valves throughout the firm. You can exercise all this, or y'all tin heed to me and save yourself an hour and skip the draining: But grab a few towels and lay them around the water heater. When you are pulling the element out, some h2o will come out, just it is not pressurized, so if yous bandy the elements out quickly, you will barely get any h2o on the flooring or carpet (that'due south what the towels are for, more enough to soak upward the footling fleck of water that will come out).
Unhook the couple of wires on the old element. You lot will demand the appropriate size lug wrench to loosen the element. Accept the new heating element on mitt: these elements come with a safety o-ring on them so you will non need to use any Teflon tape.
Unscrew the old element and pull it out (if you didn't drain, some water is going to be pouring out so make the swap quick), and then tighten down on the new element. Claw upward the wires as they were before. Put back any insulation you may have removed and put the admission panel dorsum into place.
Turn the breaker on to the h2o heater and turn on the water and you lot are done.

Video How-To: Tank Element Replacement

How Practise I Know When I Need to Supercede My H2o Heater?

Is your water heater leaking?

The first sign of your h2o heater going bad is when it starts to leak water, usually from the lesser of the unit. The leak usually starts equally a pinhole and gets worse over time. This is just normal vesture and tear, a common problem for water heaters that are anywhere from 10 to 15 years old.

The easiest way to tell if your water heater is leaking is that yous will probably kickoff to see some rust marks or water stains coming down from the unit of measurement.

Roll to Continue

Read More From Dengarden

Now it may be that y'all simply have a leaky hose. If so, so you volition just need to replace the hose itself.

Is your h2o heater not heating?

If the unit is acting upward and not heating right, then in that location is either a problem with one of the breakers, one of the heating elements, or one of the thermometers that are behind the unit's panel. Those are the main parts that are inside, and it is common that they fail every once in a while. You'll find solutions beneath.

Where and what kind of water heater should I buy?

If you do demand to replace the unit, in that location are many places that you tin go (especially online) to detect cheap h2o heaters. Before you purchase a new unit, determine how much water you use. If you have a big house or apply a washing automobile and dishwasher, and if you oftentimes take two showers running at the same time, you will probably need at least a fifty gallon h2o heater.

Please leave any comments in the section below.

This article is authentic and true to the all-time of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes but and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional person advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Lloyd on February 03, 2020:

Accept a ao smith signature series propane water heater and I have to reset it almost everyday, whatsoever solutions?

Nora on September 29, 2019:

Had 30gal h2o heater 5mths got the style u run water out of sink very little&the hot wayer heater will make a hissy noise ehats the problem

Scoobz on August 01, 2019:

After it was undrr water. The bottom melted

L Cooper on July 18, 2019:

Nosotros are on our second hot h2o heater in as calendar month and nosotros are having the same problem which is we have hot h2o for a few seconds then it turns cool. We are loosing what little patience that we take left. We are a retired couple on a stock-still income and we demand answers badly. I would really capeesh you feedback on this. Thanking you in advance. L Cooper.

AKPlumb on July 08, 2019:

Thanks for sharing this informative commodity! We go through these steps and many more when called for a hot water heater servicing. These tips are neat and the videos are helpful only if yous need more informative plumbing content check out https:www.plumberfortlee.com

Eve on May 22, 2019:

I won't recommend ''Best" make like water tank... second one since Feb 2018 leaks in my house

Cylinder guy on March 05, 2019:

Great article but would be nifty to complement is with more than information from world wide web.hotwatercylinders.nz We dont recommend you dont play with the thermostat to avoid getting sick subsequently bacteria grows in lukewarm watter.

S Harmon on February 22, 2019:

I just want to know how to turn my thermostat up higher. I have a Country Scout 30 gal.

Jojn on December 31, 2018:

I merely changed the two heating elements turn the breaker on and I don't hear information technology warming upwardly

Collene a Copeland on September 05, 2018:

I demand to kno if u can modify out the wire and the plug on hit water heatet

Jackie on March 10, 2018:

We take changed the elements dip stick and thermostats and our water is still not hot, what else could it be??

Liz Jenkin on March 02, 2018:

Please do not post practice-it-yourself videos then say for the first stride "if you're not experienced with electric, and then call a professional". People who are experienced with testing continuity, etc. don't need your video. Can't stand up stuff similar this.

Joe on February 28, 2018:

You take information technology backwards how your h2o heater elements work. When the top element satisfies its self and then the bottom one comes on.

