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jdtat2 · Dec 7, 2012, 07:15 PM

Hello, I have a 9 year old electric 50 gal. heater and recently it has been throwing the breaker and now it just won't work at all can this be a burnt out element or possibly an issue with sediment build up or might it be a bit of both? What is the suggested course of repair or would it be better to just replace it all together? Thanks

massplumber2008 · Dec 7, 2012, 08:14 PM

By your description, I think you may have a defectrive 30 amp. Breaker. Here, if your thermostats or your elements were defective your upper thermostat would have tripped out and indicated an issue with the thermostat or the elements... ;)

I'd replace the 30 amp. Double pole breaker itself if I were you (about $12.00)... just be sure to replace with a panel specific breaker (i.e. a cutler-hammer with a cutler-hammer, or a siemens for a siemens, etc. ).

Be sure to take a minute and look at the heater access panels just in case I am wrong (looking for moisture/leaks here)... otherwise, try what I present... should resolve the issue!

Mark

speedball1 · Dec 8, 2012, 07:33 AM

There's another explanation that I ran into some years back. I got a call that the heater was tripping the breaker, But it would work for a while and then trip the breaker. I spent a hour trying o make it trip but no joy. Then just as I was getting back in my truck the OP came out of the unit and told me it just tripped the breaker again. I went back in with my Amp-Probe and checked the amps. It was pulling 38 amps.
Now every electric water heater has opposing elements. That means only one element is energized at a time. A element pulls 19 amps. Mystery solved! The thermostat was turning on both at the same time. Replaced the thermostat and that solved the problem. Good luck, Tom

massplumber2008 · Dec 8, 2012, 07:38 AM

That is cool, Tom. I haven't seen that before, but it certainly makes sense! Great info.!