Hi folks, today I awoke to a mostly cold shower. Had hot water for a few minutes and then it faded over about a 5-10 minute span. All other taps in the condo had only cold water. I have an electric hot water heater located in my garage below the condo. No other tanks so I'm assuming its an all in one type water heater. I've never had this problem in the 2 years I own the place and had taken a hot shower yesterday. Not sure of the water heaters age but it looks fairly new. Any suggestions on what I can do to troubleshoot this or am I going to be shelling out for a new one?

Thanks everyone.

Hi DIYer2009...

Problem is going to be either the power, the thermostats or the elements...

Start by checking that power is getting to the water heater. Here, start by checking the breaker or fuse at the electrical panel and reset breaker or change out fuses,OK?

Then I want you to go the heater and remove the access panels and the top of the junction box where the electrical comes into the water heater.

Next, check the top access panel thermostat (see picture below... yours will most likely be the DOUBLE thermostat setup on left of pic... an upper and a lower thermostat and elements)... and see if the RED RESET BUTTON has tripped. Here, simply push the reset button IN and if you hear a click,most likely that the top thgermostat is gone and should be replaced. In this case, it is also cheap to replace the lower thermostat as well. If red reset button doesn't click then on to next step.

Then shut power off to heater and remove the wire nuts from the wires at the junction box... now with wires exposed but a safe distance from each other and the metal jacket, turn power back on and test to be sure power is actually getting to the unit. Here, set electrical tester to test for 110-120 volt and test each wire by touching one probe to one wire and the other probe to the screw on top of unit (see picture below)... do this for BOTH wires coming into unit. Each should give you a 110-120 volt reading. If power is missing then the breaker is shot or the fuses are bad... ok?

If you have power then we will need to test for continuity at the elements next. Here, you shut power off to the water heater at the electrical panel and disconnect the 2 wires from each element. Then set the electrical tester to CONTINUITY and touch each probe to each screw and see if you get continuity reading... if not then you will need to replace the defective element...

Anyway, as you see.. some electrical testing to do... ;)

Start with basics here and then get back to us with questions... glad to help!

MARK

PS...be careful, especially if electrical is unfamiliar to you

Massp, thanks a million. I'll give this a shot tonight when I get home. If it turns out to be the element, is that a replaceable item?

Yes...

If you do not have continuity at one of the elements you will need to keep the power off at the electric panel and then you will need to shut the COLD water supply into the water heater and then DRAIN the water heater to just below the element in question (in other words, if top element gone don't drain heater completely... no need).

Remember you need to have power off and wires disconnected from the element itself BEFORE testing for element continuity... ;)

Then you will need to purchase an ELEMENT WRENCH (home depot has these) and element of same wattage (typically 3500 watts, but check on the water heater rating plate.. ok?) and remove old element... just spins out counterclockwise. Be sure to remove the element as well as the OLD rubber washer that will be set into a crevice around the element.

Then spin new element into place with its new washer (no teflon or pipe dope needed)... tighten good, but not too tight.

Install wires, fill tank and purge system of air through faucets... then turn water heater power back on.

That 's how it's done!

I have included a better picture of an UPPER thermostat and element and then I also posted a pic. Of what an element and an element wrench look like... good luck!

Let me know if need more...

MARK

Excellent, thanks so much! I'll report back my findings.

Thanks again Mark.

Ok, so I'm home and first thing I checked was the breaker panel. No breaker tripped so I checked hot water tap at all faucets and to my surprise hot water but for how long I do not know. Don't want to run it for long because I need to shave and shower in the morning :) So apparently the main ckt to the water heater is working. Could my element be defective or going in that direction or was this morning an anomaly (sp?)?

You have two elements in most electric water heaters.. an upper and a lower element (and thermostats), so it is very likely in fact that one of the elements work and that is why you have some hot water, but not all the hot water you normally have.

Sounds to me like one of the elements is gone for sure! Which one is up to you to determine... ;)

Keep me posted.

Thanks...

Massp, I assume by your answer that the 2 elements together work to make both hot water?

Actually, each works separately to heat the water in the tank.

Upper thermostat calls for hot water and fires upper element, when upper thermostat reaches temperature it shuts down and sends its signal to the lower thermostat which sets the lower element to firing off until it heats water enough to satisfy the lower thermostat.

Since hot water rises in tank (and cold water is fed to bottom of tank when hot water is getting used) it is usually the lower thermostat/element that fires during the recovery phase.

My guess,therefore, is that you will find that the LOWER element is gone.. at least that is what I have found to be culprit 80% of the time.

Let me know...

MARK

Mark, thanks again for the insightful info. It happened again this morning. Maybe 10-15 minutes of hot water before started turning to cold only. I took a few pics of the heater that I'll post from work later. I need to tshoot those 2 elements and tstats tonight when I get home. Here are the pics I took this morning: How accessible are the elements?

Thanks,
Neal.

Hi Neal:

Make sure power is OFF... then remove the two blue access panels and push aside the insulation under covers to access the thermostats and elements.

Keep me posted!

I will keep u posted. I'm assuming the elements are horizontally attached to the other side of the thermostats, right? Is there a way to troubleshoot the thermostats other than pushing the reset buttons? Also if it comes to needing to change the elements how do I know what the water level is in the water heater in order to change them without drowning myself :confused:

Thanks again.

I have attached a picture of what is under the top access panel.

The yellow circle is drawn around the element... screws in horizontally UNDER the thermostsat.

The red circle is drawn around the upper thermostat with the reset button.

This is what it looks like under the TOP access panel once you remove the access panel, the insulation and the plastic cover plate (which you will need to do to get to all this). The lower set up looks just like the top, but the thermostat is smaller is all.

In terms of removing water, If it is the top element then guess and then try to loosen and remove top element.. if water keeps coming out... drain more water out the drain. If it is the lower element then drain heater completely.

Finally, sure you can test the thermostat by following the power at the thermostat and using the thermostat setting (from low to high and reverse) to send power to upper elemet and down to lower thermostat and lower element and using the lower thermostat settings to jump between upper and lower...but I don't think you need, too!

I'm pretty sure that it is not the thermostats though as you have some hot water. If upper thermostat was bad you would not get any hot water at all. Test the elements!!

Review this entire page before proceeding..ok?? Safety first here...please!

.

Mark, I followed your tshooting and it appears it's the lower element. It reads open on my meter. Everything else seems to check out OK. I saw online that home depot may have replacements so I'll head over tmrw and let you know how it goes.

Thanks a million! I hope this is the fix!

Neal

*crossing fingers*

Mark, I "think" all went OK. Replaced the element and hoping I'll have long, hot showers in my future. I guess the only way to know will be to take one :)

Thanks so much for all your help with this! This forum is excellent and I've already recommended it to my weekend warrior friends.

Thanks,
Neal.