Darrell. Mallery on February 22, 2018:

I have a Raheem hot h2o heater. Electrical.. 40 gal. It is 3 years old ..the power ind. light is on the upper element & lower element only come on for near 5 min.then trip off .no hot water..the elements check

Marjorie Rodd on February 18, 2018:

Your videos and explanations are excellent. Unfortunately I did non see info on my outcome. I had a plumbing upshot yesterday with all plumbing backed up. Did non know it hot water heater was involved- t seemed to be running constantly-- so I shut the electrical off at the wall ( not the billow). Turned out to be my septic only fifty-fifty after all night of the switch being on I have simply luke warm water. I let the shower run v min simply it does not change. I tried the reset button merely it did not seem "out" and information technology did not motion. All I did was flip the switch off for well-nigh 6 hours...never turned the water off, seems like I should be able to just flip information technology on. Any ideas? cheers!

Lenora R Walton on December 03, 2017:

Thanks for sharing this informative article.I take clarify these kind of issues with my water heater.This commodity was very helpful for repairing h2o heater.Visit hither for more advanced plumber in NJ

http://plumbingheatingcoolingnj.com/

Judy on November 16, 2017:

We bought a new 40 gal Electric Richmond water heater from Menards. We had an electrician to install it. He had it done, by the directions, but we waited four hours, and no hot water. He came back and said it throws breakers. The breaker worked fine with the old water heater, What could be our problem with this new one?

Ben on November 06, 2017:

My electric water heater keeps bravado the breaker. I call back it'south due to the fact that I lost use of my sump pump and believe water got to lesser of tank. The water is cleared away now but water heater won't come back on. Cold showers. What do I need to expect at to set it.

Moses Samlal on October 03, 2017:

Which is more free energy efficient a 30gal tank Bradford white or an equivalent tankless water heater

Ron Adams on September 13, 2017:

We changed out the Hot Water heater and have hot water every where just the kitchen no valves take been turned off.

Do you accept an reply?

Pamela Greene on Baronial xvi, 2017:

I Encounter a lot of questions just no answers to anything. Is this site not helpful?????

Deeded Fulcher on June 25, 2017:

Why would the cold h2o be getting hot?one

Coltrane Phillips on June 21, 2017:

My h2o heater is over heating the water. Information technology'south coming out scalding hot. I flushed the tank and cleaned all the mineral deposit out of it and besides turned the thermostat down. I adjusted the superlative one and when I went to adjust the bottom temp in that location was a blue flash. Patently something failed. I just don't know where to kickoff. Whatever help would be greatly appreciated.

Tony battite on June xi, 2017:

I have a make new electric Rheem performance platinum. The code it shows is a108 with ways lower chemical element relay stuck on and it says replace control console. I've washed that 3 times and a lower temp sensor and that has non cured the trouble. If anyone tin tell me what to do considering it'southward going to take forever for them to transport a plumber thanks

Thomas Emm on June 05, 2017:

Okay my hot water heater is an smaller electric water heater and I have been without hot water since Saturday however when I catch either one of the supply lines they are BOTH hot what could cause this problem

John Peckham on March 27, 2017:

I get an alert warning on my Kenmore digital electric water heater indicating that I should check electrical connections on the lower thermostat and replace the lower thermistor. Is it worth checking the connections myself before calling in a service repairman to replace the thermistor? The unit of measurement is only 15 months old but just past the 1 twelvemonth. warranty.

Lisa White on January eighteen, 2017:

Very depression hot water pressure. I flushed the tank and the force per unit area came back. After a few showers and some laundry, the pressure was depression again. Any help?

Bill johnston on January 04, 2017:

My brother inverse his water heater chemical element today,

Same bug as I've seen hither

It was a good thing my nephew was here, he works for the h2o visitor, took him an hr to figure it out

The sediment from the tank washed into to lines ,

The screens in the faucets were automatically clogged

Clean those screens in your faucets and everything will be fine

Water now comes out

Nicole on December 18, 2016:

No water running to kitchen at all,, on north wall and information technology'south seven degrees out -nine with wind arctic....bathroom getting cold water for everything...hot water heater on north wall.. Are things simply froze ??? TY Nicole

D. Edwards on December 07, 2016:

Will turning off the breaker switch to the hot water heater crusade information technology to blow up? I just had someone from maintainence tell me this. I've been turning off the breakers to my h2o tank for the last 20 years, in order to salve money on the electric bill, and trust me information technology does relieve money! I turn it on when I demand hot water once a day for well-nigh ane 60 minutes, then I close it off so it doesn't constantly keep going through the bicycle of heating and it'southward non being used. Maintainence told me that the "flow" valve is sweating/leaking because of me shutting off electrical to the tank. That makes admittedly no sense to me, simply I'grand not an electrician. I'grand thinking, if there's no electric going to the tank, how the heck can it blow upwards or leak or anything really. Delight educate me, I detest existence ignorant. Thanking you in accelerate.

