Electric water heater keeps tripping the breaker?
We have an older electric water heater about 11 years old maybe. We recently had a leak in one of our bathroom tubs. It was leaking hot water. Then our hot water heater tripped the breaker. We fixed the leak. Now we think one of the elements is burnt out (or could it be a bad thermostat?) because it keeps tripping the breaker. Is it safe to use a water heater with a burnt out element? How much will it cost to fix, I ask because we are moving out in a few weeks and don’t want to spend money on it if we can avoid it. But the most important thing is keeping us safe and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.
An element has failed or the breaker has failed.
Thermostats don’t cause breakers to trip. The one remote failure could possibly be if the upper thermostat turns two elements on at once, never heard of it happening, but theoretically it could happen.
Breakers trip they fail or when something uses too much current, this can happen when an element fails.
This is how heaters work: A basic hot water tank has one element at the bottom, the thermostat turns the element on and off. If it fails to turn off and overheats water the overlimit cutout switch trips, and the tank will not heat water until the button is pressed and reset. It is located on the thermostat.
Fast recovery tanks have an additional element near the top, it has another thermostat. When that thermostat turns on the upper element it also blocks the lower element from coming on, so only one element operates at a time.
First check the size of the breaker in the panel, in the US it should be a 30 amp breaker (fed by #10 wire). If it is smaller than 30 amps you need to have somebody check the wire size to make sure the wire is #10, then replace the breaker with a 30 amp.
If it is a 30 amp like it should be, then to determine whether the breaker is failing or an element is short circuit failing a good tool to use is an ammeter (sometimes called an amp meter). Read the label on the element, see how many watts it uses, divide that number by 240, that remaining value is the amps. (i.e. 4500 watts divided by 240 volts = 18.75 Amps.)
Turn off the breaker, press the reset button on the thermostats, clamp the ammeter around one wire feeding the tank. Turn the breaker on, it should read close to the amp number calculated above, which should be between 15 and 22 amps. If it reads 0 then an element has failed, if you have a fast recovery it is the top element. If the amperage is less than the amp rating and the breaker trips then it is the breaker. If it is between 15 and 22, and the breaker doesn’t trip it is probably the bottom, but to test let the upper element heat a while, then turn the temp down on the upper element until it clicks and turns the bottom element on. Check the Amperage. If it is now high, it is the problem.
Of the other method would be to replace all the parts one by one, or all at once.
2 pole 30 Breaker $10
4500 watt elements $10 each
(Element removal wrench $10)
Thermostats $15
Or 4500 watt tank $205, which a buyer might ask to have changed anyway.
dry fired spa heater elements.mp4
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater 4KW 240V 1.0KW 120V element flo thru $27.95 |
|
|
* 1.375/5.5 kW 120/240 v Spa Hot Tub Heater Element $57.32 |
|
|
Baker-Hydro 6kw Heater Element for Pool Spa Hot Tub 25-2477 9135-32X $99.29 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 4kW Bow Tie Nut & Bolt M7 $39.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 5.5kW Bow Tie Nut & Bolt M7 $39.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 5.5kW Bow Tie Nut & Bolt M7 $49.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 4kW Teflon Coated BowTie Nut $49.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 5.5kW TITANIUM Bow Tie Nut $59.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 4kW TITANIUM Bow Tie Nut $59.99 |
|
|
Hot Tub or Spa Heater Element 5.5KW 25-3016 47-555-2020 $79.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element 240v 5.5KW Kawai 0909 S1650582 $49.90 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Flow Through Heater Element – Long Life Coated – Wattage Choice $29.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Flow Through Heater Element – Long Life Coated – Wattage Choice $29.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Flow Through Heater Element – Long Life Coated – Wattage Choice $29.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element 5″x 5″ Flange Plate 5.5kW $48.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element Flo Thru – Choice of Wattage $19.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element Flo Thru – Choice of Wattage $19.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element Flo Thru – Choice of Wattage $19.95 |
