2 year old electric water heater no hot water


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Old 07-23-06, 06:46 PM
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2 year old electric water heater no hot water

My home is alittle over 2 years old and has a rheem electric water heater, we came home from shopping, tried to put the kids in the bathtub and nothing. No hot water at all.
You would think there would be some, but nothing.
I kicked the breaker off and on and still nothing. Should a 2 year old system be not working already? I am not a plumber or electrician so do not know where to start. Any advise would be much appreciated.
 
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Old 07-23-06, 07:26 PM
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There is a breaker on most water heaters so check that first. Usually a little red button under a panel that needs to be unscrewed. Warning there is a risk of being shocked so shut the breaker off at the electric panel before removing panel.

Well without knowing what size your water heater is and if it is 220 or 110 volt unit I will have to be general. It could be an element. Bigger units have two elements and are 220. Usually only one goes out and you only get warm water and only for a little while. But it is possible for them both to go out. If you have a 110 unit they usually only have one element and when it goes out there is no hot water.

Elements are not that expensive and not to hard to change. They require a special tool to remove them. If you decide to tackle this project make sure to get some instructions first.
 
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Old 07-23-06, 07:54 PM
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Sorry, 80 Gallon 240
I found two covers.
 
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Old 07-24-06, 06:21 AM
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Turn the power to the heater first.

Usually the top and bottom elements each have their own thermostat and are wired so that only one element comes on at a time. Normally the upper thermostat comes on first, and then when the top is hot, the upper thermostat re-directs the electricity to the lower thermostat and element.

Both covers are probably thermostats. Start with the top. If the reset button is triped reset it. This thermostat may also be bad. There is not much more that can go wrong with a water heater than the thermostat and elements.

The thermostart is a long black box with wires running off of it and has the temp controls and a reset.

This is a open view.
http://www.bobvila.com/images/Articl...r_01_large.gif

Note= before removing any elements you must first drain the unit below the lower element.
 
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Old 07-24-06, 08:15 AM
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Wow, Thank you so much.
I reset the red button/reset and nothing. So it could be both element and thermostat correct?
Which one should I start with or both, go buy two sets of both?
Thank you
 
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Old 07-24-06, 07:16 PM
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Well, I traveled to 7 different places to find both the thermostats and the elements and no one has them.
80 gallon tank 240/208
Wattage
3000/2255
3000/2255

Everyone has 4500-5000 watt elements and all of them said no 80 gallon tank should have 3000w elements.

Next question is would it be wrong to put in a 4500 element, I know it would heat up quicker, but with 3000w on the side panel, skipping to 4500w seems to much.

None of my locals carry Rheem brand or Whirlpool other than a local contractor dealers which I cannot get in, Home Depot and Lowes do not have this size either.
 
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Old 07-24-06, 07:52 PM
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Well That is strange. We may need to do some diagnostic work first before replaceing parts. Are you sure you are getting electric to the unit it self? You can test the voltage at the thermostat. Did you have a big storm in your area that could have knocked them out? I can't see both thermostats and both elements going out

There is a way to test them but there is someone better qualified to walk you thru the steps than me.

If no one reply how to by tomorrow I will look it up and walk you thru it.

In the meen time do a search on google for water heater repair.

Here is a sight.http://www.chilipepperapp.com/troublee.htm
 
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Old 07-24-06, 08:37 PM
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No storm, but Power Co was working on taking down some trees in the area and shut all the power out two days ago. Never thought of it until you mentioned that. We have allot of power outages and they found out that many lines have trees growing on them and causing problems. So they had tree crews for the last several days chopping limbs.
We got home and PF on the oven told us power was out.
I tried the rest again and it does not seem to be kicked out.
I have no meter to check to see if power is coming.
There is two 30 amp slide type fuses in the box. Could the fuses be bad?
If the power went off and on like in the past, what would that have done.
Thank you for all your time.
 
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Old 07-25-06, 08:37 PM
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Thank you for your help. I found out is was the elements.
I checked and the power was fine. Then I moved to the next thing which was the elements.
I pulled the top one out and it was terrible, not corroded like I thought they would be but was more peeled. There was a bit of silver like covering on the bars left but not much.
Then found out 3000 W elements are not too common and Rheem for sone stupid reason used them 2-3 years ago in there units and found they were nothing but trouble and switched back to 4500 and 5500.
Anyway, thank you for all your help and safety tips, they were a blessing. See, I should have listened and watched my Dad growing up as he could fix or repair anything in front of him and I have trouble putting a washer on a faucet. No mechanics at all.
Were does a 30 year old start to learn things like this in his spare time ?
 
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Old 07-27-06, 06:46 PM
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Glade to hear you got it fixed. Sorry for not repling sooner, Work has had me out all night this week.

This fourm is great for do it yourselfers and the non mechanically inclined.

I have been helped many time just glade to be giving back.
 
 

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