TonyB on May 14, 2016:

If this were my site, I'd turn off the comments. lots of really dumb comments from these "Experts".

Bob on April 17, 2016:

Take an AO Smith 50 gallon hot water heater , replaced both thermostats and elements and checked voltage 240 volts and amperage was 19 but still not heating h2o subsequently several hours . Any answers ?

Sal on April 01, 2016:

There was no h2o in the tank when i turned information technology on and it spit out fire, now the water heater is no working at all and i nevertheless have power, what could exist the trouble and solution

Corey on February 26, 2016:

How do i replace the User interface display on my AOS/Whirlpool Heat pump water heater?

alanbanish on November 21, 2015:

ome electrical is going haywire, first problem was a dim light in the fridge, a few days later noticed fridge wasn't cooling anymore, change to a dissimilar plug with with a heavy duty extension cord, now its working fine, second problem, water heater stopped working, later on tripping all breakers multiple times, suddenly h2o heater began working again, worked fpr 2 days, now its no longer working over again, no breakers have tripped, could a rodent chewing on wires cause something like this to happen? my h2o heater is v years quondam, and pryor to this Ive never had any issues with it at all, the simply prior electrical issue was two kitchen 110 volt outlets stopped working, overhead lite continued to work, no breakers tripped, and the outlets don't have the little reset button, thanks for any aid

Cara on Baronial xviii, 2015:

Water h oozing smelly liquid from top couplings smells like a leaking battery and the circuit breaker tripped

Tim thousand on July 21, 2015:

I accept a 50 gallon Rheem hot water tank that is not getting electric to the elements the electric is on and coming in the acme of the elevation element console just not making it by the reset button I push the reset push I heard it click but notwithstanding no power is going through

Binegars on June 30, 2015:

Had an electric hot h2o heater catch fire without tripping the breaker.

We replaced the whole unit and information technology is doing the aforementioned affair. What could be our trouble? Unit is a whirlpool thirty gal. Only i month old.

Puzzled - Resolved on October 17, 2014:

Problem was NOT the water heater. A cheque valve in the submersible pump line was draining the h2o heater faster than the chemical element could heat it, then kicking dorsum on refilling the water heater with cold h2o. Repeat, Echo, Echo.

Puzzled on October xiv, 2014:

I have a 20 gal flat water heater 1500 West 120 V that reads 120 V across the element terminals, and using an ammeter that goes around the wire measure 12 A on both the white and blackness wires (both sides of the element). The tank is clean inside (no limestone) and yet the h2o is not getting hot. We have replaced both the chemical element, and the thermostat, and still the h2o does not get hot. This seems to defy logic. Does anyone have any idea what I could check next?

caerleongold on September 15, 2014:

Hi Aubrey,

You might observe this blog post useful: http://www.cylinderguy.co.nz/Blog/TabId/5624/PostI...

I was having a whole bunch of trouble with my ain water heater (nosotros phone call information technology a hot h2o cylinder where I come from). However, I was able to determine from that linked blog post that I needed to bleed my heater fully ... doing and so and and so refilling seemed to fix the problem.

Let me know how you get on,

Aubrey on August 24, 2014:

replaced t/stat and element but no water from hot tap any thought of what could be the cause

Lonnie on February 15, 2014:

Could yous tell me why my hot water won't work when it's on by its self but if I plough on a cold faucet in another sink or the tub then water will flow out of the faucet.

steve on February 06, 2014:

what is the amperage depict if information technology is 240 volt with 4500 watt element

bob on February 02, 2014:

I replaced thermostat and elements take ability to elements but its non heating the h2o....any answers?

David from Malta on January 27, 2014:

I have merely bought a 50 litre electric water heater.The installation has been correctly done, withal I noticed that the water stored in the tank doesn't concord hot from morning till tardily evening as other heaters I had did before. Could y'all please explain what's wrong with it. Could it be its insulating stuff not thick enough or defective or is it something to do with its electrical system? Cheers.

Mikey101a on January 17, 2014:

I take a soot problem with my hot water coming from my electric water heater. I have flushed the tank out several times on several occasions just to accept the soot return after the water gets hot again in my tank through all faucets and showers. How tin I set this ongoing event once and for all?

