Ask Me Help Desk - Hot Water Heater

I have a fairly new hot water heater and it worked fine until the power went out and water stopped coming from the well to keep it filled. I don't know how much water was in it when I discovered black residues of smoke streaming down the front of the hot water heater. Now it doesn't work at all since the power is back on, except I think the electric coming back on caused it to stop working or maybe a power surge. Someone suggested changing the elements inside. I don't know what the elements are and where to look for them. I would like to try and fix it myself unless it's something only an expert should be doing. I assume I should turn off the electrical before attempting to open the heater up, even though it is not working right now. Any other suggestions out there before I call an expert or should I just buy another hot water heater? Not sure which category to place this request in. Thank you for your replies.

YOU likely burned out the elements... it had nothing to do with a surge. They HAVE to be submerged under water when they are powered up.

If you had the power come on when the tank water level was below the elements (from using water while the electric was out)... they would have burned out VERY quickly.

Because you would be working with lethal voltages, and if you turned off the wrong breakers and didn't have the means to test for power before starting the work... it could kill you.

This is one of those things that if you have to ask, you are likely better off paying someone that does.

In itself its not difficult... the problem is in knowing how to do it safely.

It is likely that you had an electrical short in the wiring in the water heater. The elements are screwed into the tank and are sealed. Therefore, you would not see smoke from an burned out element.

To assess the situation, turn off the breakers, remove the covers panels. Also remove the cover plate where the house wiring enters the water heater. You should find either overheated and burned wires or thermostats or both. Damage should be fairly obvious.

For repairs engage an electrician or other competent individual.

The hot water heater is downstairs in the laundry room and the electricity has been coming on at times and other times it won't come on at all in part of the downstairs main area and laundry room. So my question is, can an electrical short in the hot water heater wiring cause the electricity to not come on, at times in the main area,. such as, the lights and wall plugs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstChair

The hot water heater is downstairs in the laundry room and the electricity has been coming on at times and other times it won't come on at all in part of the downstairs main area and laundry room. So my question is, can an electrial short in the hot water heater wiring cause the electricity to not come on, at times in the main area, ...such as, the lights and wall plugs?

Well that's a far different problem than you described in your post.

A short would or should trip a breaker.. if it didn't a fire would result.

What you are describing is a faulty connection that is making and breaking... which means sparks which means heat... and a potiential fire risk.

I would definitely get an electrician out there to find this... ASAP.

No, an electrical short will most often open the breaker and kill the circuit.

The original question was whether to buy a new heater of call an expert.

To me, the answer appears to be fairly obvious, call an electrician. The fault, what ever it is, appears to affect more than the water heater.

I didn't think they were related, the hot water heater not working and the electricity going on and off without ever resetting the breakers to the 'on' position. The electricity downstairs just automatically works and then doesn't work and I've had an electrician here to disconnect the electrical cable underground and instead run an electrical line from a pole over the roof down to the electrical box outside to the electrical box inside. The power company advised it and they paid for all this. I had taken a trip out of state and when I came back all the food in the refrigerators and the freezers was ruined as all the electricity went off. So they took accountability and fixed the problem, yet when the electrician did work on the inside (the part I had to pay for)... a while later the lights and wall plugs work at random. I've got two more houses I've been having remodeled so looks like I need to turn my focus back to this house and get an electrician back in here. I'm just wondering if all the electrical upgrades outside they did doesn't match the electrical load within the house therefore causing an over-load at times. Seems I have multiple electrical issues and for sure taking all your advice to hire an electrician instead to resolve it all. Thanks for all your knowledge and advice, I appreciate it greatly.

This last post should have been the first:

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstChair

I didn't think they were related, the hot water heater not working and the electricity going on and off without ever resetting the breakers to the 'on' position. The electricity downstairs just automatically works and then doesn't work and I've had an electrician here to disconnect the electrical cable underground and instead run an electrical line from a pole over the roof down to the electrical box outside to the electrical box inside. The power company advised it and they paid for all this. I had taken a trip out of state and when I came back all the food in the refrigerators and the freezers was ruined as all the electricity went off. So they took accountability and fixed the problem, yet when the electrician did work on the inside (the part I had to pay for) ...a while later the lights and wall plugs work at random. I’ve got two more houses I’ve been having remodeled so looks like I need to turn my focus back to this house and get an electrician back in here. I’m just wondering if all the electrical upgrades outside they did doesn’t match the electrical load within the house therefore causing an over-load at times. Seems I have multiple electrical issues and for sure taking all your advice to hire an electrician instead to resolve it all. Thanks for all your knowledge and advice, I appreciate it greatly.