Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostat Troubleshooting

That helps when troubleshooting the cause of the problem.

Electric hot water heater thermostat troubleshooting.

Electric water heater thermostats are a fairly simple devices that can fail from time to time. Begin by turning the breaker inside the breaker panel of water heater off. On electric water heaters it is usually located under the access panel on the side of the heater or it may be located on the front. Reset circuit breaker to on or replace any blown fuse s and wait 30 60 minutes for the water to warm.

Electric water heaters have one or two elements and each is controlled by a thermostat. If the electric water heater output water is too hot you can adjust the thermostat to a lower setting. The cure for a hot water problem may be as simple as turning the temperature setting up. If the hot water heater is not working one of the thermostats may be bad.

If you re experiencing this problem it s possible that one or both of your water heater s thermostats is set too high. Too much hot water can be almost as frustrating as not enough hot water. Is scalding and a mixing valve may be needed for safety. To check the thermostat settings.

Our two photos above are of the lower heating element on this electric water heater. Wait about hour and see if your water heats up. Next remove the screws and open the panel. Turn off the power to the water heater in the service panel.

You will see the electric wiring that handles the water heater. Typical settings are 140 to 160 degf. For electric hot water heaters start troubleshooting with a quick reset. Testing is the only option if you want to determine whether or not one or both of them has failed.

If the thermostats are okay you need to test the water heater elements. An electric hot water heater is actually not a complicated device. If that doesn t work perform a hard reset by shutting off power to the water heater at the circuit breaker box. Also check the reset button on the thermostat the red button located at the top of the thermostat.

Turn off the water heater for a few minutes and then turn it back on. Beware that any temperature above 120 degf. Check electrical panel to be sure that circuit breaker is in the on position not in tripped or off or fuses if used are installed securely and not blown. If water has remained cool continue troubleshooting steps below.