DawnShu on January 07, 2014:

Howdy. We lost complete ability yesterday due to the very cold weather condition. It was off for 5 hrs. During that time we had no h2o while it was off and when it came back on. We at present have cold h2o in the kitchen sink and bathtub but no h2o running out of the hot water faucet at all. We also take neither hot nor common cold water running in the bathroom sink. Nosotros took off the panels and checked the ruby breaker push. It hadn't tripped simply we pushed it in but in example. Nothing. Could the lines be frozen since the firm got downward to 49º inside? I don't know what to practise and cannot afford a plumber. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Past the way it is an electric water heater manufactured 2007

Bea on December 24, 2013:

I have an electric water heater. The event is the 2 hot h2o faucets are spitting air everyonce in a while. I was not sure if this was due to the water heater or not. I have checked for leaks inside and out and have not establish any.

Thank you

George on Dec 23, 2013:

My sister says when she is filling upward her bathtub she can get an electric shock by touching the water. It is just a tingling of electricity, rather than a real daze. She is only touching the water and non whatsoever pipes. She has an electrical hot water heater. What could cause this to happen?

Joe on December 06, 2013:

I have no water upstairs and no hot water downstairs. I followed some of the lines that were hands attainable and the downstairs cold comes correct off the main. No h2o whatsoever comes out of the faucets downstairs when opening the hot valves. I cracked the bleed on the hot water heater considering there are no leaks anywhere that I oculd see. Inappreciably any h2o came out of the drain. This can't be good... Does this mean the heater is so clogged it's done for?

Justin on November 12, 2013:

I have a new h2o heater.. Both elements are good.. Setting @ 130 degrees... I have 120 on each leg... H2o is luke warm merely.. When i plough on the hot water in the bath i can feel bursts of cold water in it... Only bought this house and replaced the water heater... You can feel warm/hot water feeding back into the cold h2o supply at the heater.. Electrical.. Whatsoever ideas?

Jayeffel on October 19, 2013:

I think in the third sentence nether changing the heating elements yous mean syphoning, not ciphering.

ben on October x, 2013:

I have a new whirlpool xl gallon water heater. The h2o seemed fine but somewhat libation than our old one for nigh 2-3 weeks and then noticed the h2o temperature fluxuating rapidly. I adjusted the temperature warmer, replaced the upper and lower thermostats, only it however takes a long fourth dimension to go hot water to all the faucets then fluxuates every couple minutes from warm to cool to very hot or vice versa. I'k baffled any ideas?

chela on October 08, 2013:

i have speed-o- matic h2o tank keeps burnnig elements power stays on all time

karlitto on Oct 05, 2013:

Just bought a house and turned on valve to the h2o heater, I could hear the water flowing in. I plough on the breaker and there is no dissonance or indication that the water heater is working. It was winterized. Is there something I need to practise to become information technology to work. Am I wrong in thinking in that location should be a dissonance when it is switched on then you can tell information technology is working.

tams on September 02, 2013:

we had power surges, at present our electrical water heater is non working. We tried to notice a reset push or something. Replaced the circuit box to the whole house. What tin we do?!?!

h2o htg skillful on August 22, 2013:

This site is a great place to get wrong ing o. Remember when a part goes bad at that place is usually a reason. If a water heater goes for twice information technology'due south warranty then you have done well. Dumping coin and time into is a waist. Supplant it and enjoy hot water.

Billfox45 on June 27, 2013:

I installed a xc gallon electric water heater half dozen.5 yrs. agone. Yesterday, I noticed streaks of water coming from the top of the water heater and mainly from the screws that fasten the top crown. It is not a bully amount of water, just it is a good trickle. Delight don't tell me it is defective...any ideas????

candace on May 13, 2013:

I have a xxx gallon electrical water heater. i have been getting swell hot water about a calendar week ago my hot water was gone my upper chemical element was bad so i changed it. still no hot water i replaced the lower element too and both thermostats. its like my tank heats upwards for 1 shower and and then runs cold. i take to shut the billow and then heat the reset push on my hot water heater for it to heat back up. i adjusted the tempature on my top thermostat but it all the same does the aforementioned delight help.

noah786 on March 26, 2013:

hi, my hot water is getting scalding hot then goes cold. I pressed the reset buttton and turned the temp downwards on hwh. This worked for nearly 1 day and then water got over hot again, 150 deg, and hwh close off. I reset hwh and now water is 150 deg. What should I practise.

