My wife just turned on the hot water in the kitchen. After it warmed up, it started smoking. It's really, really hot. We have a 10-year old low-boy State electric water heater. Has the thermostat failed?
- posted
9 years ago
HOT Water
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- posted
9 years ago
the kitchen. After it warmed up, it started smoking. It's really, really hot. We
water heater. Has the thermostat failed?
Can't see it from here. Please move the monitor, and then stand by to do some simple tests when we can better see.
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- posted
9 years ago
Sounds like yer water heater might not be getting fresh water, so it overheated the water that was in the heater (below the thermostat sensor?).
nb --WAG
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9 years ago
Seemingly so....better turn it off.
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9 years ago
I can see it from here. Tell me what a failed thermostat looks like.
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9 years ago
The thermostat could have failed, but my money is on one of the heater elements has gone bad. That is the outer shell that seperate the actual electrical heating coil from the water has a hole or split in it.
A thermostat often breaks just one side of the line and the hole in the element lets the water heat all the time. Also check to see if the heater is releaving water out of the releif valve.
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9 years ago
Hmm You have to ask? Bring out multi meter and check them all out as well as giving visual inspection. I'd turn off power to the heater first.
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9 years ago
You mean steaming, right?
My first thought.
Yeah turn it off until you get your plan made.
Both standard thermostats and heating elements are available at Home Depot iirc and if not there and an authorized plumbing supply store. I assumed the latter before I knew how standardized most thermostats are. Heaters vary in length and if they're folded over, and I didn't have to replace one of those until the first water heater leaked and I took out the old good elements.
Both easy to put in. To do the heating element, the guy told me turn OFF THE INPUT VALVE that comes from the outside,, then unscrew the heater, pull it out quick and put in the new one quick. Took me 5 seconds and only a teaspoon of water escaped. Better than the pain of draining the tank, paying for new water and new electricity to heat it.
But I haddn't heard notbob's theory about the heater. Sounds more like the thermostat. Do you have one or two. I don't know about lowboys. With taller, generally only one heating element is on at a time. You could note, even mark with a pen, where it points now, then turn it way down and see if that makes the water cooler.
There should be a way to tell which part is broken with a meter, power off some of the tests (220 volts probably. AC) one or two wires disconnected to make tests, but I can't think without a wiring diagram in front of me. Maybe came with the WH, maybe hanging from it now.
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9 years ago
The problem *appears* to be the upper thermostat. When I took the cover off, the area around the lower thermostat was not very warm. The area around the upper thermostat is quite hot. Unfortunately, the only thermostat I could get is the Lowes Utilicrap brand.
There are two additional concerns now. The upper thermostat has to be in contact with the tank. The spring bracket on the water heater is not holding the thermostat securely on the tank. I did not see a way to bend the spring brackets to cause it to hold tighter. I'll have to investigate that problem better tomorrow. The second concern is that the new thermostat did not come with a protective plastic cover, and the only one does not fit on the new thermostat. The only thing that should be in contact with the screw terminals is the insulation, and it's non-conductive, so hopefully that's not a problem.
The water is still *steaming* hot coming out of the water heater. I've decided to wait until tomorrow morning to turn the power on so that I can monitor the performance of the water heater.
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9 years ago
Don't know about the heater, but maybe you should find out what the temperature of that water is.
Do you have a meat thermometer? Anything else that would be more accurate than "looks hot"?
There is a dial on the water heater where you adjust the temperature.