Electric Water Heater Shutting Off

bindlestiff · Jun 27, 2009, 11:24 AM

My electric water heater occasionally shuts off, I wake up in the morning and there is no hot water. It has not tripped the breaker, but when I shut the breaker off and turn it on again, after awhile there is hot water again. It had happened only a few times over the past three years, but has happened now three times in the past week.

I don't know if it is an issue with the heater or some wiring issue, so I don't know how to go about telling the landlord what type of service person I need.

thanks for your thoughts.

bindlestiff · Jun 28, 2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

If resetting the breaker gets you hot water, I would say that you have a weak breaker.

Some breakers move sufficiently to be obvious when tripped. Some hardly move at all. This type feels spongy when pressed toward the on position.

While it is not all that common, a breaker can be defective or become weak over a period of time and trip even though there is no over current.

From you description I wold say that you have a weak breaker. Replace.

i haven't tried resetting the breaker on the actual water tank yet, up to now when it has happened i had found that resetting the breaker on the wall panel has worked to restart the heater.

next time it goes off i'll try the breaker on the heater itself.

thanks for your thoughts

bindlestiff · Jun 28, 2009, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

If resetting the breaker gets you hot water, I would say that you have a weak breaker.

Some breakers move sufficiently to be obvious when tripped. Some hardly move at all. This type feels spongy when pressed toward the on position.

While it is not all that common, a breaker can be defective or become weak over a period of time and trip even though there is no over current.

From you description I wold say that you have a weak breaker. Replace.

i'm going to see if i can find someone to check for where the defect is. i appreciate all the help in narrowing down the problem, as i am a renter and my landlord is touchy about spending money, so i try to fix things myself or find a friend to help.

thank you for your thoughts

hkstroud · Jun 28, 2009, 01:48 PM

It is the breaker in the electric panel I am speaking of.



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