Don on March 26, 2013:

when draining a tank you say to cipher the end of the hose to create a vacuum. If decipher is to de code, so cipher ways to code. how practice I code the end of a hose? too you forgot to instruct folks to plow off the ability to the tank when you close the water valve to the tank.

john on January 05, 2013:

i put in 2 new elements and still dont take hot water

NancyT on January 04, 2013:

My h2o heater is two years old new house etc water is draining from the force per unit area release valve Is this normal should I exercise something.

jlb3873 on December 30, 2012:

The reset button on my h2o heater won't reset. When you push it in it but comes right back out. It won't stay in at all. I accept no hot water. The tank simply has i heating element and nosotros replaced that get-go. Does that mean we demand to replace the thermostat or could that mean something else?

wez on Dec 08, 2012:

Recently replaced an eighty gal electric water heater. The water presure on the hot side is restricted. If I accept the shower on upwardly stairs and turn the hot water on downwardly stairs it stops the hot water flow the the upstairs shower. Take whatsoever ideas what'southward going on.

cleo on June 30, 2012:

we replaced bottom element had hot h2o for a while at present none once again what could be the problem it was trippig the cerise push before we changed it and information technology is doing information technology again

rjs on June 28, 2012:

I was working on a elec h2o heater that appeared to exist working fine according to my multi-meter. Replaced height therm and element any manner because the possessor said they had no hot water. The water heater did non have a shut-off valve on the water supply then every time I had to shut the water off to the whole house. Every thing ohmed out and I fifty-fifty had 17 amps on each leg. Today I showed up and they had gotten some 1 to install a shut-off valve at the tank. I made certain the tank was full and turned on the breaker. Everything even so checked out fine until I went to plough off the shut-off valve. That was when I heard the water menstruation to the tank get cut off and and then the element started making a cooking sound, It was heating the water!!!! Opened the valve back upward and I heard water starting to go into the tank, no water should have moved passed that valve. After all no one was running h2o in the house. I did that 3 or 4 times and decided there must exist a water leak in the house on the hot water side. After speaking to the people in the firm one of the grand-daughters told me the floor in the bathroom has been warm to her bare feet. Boom, there it was, a leak in the physical foundation. The water was moving so fast thru the water heater it never had a hazard to estrus upward. I told them the smartest thing I could come up upward with, keep the breaker turned off and the valve airtight and phone call a existent plumber. Some 1 that does non practise this for a living volition but make a bad situation worse, and take maybe more than than a week. As where a existent plumber can do it in a twenty-four hours or ii. I knew improve than to say I will do it.

:( on Apr 24, 2012:

i have an electric hot water heater and the hot water pressure valve keeps popping what do i need to practise to fix it

Curious? on Apr 23, 2012:

I accept two bathrooms in my house. Merely 1 shower gets hot water, simply both bathrooms get hot water in the sink? What could the problem be?

Azzy on April 18, 2012:

recently moved in to a belongings which has an electrical boiler. nosotros used to have some example the trip switch going off. as well less warm h2o due to continues use of the shower. according to the higher up details let me know if the heating elemnt would accept been gone off due to over heating with out insufficient water in the tank.

Angie on Apr sixteen, 2012:

Our hot h2o heater is located in a bedroom closet and I am scared to death that i day it will explode and cause a huge mess. Is there anything I can practice to prevent this? Will it always leak a little before exploding or will information technology just explode with no alarm? Should I buy ane of those water detector things? What is the best way for me to prevent a hot water heater explosion? Thanks!

Amanda on April fourteen, 2012:

I take a lx gal elect hot water heater... Both t-stats, both elements and all wires have been changed and it was still popping the circuit billow so that has been changed besides and it stays on but now the t-stats don't alter from upper to lower and OHMS seem to be sufficient please aid getting frustrated

shirleyjd1 on April 02, 2012:

Had a horrible leak at the shut off water value that inundation under my moblie home i plough off main curcit breaker and so no i would get electrocuted and got it fixed turned on the breakers again- now i have no hot water just cold tin can you tell me why-thanks

scott e jansen on March 31, 2012:

I've got an xxx gal water heater that works very well, my problem is some times it leaks, it can become for a month sometimes 2 with out a leak, and then sometimes information technology will leak for days. the corporeality is very small and the point of the leak must exist some where at the bottom only is non visible. What I take done to stop the leak is to release some of the water in the tank, again the leak volition reappear simply next day or next month its a crap shoot. can you lot help?

beginner on March xxx, 2012:

Thanks for the data that only 1 element heats at a time,pulling my hair out was starting to hurt!

