Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What causes a thermostat of an electric water heater to have to be reset?

It seems like every 24 hours or if all the hot water has been used up the thermostat in the water heater needs to be reset. Does anyone have any suggestions. I recently changed the thermostats, heating elements and breaker in the power box. What else can cause this to happen?
What causes a thermostat of an electric water heater to have to be reset?
The element is about to completely go out.

Could be just the thermostat, but if the element is pulling more than 22 amps, I replace them to stop a second callout a few weeks later.



EDIT: Just read the rest of your question.

The two times I had that, it was a pinched wire going to the lower thermostat.

Found both after callbacks by pulling on the wires.

On one of the heaters, the wire pulled in two at the spot it was getting hot. It was just about to burn completely in two.



Do this check with the power off btw.
What causes a thermostat of an electric water heater to have to be reset?
if it has two adjustable thermostats then make sure the over heat one is set higher, say 60 for the operating one and about 70 for the overheat
defective lower t-stat. I have had that problem multiple times.