Hot water heater issue

mbalbritton

mbalbritton

#@$%!
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Lakeland, FL
I replaced one of my hot water heaters about 5-6 months ago. The other week it stopped making hot water. Through some diagnostics I found a bad heater element. Pulled the element and it had a hole in the element. Well shit.

Bought another element and installed, all good…for a week. Just noticed no hot water again. Checked the breaker, all good. Pulled the wires off the element and Ran the multi meter across the element for continuity and….nothing. WTF!

Anyone have any thoughts? This is a small 12 gallon single element.
 
 
New element had a bad spot in it.
or you turned it on before it was fully submerged or you have something in your tank or you have realllllllly bad water or bad luck or …im outta ideas
 
Ron said:
New element had a bad spot in it.
or you turned it on before it was fully submerged or you have something in your tank or you have realllllllly bad water or bad luck or …im outta ideas
Click to expand...
Bad spot? I guess maybe
Turned it on too soon? don’t think so as it was full and bled.
Something in tank? like a little China man on commission from heater element company in China? I guess.
Bad water? … one word, Florida.
Bad luck? Not a far fetched thought.
 
I'm just here to ask why you'd need to heat hot water.
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm just here to ask why you'd need to heat hot water.
Click to expand...
Technically it should only heat cold water once unless you have an issue (like me), or you purposely turned it off for a long duration of time.

But to answer your question more specifically, because I like having hot water on demand at all times when at home.

I know, first world problems.
 
mbalbritton said:
Something in tank? like a little China man on commission from heater element company in China? I guess.
.
Click to expand...
large piece of scale or flake of rust or even piece of insulation off old element. Float about contact element crest hot spot.
 
Ron said:
large piece of scale or flake of rust or even piece of insulation off old element. Float about contact element crest hot spot.
Click to expand...
I pulled the element this morning and looked in the hole. There a long stalactite of what I guess is lime scale hanging from the top of the tank. Did my best of taking pictures.

I know we have hard water here, but this thing grew in 5-6 months? Damn!

IMG_4777.jpeg
IMG_4778.jpeg
IMG_4776.jpeg
 
That looks like your sacrificial rod. Your hard water attacks it instead of the tank and elements. You’re supposed to replace them over time or it can start ruining the tank.
 
Picture is hard to tell, could it be the anode rod?

If you have a water softener system you are supposed to replace the anode every 6 months
 
Aside from being hard is your water acidic too?
My guess is you have a lot of calcium carbonate around in that tank, it is sticking to the element and eating a hole in it.
Need a better filter coming off the water treatment.

BTW... thank you for the reminder I need to drain my tank and at least check the rod and probably change it. Our water is really acidic and eats rods quickly.
 
Was always told that if your draining the tank just replace the trifecta (both elements and the rod). Also, spend up for the better elements. Trust me it does make a difference.
 
skyhighZJ said:
Was always told that if your draining the tank just replace the trifecta (both elements and the rod). Also, spend up for the better elements. Trust me it does make a difference.
Click to expand...
I’ve become even worse in both rentals and residence.
The HD premium has a 7 year warranty and costs $~500.
It’s either a warranty call or I’m replacing the heater
 
Ron said:
I’ve become even worse in both rentals and residence.
The HD premium has a 7 year warranty and costs $~500.
It’s either a warranty call or I’m replacing the heater
Click to expand...
This is logical... a WH that stops being hot is annoying but easily foxed w/ a warranty/service call.

A WH that rusts through and spews water all over the floor causes a much bigger headache that costs a lot more. BTDT.
 
Back
Top