Adam on March 27, 2012:

My hot water heater is making a "chirp" racket every couple of minutes. I have checked for leaks but i see no signs of water. My hot water is yet working great as well. Whatsoever ideas???

Richard Blazie on March 22, 2012:

I accept a new electric water heater (50 gal). When the organisation is operating it first trips the red reset push. I reset the button and after a menstruation of time the circuit billow pops as well as the cherry reset. I assume the probe is faulty just I exercise not understand why the circuit breaker would as well popular? Tin you lot provide an answer?

Rev. Ronald C. Moss on March xix, 2012:

I have a dual chemical element elec. water heater that the thermostat button keeps tripping, merely not immediately subsequently it'due south reset. I only trips afterwards a lot of hot water is used like taking a shower, or running the apparel or dish washers. Lately the water temp. started getting scalding hot without having the thermostat setting changed, whereas previously the hot water would need little cool water added to exist comfortable. Now I barely turn on the hot, and turn the cold broad open, it is almost unbareably hot. What causes this? I bought new elements about a year ago but never installed them considering at the time the water didn't become besides hot and after changing the temp. setting higher it solved the trouble, except once before that the temp. went sky high with out adjusting, only settled down on it's own. At present it is loftier temp agaain with the stat kick of only when a fair amount of hot water is used. the temperature setting does respond to aligning but not to the extreme it's done on it'southward ain.

Fourth dimension Bandit on March xiv, 2012:

To analyze for some people out in that location. The upper element goes on first then the thermostat switches power to bottom when the set temp is reached. Both heater elements are never on at the same time.

Chris Grand on March 14, 2012:

One thing to add is that when you pull out an chemical element without draining the tank. It is all-time to plow off any faucets using hot water to permit vacuum to be created within the tank. This is like holding a bottle of water upside down with the chapeau off the bottle volition suck air in to allow the heavier liquid out. If yous dial a pigsty in the overturn bottle the liquid will dump out more quickly.

Robert on March eleven, 2012:

hello i had all my h2o lines replaced and my water tank worked before the task was done and now after the new h2o lines are installed no hot water can you help me cheers Robert

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

watts divided by volts =amps

4500/240 =xviii.75 amps

volts divided past ohms = amps

240v / 18 ohms = 13.3 amps

Amps, Volts, Watts, Ohms

ohm ... watt amp volts?

tin can never remember the departure betwixt watts and amps and so I am making this page and then that when I forget I tin only read it again. (No Lie ;o)

Watts = Volts x Amps

Watts is a unit of power having the dimensions (energy per unit time):

M L2 / T2 divided by T = Grand L 2 / T 3

Note: A kilowatt-60 minutes is a thousand watts times i hour = an energy unit of measurement.

Volt is a unit of strength (F=ma):

ML / T2

So that Amps accept the dimensions:

L / T

Now, this is a velocity? What is going on here? This begs some explanation.

I was unable to notice an explanation on the web after ii hours of searching. There are too many documents on the web with the same "overview" blazon data. So I did what I usually do & figured it out myself.

The true "dimension" of amperage is, of form, 1 / T , i.e. "ten" number of electrons laissez passer through a wire in and so many seconds. The extra 50 we need to make power (ML2T -3) is the length of the wire which is left out of the calculation because it is held "abiding" for the pupose of teaching. And so if you screw in a 100 watt bulb the little filament in the bulb is a abiding as is the length of your household wiring. Now if you lot increase the length of the filament ( - + - ) you increase the wattage of the bulb (like screwing in some other 100 watter) ... simply ... if you put 2 filaments together ( = ) you get less resistance instead of more wattage. And less resistance means lower wattage.

The complete equation for watts is:

Watts = Volts 10 Amps x k(i unit length of wire)

If you have a current running in some wire, it has some length ... go information technology? ... but since this is true in whatsoever instance any, why put it in the equation? So, if I double this "whatsoever" length, does the power consumption go upward to double? Yes, even if in that location is no low-cal bulb on it ... simply the amps and volts remain the same? Yeah, the voltage will remain the same ... if you're talking most the power visitor. They will ramp upwardly their power output to match demand. If too many people put too much "actress lengths" in the circuit ... and they can't ramp up ... you get a "brown out" which is, lowered voltage.

