Water Heater, Elec., Power Surge Problem ???

tzzzz216

I changed a bad lower heating element for a customer back in July of this year, since then the area has had 2 power outages and each time I had to go back and reset the reset botton at the water heater , Can this be a power surge ? The customer also says the water gets real hot before they lose power , I live a few blocks away from their house and i know we've lost power the same time they have, someone suggested it maybe the other heating element causing it to do that. Thanks in advance.


Try to send these jobs overseas !!!

mahlere

well, I called the tech support line for your particular water heater. I got "Sam" on the phone. I had a tough time understanding him through the accent (sounded like he might be in/from India ) and tried to explain the situation. The best help he gave me was to turn the water heater off and re-boot it. I told him that wouldn't work and asked for his supervisor. 45 mins later (being on hold the whole time) I just hung up.

Actually, it's possible that surges could do it, but it's also possible that the element could do it too. I'm kind of leaning towards the new element or something in the water heater simply because many houses are getting the same blackout/surge, but only the waterheater you screwed up (er...fixed ) is tripping the internal reset.

Are all the wires/connections tight? Right size element? T-stat set right? How old is the water heater? What caused the 1st element to go bad?(Typically don't go bad on their own, same problem still existing?)

Good luck

tzzzz216

The heater is 10 years old, the element was burned out, but the customer also told me in the past 5 years she has replaced the same element twice , I installed the same element a few dowers down from this customer same area and hasn't had a problem with hers.

tzzzz216

p.s I also installed another element about the same time maybe in May a block away from this house and they haven't had any problems.

Double-A

I recommend a good incanol element if you can get them. The generic supply house brand or hardware store brand seem to fail prematurely.

Power surge problems can definately cause the high limit to trip. Its a thermal circuit breaker of sorts. I'm not an electrician, so perhaps one of our electricians will know more about it.

If she is complaining that her water got too hot just before it trips, check the lower t/stat for proper shut off. Even with power problems, the lower t/stat should be performing properly.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Double-A

tzzz.. State has a great troubleshooting guide that requires an ampmeter if you have one to determine that all is well with the heater. I can find a copy online if you'd like.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

tzzzz216

Thanks for the info Double-A I sure would appricate that if can get more information, Thanks again.

Ron The Plumber

You know it could be the stats causing this, replace both the upper and lower stats, see if that works for you, tripped breaker in heater and overheating will indicate bad stats.

tzzzz216

Thanks Ron !