|
|
NEW, HOT TUB SPA HEATER ELEMENT, 240v Hot Tub $32.95 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 240V/5.5kW for Comfortzone $39.99 |
|
|
Aquatemp 5.5kw Tefel Replacement Hot Tub Heater Element $67.95 |
|
|
Heater hot tub spa ELEMENT 240V/4kw SIDE MOUNT coil $69.99 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element 5KW 47-555-2020 25-3016 $85.00 |
|
|
HOT TUB SPA HEATER ELEMENT $19.95 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element Screw Plug,1″ 5.5KW 25-3007 $58.00 |
|
|
Balboa hot tub HEATER 5.5kW element M7 THERMCORE CLONED $169.99 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Flo-Thru Heater Element – Center Terminals $48.95 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT TEFLON COATED 5.5 kW Flo-Thru Bow Tie Nut & Bolt $49.99 |
|
|
Titanium 4kw Flo-Thru Spa Hot Tub Heater Element 240v $59.95 |
|
|
SPA HOT TUB HEATER ELEMENT $21.95 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 4.5kW Flo-thru universal $39.99 |
|
|
HOT TUB HEATER ELEMENT & HOUSING, TITANUIM, 5.5KW, 240V $159.00 |
|
|
Universal Flothru Spa Hot Tub Heater Element, 1.5/5.5kw $29.95 |
|
|
NEW, HOT TUB SPA HEATER ELEMENT, 120 or 240v 2,5 kw $29.95 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 240V/5.5kW PIG TAIL univers. $65.99 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 2kW Bow Tie Nut & Bolt M7 $44.99 |
|
|
Hot Tub Balboa Heater Element M7 4kw 25-4041BI $49.00 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Heater Element Brett Aqualine, Spa Builders $28.00 |
|
|
Hot Tub Spa Flo-Thru Replacement Heater Element 4kw Tefel Coated 240V & Gaskets $56.95 |
|
|
Spa hot tub Heater ELEMENT 3kW Bow Tie Nuts & Bolts M7 $54.99 |
|
|
Culligan HD-950A 1-Inch Outlet/Inlet Heavy Duty Sediment Water Filter Housing, Opaque $42.75 1″ Jumbo, Heavy Duty Whole House Sediment Water Filter, Install Easily On 1″ Main Water Lines, 4 Times The Capacity Of Standard 10 Filters, High Flow, Heavy Sediment Capabilities With Minimal Pressure Drop, Includes Housing Wrench, Use With Spas, Hot Tubs, Wells, Trickle Irrigation, Farm Uses & Other Commercial/Indus Or Industrial Applications, Replacement Cartridges Include Model #CP5-BBS …. |
|
|
Ecosmart ECO 27 27 KW at 240-Volt Electric Tankless Water Heater with Patented Self Modulating Technology $469.39 Configured for cold climates or high flow rates. Well suited where incoming water temperature can drop below 45 F. For use in more demanding water usage applications. Self modulating flow sensor technology regulates the amount of energy required to heat the water needed. Digital temperature display showing the outlet water temperature setting. Uses (3) 9 KW standard Emerson electric heating elemen… |
|
|
MARSHALLTOWN The Premier Line 742G Bucket Water Heater $35.00 Designed to heat water as opposed to de ice water. The heater, while immersed in water, will heat continuously past 150 F. and towards boiling, depending on the volume of water and the container’s insulation. Stainless steel guard, and automatic shut 0ff. 1000W, 120V…. |
|
|
Foot Baths – heated foot bath $129.99 Foot Baths – heated foot bath. Bring the spa home with this heated foot spa. There’s nothing nicer than coming home to the perfect foot massageespecially one that doesnt come with the spa price tag. With the Aqua-Jet Foot Spa you can get soothing heat and power hydro jets to all the right places in your tired feet. Powerful jets are made to soothe tired feet. Slip your feet in and two powerful wat… |
|
|
Conair FB27 Foot Bath With Heat and Bubbles, Green and White $16.70 CONAIR FB27R FOOT BATH WITH HEAT, BUBBLES & 3 ATTACHMENTS… |
|
|
Coleman Hot Water-On-Demand Portable Water Heater $259.95 Heat water for cooking, to wash dishes, take showers, and make tea and coffee in just five seconds, with the Coleman Hot Water-On-Demand Portable Water Heater. Whether you’re boating or camping, the Coleman Portable Water Heater will make your experience of the outdoors easier and more comfortable with on demand hot water. With variable temperature control from scalding (hot enough for tea or coff… |
Incoming search terms:
- colman spas heater removal