Notation 6/27/02:

There is a fault hither in what follows (pointed out by "Wimms" on my D-Board in June 2002). I tin can't think what I was thinking at the time just in that location is no bleed on the system if information technology adds some other "branch". There will be an extra drain on the organisation if it extends its length to a identify where energy is beingness tapped. It would lose energy to an unused branch just practice to leakage which is small and not a logical office of the problem. Also, I don't know if maintaining an alternate current voltage consumes energy which would make the error correct once more for the incorrect reason. I will find out when I go back from vacation.). Certainly, a direct current would not, as would be the case with a simple unused battery (which simply leaks abroad).

Incorrect:

If the ability company adds a line to its system (say, to a new subdivision) they must increase their power output to maintain the 115 volt standard even if no i is yet in the subdivision using power ... because ... the extra wiring is resistance of and unto itself, i.e. it gets "hot", like ... warm. The power company's system is a large electrical heater fifty-fifty in its "look state", i.e. waiting for some client to use it.

If anybody flushes the toilet at the same time, the water pressure goes downwardly ... unless the water utility "pushes" it harder. They can't reasonably do this (they would need a variable summit water belfry), but the electric company can.

And so when you turn on your lamp (add together a length of wire), the voltage goes down but the power company puts it correct support to 115V, come across?.

And then the real, true, actual formula for watts is in fact:

Watts = Amps x Volts ten Length

provided that we change the variable length measurement to reflect a "constant crossection", i.e. a .1 mm filament 2 cm long = i/eight inch filament very much shorter. But nobody cares nigh these things except the professionals and people like me who demand that "dimensions cancel out" on both sides of an equation. ;o)

Ohms = Volts / Amps

Ohm is a measure of resistance to electrical conduction.

It is as well the way in which prisoners in medieval dungeons resisted their captors. What they did was to notice the resonant frequency of their dungeon and hum it. When 1 guy got tired of bustling another prisoner picked it up. The jailers couldn't tell where it was coming from so they were subjected to this constant drone "Ohmmmmm ... ohmmmm ... ohmmmm ...". That's why

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

This is a 4500 watt 230 volt screw type high density element.

This is the most common residential element.

4500/230 =19.five amps

4500/240 =xviii.75 amps

230v/20amps =xi ohms

ohms = volts divided by amps) ... so a 4400 Watt @ 220v=

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

I = 5 / R (Current = Voltage Divided past Resistance)

230volts / thirteen ohms = 17.69 amps

230v X xviii Amps = iv,140 Watts

--------------------------------------

230v / 18 ohms = 12.77 amps

230v X 13 amps = 2990 Watts.

I think yous tin see how authentic the 13-18 ohms method gets. not very!

Eric on March 02, 2012:

I have merely replaced both elements. how long does it take for a 30 gal. water heater to heat back upwards?

Tara1226 on March 02, 2012:

This morning I woke upwards to my electricity off. When I powered it on, I noticed that my water heater breaker was in the off possition. When I turned it back on, I heard the sound of steam coming from the peak of the heater....then Popular! In that location was a spark at the summit of the heater! The breaker for the heater turned back off. In that location is a small-scale pool of water by one of the pipes where the spark came from. I don't know anything nigh water heaters, so I just left it lone. Now, three hours afterward, I have hot h2o!(go along in listen that the breaker is in the off possition!) Also, my daughter told me that in that location wasn't any hot water last night. Im assuming the water heater went out, hours before the electricity went out. My questions are, 1. How tin I possibly have hot water with the breaker off? 2. Is it possible that the force per unit area is edifice up (I'm fearing an explosion) 3. Practise I demand to pay a pro to come out and replace it or is it easy to install ourselves?

Debbie on February 28, 2012:

What temperature should hot h2o heater be set on? I got both eelements be assail I got them turned up all the wau

Constance on February 26, 2012:

I have the same problem as Kim..we changed our bottom element and now it doesn't have power simply the the acme i does. Greatly appreciate any assistance you lot can give.

clm.constance@gmail.com

Bluenoser2 on February 25, 2012:

Blaquewraithe,

To measure the amperage, don't yous need one of those meters with probes that clench effectually the wiring? I'1000 guessing that almost dwelling handy people aren't so equipped.

Blaquewraithe on Feb 21, 2012:

Stacking?? and dip tubes.

The hot h2o in a water heater tends to course layers with differing temperatures. When short uses occur frequently the heater can turn on and off and cause the water at the top of the heater to keep getting hotter and hotter each fourth dimension. It'south called "stacking". It's because hot h2o, similar hot air, rises. It can get hot enough to cause the temperature / pressure safety valve to open and release hot water from the heater, even with the thermostat setting on low.

