I have an electric State Select hot water heater, model # ES680DORT. The unit keeps turning off about every couple of days and I have to push the red reset button on the unit to get it going again. Any suggestions on why it is doing this and what I need to do to fix it. Thank you.

Shut the water off, drain the heater and replace the elements. Good luck, Tom

Why replace the elements? It seems to be heating okay.


Additional Info... I just noticed that water is being released by the pressure release valve. It appeared that the valve had gone bad last week because it was constantly dripping water and I replaced it with a new one. So, since it is releasing water again, this tells me that it is doing what it is suppose to do if the pressure gets too high. Am I on the right track?

Replace both the upper and lower thermostats, this should take care of your problem. they are fairly cheap and easy to replace. Good luck and let us know how things work out.

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Originally Posted by mygirlsdad77

replace both the upper and lower thermostats, this should take care of your problem., they are fairly cheap and easy to replace. Good luck and let us know how things work out.

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So you say replace the upper and lower thermostats and another person said replace the heating element. Is there a way to narrow down the problem without replacing all of the parts on the water heater?

I don't feel that this is an element problem at this point. Sounds more like a thermostat problem, since water is getting to hot and blowing off pressure/temperature relief valve. You can test the thermostats separately to see if one or the other is staying on longer that it should. A voltage meter and the knowledge of correct operation is a must here. Or you could just replace both stats and be done with it. You can also check the elements with multimeter. Let us know if you want to explore further.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mygirlsdad77

I dont feel that this is an element problem at this point. Sounds more like a thermostat problem, since water is getting to hot and blowing off pressure/temperature relief valve. You can test the thermostats seperately to see if one or the other is staying on longer that it should. A voltage meter and the knowledge of correct operation is a must here. Or you could just replace both stats and be done with it. You can also check the elements with multimeter. Let us know if you want to explore further.

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Thanks. I think you may be right. I called State Select today and spoke with their technical expert. He said that he is 95% sure it is the lower thermostat. The other 5% chance might be a grounding issue. The parts are still under warranty and they will reimbursement me for the $8 or so cost, so he suggested that I go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy a replacement and pop it in. So I did just that today and it's up and running producing hot water so I'll see if it continues to trip or be okay.

I think I need to replace a thermostat or maybe both. My heater is inconsistent and I have turn it back on every few days. The water is extremely hot when working properly. Where can I get instructions on installing a thermostat.