Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

[dwco5051]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

If that heater has 4500w elements and you have a 20a breaker the heater would be drawing enough current to be right on the edge of the breaker's limit.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

220 VAC, dual element, same wire thats been feeding the tank for 35+ years (ga= proper size I believe)

All the two element water heaters I have seen are 30 amp #10 wire. Your breaker is correct for the wire size but it may not be correct for your newer water heater. Though if it worked for 4 years I suspect something else is the immediate problem.

Please let us know what you find out. Resolution is always good.

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

All the two element water heaters I have seen are 30 amp #10 wire. Your breaker is correct for the wire size but it may not be correct for your newer water heater. Though if it worked for 4 years I suspect something else is the immediate problem.

Please let us know what you find out. Resolution is always good.

Plumber just drove in, tanks drained and elements are 2x3000w

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

UPDATE-top element mcfried, bottom element almost fried but still working, replaced both.

40 minutes plumber in and out, thank god I drained the tank before he got here it took forever.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

If he used a direct replacement 3000W element your 12 gauge wire and 20 amp breaker should be fine. Just did not want you to sweat the details.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Take a look at this old post of mine.......I have hard water and it killed the water heater http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=289915&highlight=water

I would drain the tank and removed the elements and inspect them. It is not uncommon for elements to go bad and they are fairly easy to replace............. DIS-CONNECT ALL POWER First!!

LOL did I win anything? So now that you have hot water................. Go shower!!

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

LOL did I win anything? So now that you have hot water................. Go shower!!

CHARLIE, tell him what he has won-
YES BOB, you have won either the blown element or the almost blown element if you can ansewer this skill testing question!!!


Funny thing was the tool he had to pull the element out worked fine on the upper but not so good on the lower one, so off to the shop I went and came back with the 3/4 inch drive breaker bar and a 1-1/2 impact socket, after that no problem.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Funny thing was the tool he had to pull the element out worked fine on the upper but not so good on the lower one, so off to the shop I went and came back with the 3/4 inch drive breaker bar and a 1-1/2 impact socket, after that no problem.

Not uncommon. The cheap stamped metal sockets they sell for removing elements are crap. Most plumbers I know carry a good 1 1/2" socket just for those cases.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Actually the breaker in the breaker panel was tripped, as I said, reset the breaker and 4 feet away I could hear the water heater warming up.
It does make sense though, if the thermostat stuck, the draw would have tripped the breaker eventually.

I didn't see where you said it had been tripped, that would have changed my response. But since it's working now it makes no difference. Always nice to have hot water again.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

CHARLIE, tell him what he has won-
YES BOB, you have won either the blown element or the almost blown element if you can ansewer this skill testing question!!!


Funny thing was the tool he had to pull the element out worked fine on the upper but not so good on the lower one, so off to the shop I went and came back with the 3/4 inch drive breaker bar and a 1-1/2 impact socket, after that no problem.

LOL look at the lower element in the pictures in the link I mentioned.... The top one came out okay and the lower one in many pieces. Amazing what the water will do and we bathe in it

 

[leesumm]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

I also have an electric heater, went thru the same thing last year. Found the top element burnt. This spring the heater started going hot to cold to steam to ice cubes. Replaced bottom element and was ok for a couple of weeks, then the breaker tripped, then the reset tripped. I read on the net about dual thermostats and elements and figured it out. I replaced the two thermostats and everything has been fine , water the perfect temp for 6 months now. Luckily I have a hardware store that had the elements and thermostats in stock and at a reasonable price , I think altogether elements and thermostats were just over $60

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

LOL look at the lower element in the pictures in the link I mentioned.... The top one came out okay and the lower one in many pieces. Amazing what the water will do and we bathe in it

I just relooked at the elements and all the calcium and lime deposits in your water heater thread,
"DO NOT" have that issue YIKES.
You need a water softner before the hot water tank to get rid of that amount of build up Bob.
You did see the pic I posted of the water from our well?

Here it is again mater soup if I don't flush the line every 2-3 months YUCK!!!

And our elements were rotting metal black, to the point you could see the spiral heater element.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Actually, my 80 gal heater is a rental from the power company.......... it works out to be a good deal. I do not want to invest in a water softener system (Which the calcium and lime would kill anyway) just to protect a rented tank. If you read through my thread....... I had a brand new tank installed but it just took 4 months to gain access to my exterior basement door due to snow.

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Actually, my 80 gal heater is a rental from the power company.......... it works out to be a good deal. I do not want to invest in a water softener system (Which the calcium and lime would kill anyway) just to protect a rented tank. If you read through my thread....... I had a brand new tank installed but it just took 4 months to gain access to my exterior basement door due to snow.

Why am I getting the mentel impression of a house built in the 20s or 30s 2 story with basement that has dirt floor and rock foundation.
Hard wood floors and a steep stair case to the second story
2 dormers on the bedrooms, shallow attic, and somewhere there is a really squeky spot on the floor.
And some where around a window there is a rotten spot?


This has been a sycic beer moment brought to you by bud beer!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Nope a 2 1/2 story post and beam colonial yes with a stone foundation and dirt floor.......built a few years before the 20's and 30's closer to 1850-1860 Oh and 12' high ceiling in the attic.

Older photo but the bulkhead entrance is on the other side.

 

[rbh]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Nope a 2 1/2 story post and beam colonial yes with a stone foundation and dirt floor.......built a few years before the 20's and 30's closer to 1850-1860 Oh and 12' high ceiling in the attic.

Older photo but the bulkhead entrance is on the other side.

When you mentioned the basement door being buried in by snow for so long, I had a quick flash back of my great uncles place, what I described was his place.
Kinda wondered how close I could come between the two houses. and his house was not colonial it was farm and us kids just loved playing in that big old house.

By the way nice house Bob but I bet painting it isn't alot of fun though, LOL.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

By the way nice house Bob but I bet painting it isn't alot of fun though, LOL.

vinyl sided

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: Hot Water Tank - BUSTAMAKATED!! BRRRRRRR

Nice place Bob, I used to hate siding colonials like yours. The way the ground falls away from the house it takes a 40' ladder and then some to get to the peak. I`ll bet the guy that finished the last few pieces of soffit and facias cheeks were puckered.