Blaquewraithe on February 21, 2012:

Fifty Shush,1st off checking to footing is not a diagnostic technique you tin trust for annihilation merely safety! Of form you lot volition testify continuity to ground if a bad elements sitting in water! Checking to footing is just good to encounter if yous volition be shocked! Its not a diagnostic technique that tells yous anything but that! since you volition need to drain the water to really if the readings due to an actual short or its due to being immersed in water! Certain ,Perhaps IF you know what a proficient elements ohms reading is, you MIGHT get lucky if the waters reading isn't shut enough to fool you using such methodology which is in no way accepted protocol for a sytematic diagnostic , My point which went over your head apparently , is, You dont need to ohm out a suspected element if it has voltage!! Simply check for amperage!! if it has voltage! This is foolproof as opposed to your "should be,might be, hope it is, Voltage with any amperage is much easier, faster and far more accurate! so yous tin monkey effectually ohming out an open up element that reads continuity due to the water within the tank completing the circuit! Why use a questionable method that takes longer? simply run into if yous have voltage! and if so simply check for an amp draw! thats real earth non mag mechanic diagnostics, I accept 34 years and an Assembly degree in Electo Mechanical Technologies

dave on February twenty, 2012:

Installed a new speedflow unvented under sink electric water heater ii months ago and the water smells like steriliser flluid, drained information technology down and flushed it through merely all the same smells really stiff, is this normal?

Lburk on February 20, 2012:

BLAQUEWRAITH Yous are incorrect insofar as you lot cannot ohm an element with water in the tank. I teach plumbing for a living, and I accept only 35 years in the trade for a piffling background.

If an element is adept information technology will ohm out to about 13 to 16 ohms. If an element is bad, in other words if it was dry fired and burned apart you will go either a "000 or an OL" on your meter (depending upon the brand or type of meter) because there is no resistance. You may get the same reading if in that location is an internal open up in the element. You can always run a test to footing as well to see if yous have a curt to ground. Yous see the heating element itself, the same stuff yous see on an electrical infinite heater, but much more of it as in a 100 anxiety tightly wrapped, is covered in an electrical insulating material and the it is covered with a Chromalloy blend sheathing.

Your signal of testing with an AMP meter is correct though as long as yous are testing just the element to see if it is bad. No AMP'south, the chemical element is no practiced. Some endeavor to ohm out at the lead-in but this is testing everything and y'all'll show an AMP draw if one element is practiced and it's energized. Simply continue in mind you will have to switch each element on individually in order to test them. They run not-simultaneously, one chemical element at a time, which brings me to the signal that the original writer of this hub is mistaken on.

The first element to come on in an electrical water heater is the upper. The reason for this is to preclude what is called "stacking" which ways all of the heat will rising, and the lesser element would never shut off. Therefore, the top is heated first, one time the elevation is heated, that element kicks off and so the bottom kicks on to heat the bottom of the tank, and then maintain the heat unless the hot heater is depleted or it has saturday so long that the superlative has cooled below set point which means the process starts all over.

Why does the lesser element stay on? Because that's where the common cold water comes into the tank, at the bottom, if you don't use all of the hot water in the tank - only the bottom element is needed to maintain a tank of hot h2o.

Not meaning to selection on anyone here just trying to make things right.

Don on February 18, 2012:

final week a plumber put an expansion valve on our electric water heater. It then stopped heating the water. If I reset the thermostat, it produces hot water One time, then cold water again. I'm resetting information technology several times a solar day.

matt on Feb 18, 2012:

low volume of hot h2o. i have checked voltage at thermostats and ohms at elements everthing seem ok i replaced lower thermostat everthing worked fine for well-nigh a day and so hot water runs out quick once more. tin anyone help.

jackie on February sixteen, 2012:

tuckered and refilled our electrical hot water heater yesterday...now the water is non heating at all. it was heating properly before the drain. anyone know what could be wrong here?

harleyrider222 on Feb 14, 2012:

hello, electricity is my friend.. if the element is bad, in that location would exist 0 ohms, or infinate ohms beyond the elements terminals

georgie on Feb 12, 2012:

I replaced my heating element yesterday. The h2o heater worked fine but when we got up this morning it wasn't working. The thermostat has no reset button I also changed the excursion breaker in example information technology was a bad breaker. Could I need a new thermostat?

EC on February xi, 2012:

I have a 40gal electrical heater. When using the water i can only get hot to luke warm water for 2 or 3 minutes. Exercise i demand to replace the whole affair?

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Source: https://dengarden.com/appliances/Troubleshooting-Electric-Water-Heaters