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JMillsJr · Jan 13, 2018, 06:08 AM

I had a busted pipe during the cold spell. Got pipe redone but water heater won't reset when I push button. Plus I don't hear any water filling tank

talaniman · Jan 13, 2018, 06:36 AM

Is the water valve open that feeds the heater? Is it gas or electric? Is the main breaker for the WH on? If gas you may have to relight the pilot. Maybe you don't need water to fill the tank yet, but should have cold water flowing from the hot water side of the house faucets. If not trace all your valves that feed your home and WH especially.

Check and let me know what you find.

tickle · Jan 13, 2018, 11:02 AM

I would advise not relighting the pilot. In my area, only the gas company technician should be doing that.

ma0641 · Jan 13, 2018, 12:12 PM

Don't know of a "Reset" button on a gas heater so I will assume electric. Don't try to reset if no water, will ruin the elements. Water on? There is no reason to not have water flow into a HW heater unless a valve or two are turned off. There should be a house supply valve and a cold water shut off at the heater. Open a faucet or two--water?

tickle · Jan 13, 2018, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by ma0641

Don't know of a "Reset" button on a gas heater so I will assume electric. Don't try to reset if no water, will ruin the elements. Water on? There is no reason to not have water flow into a HW heater unless a valve or two are turned off. There should be a house supply valve and a cold water shut off at the heater. Open a faucet or two--water?

Yup for sure, open a fawcet or two

massplumber2008 · Jan 13, 2018, 08:27 PM

Hi all.

Here's my take:

I'm a plumber and I have a busted cold water pipe due to freezing conditions and I need to fix it.

I arrive, I'm as courteous as I can be because I have fixed like 30 frozen pipes during this recent freeze up (LOL), and explain what I plan to do to fix the problem to the customer...and then I get to work!

I isolate the issue using individual shut off valves, if available, or I shut off the main water supply to the home.

I drain the water pipes accordingly and I repair the broken pipe. In most cases, I DO NOT drain the water heater (unless break in pipe is lower than the water heater). Do I shut the power off to the water heating source? In most cases, no, but somebody else may have.

If, as everyone suggested, JMillsJr has water flowing from the hot side of the faucets/valves in the home then, most likely, he can be sure that he has an electrical issue here.

JMillsJr...

Check that water flows out of the hot water side of faucets/valves in the house. If water flows from the hot water side of faucets/valves then the next step is to check that the electrical 30 Amp double pole breaker at the electrical panel for the water heater is in the ON position. If the water heater breaker is not on then turn it back on (after you have confirmed water flowing from hot water side of faucets/valves)....plumber may have shut it off for some reason.

Because the red reset button didn't go "CLICK" when you pressed it in would suggest, to me, that the "safety" didn't kick in, so my guess without being there would be that the power has been shut off (as long as water runs from the hot water side of faucets/valves) and needs to be turned back on.

Let us know what happens!

Mark

Milo Dolezal · Jan 14, 2018, 01:55 PM

Hello JMillsJr:

If it is an electric hot water heater than the RESET button won't reset because - most-likely - you have burnt element. Test element, replace if burnt

Hope that helps

Milo

Stratmando · Jan 15, 2018, 07:45 PM

If reset is not clicking, it may have already been reset, or didn't trip? The way I like to troubleshoot a water heater is from top to bottom following the voltage, if voltage to element, then Amprobe around one the element wires, and a Meter on the Element connections, if it has voltage and not drawing it is Open, If drawing, it is Heating.

massplumber2008 · Jan 16, 2018, 11:16 AM

Yup! Start by taking a voltage reading at the junction box on top of the water heater and follow it to the issue is always the first place to start once you confirm water is flowing through the heater! Absolute!