No Hot Water
The most likely reasons for an electric
water heater to produce NO hot water
are:
• No electric power—a common
problem with new installaons.
• Burned out upper element (Dry Fired)
— a common problem with new
installaons.
• Tripped Energy Cut O (red buon on
upper thermostat).
• The water heater’s inlet and outlet
connecons are reversed (usually only
in new installaons).
• Broken upper thermostat (or wiring).
• A leak in the hot water side of the
plumbing system that exceeds the
water heater’s heang capacity and
makes it appear that the water heater
is producing lile to no hot water.
1
No hot
water is oen caused by a
problem with the electrical wiring or
circuit breakers. You’ll need a non-con-
tact circuit tester. Follow these
guidelines:
• Locate the water heater’s circuit
breaker and turn it o (or remove the
circuit’s fuses).
• Open the electrical juncon box.
• Idenfy the two power wires. The
power wires are usually black/black or
black/red—the green or copper wire
is the ground wire.
Figure 21 - Use a non-contact circuit tester to
check for electrical power.
• Turn the circuit breaker back on (or
install the fuses) and check the power
on both incoming power wires using a
non-contact circuit tester.
• Turn the power o and close the
electrical juncon box.
If the water heater is not geng power,
contact a qualied person to have the
wiring or circuit breakers checked.
2
If the water heater is
geng electrical power, check
to see if the upper heang element has
burned out. If the upper element is
burned out, you’ll have no hot water. To
check the upper element, you’ll need a
mulmeter capable of reading
resistance.
• Turn the power OFF at the circuit
breaker or remove fuses.
• Open the electrical juncon box.
• Remove the insulaon to access
the upper thermostat and heang
element.
3
(
• With the electrical power o, remove
the two power wires from the upper
heang element.
Figure 22 - Use a multimeter to check the
resistance of the upper heating element.
4
Measure the
resistance between the two screw
terminals on the upper heang
element. A good element will have a
resistance between 5 and 25 Ohms. If
the resistance is:
Replace the
element (see the Roune Maintenance
secon on page 25). On a new water
heater, a burned out upper heang
element is almost always caused by
turning the power on before the tank
was completely full of water (Dry Fire).
(See Step 8 in the Installaon secon.)
Reaach the power
wires, making sure the wires are in
good condion and the connecons
are clean and ght. Next, check the
following:
Commercial Electric Water Heater Use and Care Guide • 21
TROUBLESHOOTING
TROUBLESHOOTING