Water Heater Slow to Cook

[GJD]

Water heater seems to be heating water VERY slowly -

It does give us a full water heater tank of very hot water after several days away, but after 24 hours the temp is just luke warm.

Other than power to the unit (yes, it's good), what are some things I might check to see if we can get er kick started?

Gracias

 

[mobilemn1]

Greg,

If the water heater has not been serviced at all in say 5-8 yrs, just go ahead and drain it and replace all elements and reset switch. That is assuming it is an all electric unit running on 220v. You can check to see if it has two resets for the top and bottom elements assuming it has two. Some do some don't. You definitely have an element out or going out. It will cost about 35-40.00 to replace two elements and the reset. Then worry free for another long time. If you have screw in elements you will need and 1 1/2 ich wrench or socket. The best thing to do since the nuts are thin is to grind the end of the socket flat(remove the slight bevel) so the socket will not slip on the nut.
The store bought socket for elements want always remove a stubborn element. They jump the nut without loosening.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Here in Jacksonville, we have HARD WATER. I replaced my water heater 4 yrs ago with a cheap Lowes model (think it costed $85). I clean it every year due to lime build up and other crap.
So far have not had to replace the element and we get heat FAST when we turn it on....
Only down side is, the old unit was 19 gals, this one is only 12 gals (I had to cut the old one up to get it out, the 12 gal was as big as I could fit back in without cutting supports.)
Yes I know, just buy a water softener... That would make life too easy

 

[mobilemn1]

Charlie,

On your next hot water heater purchase, check on the one that the inlet water comes into the bottom of the tank,,,,,it swirls the particulates up and keeps them flowing rather than settling in the bottom of the tank,,,,may give you a few more years of trouble free service. Also keeps the crude from building up on the lower elements which is usually the cause of element failure. Not sure if they make one in the smaller sizes

And Greg, if you do pull out the lower element and it is canked up you would be better off to just replace the unit, or be prepared to fish out as much as you can and flush many times.

 

[GJD]

Daryl, Charlie - Thanks Guys.

Plot thickens. Here at the boat now and have determined that there is NO power to the water heater now (I'm thinking now that's always been the case while no hot water). Flipped the breaker on the panel on the Star side in the salon and still no power.

Any trouble shooting I can do from here before I call Sparky?

Appreciate your input!

 

[mobilemn1]

Its possible since it heats up some that you are getting 110v on a I assume 220V hot water heater. That being the case I would first check to see if my 220v source was actually giving 220vlts. Then start at the breaker to see if you are getting 110 or 220. From there just check wiring to see if any breaks to the heater or badly corroided terminals. If you are getting 220 on the main but only getting 110 at the breaker for the hot water heater, breaker is bad. You may want to check the voltage at the shorelide supply for grins and giggles to see if it is 220vlts. If you got 220 everywhere then go back to last post.

Good luck

 

[Will]

When you say "the breaker" are you talking about only a single breaker or two breakers tied together. If your heater is 220v, and you have two breakers tied together, you're heater may have two 110v circuits and one of them may have a problem. If this is the case, your heater will heat water but it'll take twice as long to heat it. One of your breakers or one of the heating elements may be out.
Will

 

[yachtsmanbill]

The OEM heater on mine was a 110vac unit that was horizontal (!) and rotted out. I replaced it with a Freeman unit and now make 20 gallons in 20 minutes. The smaller units dont have a sediment blowdown valve like the 40 gallon home jobs, so you need to periodicly need to shut it off, pull the lower line, and drain the mud. I'd say the element is about to fail... check it with an ohmeter. ws

 

[Beckytek]

Where are you measuring the voltage at the water heater? If you are measuring at the element it will read zero unless the thermostat is closed. The juice does not go directly to the element. You could have a bad temperature switch in heater. Ron

 

[GJD]

Thanks as always guys - There are 2 breakers tied together, I assume, to make 220. One of those seems to be shot (per voltage tester - hold it close to breaker and it chirps - one of them's not chirping)

Getting closer to source of the problem I think

 

[mobilemn1]

You found it Greg, that is why the heater would only get warm,,,once you replace the breaker or half of a breaker if you can, your problem should go away. If once you get the 220vlts restored and you still have the problem go back to my first post.

 

[GJD]

Thanks kindly Daryl!

 

[mobilemn1]

welcome! Just hope I helped instead of hindered

 

[Pete]

If one leg of a double breaker 240 volt hot water heater is broken (open), you get no electric to the heater coil. These heating elements are 240 volts with no center tap, no use of the neutral. Both sides of the breaker need to work or it just as well be off. If you turn each leg of a double breaker on separately in this configuration, the first always act normal, the second has the problem. Sounds like a short to me.

BTW, I changed the heating element in my heater to 120 volts. Reason being that the thermostat on all (to my knowledge) electric hot water heaters use single pole switches, thus even when it shuts off, you have one side of the the 240 live on the the element, and the water heater case is tied to ground. So, a submerged $15 heating element has a constant 120 volt potential back to the heater case at all times. Talk about an electrolysis problem in the making as the insulation in that $15 home heating element breaks down with age. And being fresh water, it will never be conductive enough to trip the breaker. It will just sit there and put AC on the boat ground. I'll pass on that. Ever wonder why the fittings on old electric hot water heaters tend to fall apart in your hands?

Pete

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Good point, Pete. What's the recovery time like with the 120v element compared to the 240v? Did you notice much of a difference?

 

[Trojan]

Before replacing anything, do a complete AC voltage test. You will not have any heat if ether breaker is bad. Check across the breakers for voltage. check voltage across the element. If its a single element unit and most small unit are single. With proper voltage it will work or not work. You could with the power off use an ohm meter and check the heating coil. If the voltage is good check the thermostat setting. If everything checks good. Try flushing the unit out. Like said it is possible that there is a calcium deposit in the tank. This would slow the heating of the water and not let it come to tempiture. My first thoughts are if the voltage is good. It's a dirty tank or a bad thermostat. Monitor the heat cycle. How long it stays on or off. If it cycles on and off and you end up getting the correct heat over time. Then it is a fouled element. If it cycles and you don't reach the correct temperature. Then its the thermostat. Good luck.

BILL

 

[mobilemn1]

If you use an ohm meter to check for a bad element you will not get an accurate account of what is wrong. If the heater tube has melted enough to go bad it usually makes contact with the out shell of the tube or it melts all the way through and into the water, so you will always have an ohm reading, new, bad, or broke. The best way to check if its 220 is to have a wiggy tester or volt meter. Where the leads come into the thermostat you should have 220 across both at the same time or grounded to the tank and one on a lead, you should have 110volts on each. Then you know you got power. After that check after the thermostat. If you can get the same readings the thermostat is off or bad. You can adjust the heat control to make it come on for checking purposes. If you got juice there then the element is bad. Sometimes the dual elements are tricky so you have to follow the wiring to check in the right places. If you are limited to 110volts for hot water you are stuck with it. But if you have capability for 220 its more energy efecient as it doesn't take as long to heat up and shut off.

 

[Trojan]

It can't be a breaker the heater heats. It is just slow. So nothing is open. Its ether a bad control or a build up of calcium. You can't be one legged and heat. If one leg is to ground its a short and that would take out a breaker. If open the heater would not heat at all. I don't believe there is a 2 element 20 or 30 gallon tank made. 220 volt AC controllers breaks both legs.

BILL