Make sure there is voltage coming into the water heater by checking the 2 wires above the reset button. If the water is hot enough at appointed temperature, the meter won’t show reading. For gas water heaters, you may need to relight the pilot light. Both of them control their respective heating elements. For this, all you need is to detect the faulty unit of your thermostat and fix it. To check it, place the probes of the multimeter on the screws touching the heating element. If there is no hot water at all, then it likely means that the upper thermostat has gone bad. Now you will need to remove the access panels of your water heater. What Brand of Water Heater is the Most Reliable? Before you do that, first check if the lower thermostat is ok or not. Get The Most From Your Tankless Water Heater. Replacing the thermostat of an electric water heater isn’t rocket science, in fact, it’s very easy. You don’t need professional skills for this. Puretanklesswater.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Turn off the power to your water heater. )and basic knowledge of the replacement. Place the leads from your multi-meter across the terminals at the top of the thermostat pictured above. In order to set the temperature of outlet water, you need to set both thermostats on similar temperatures. In a nutshell, all you need is to: 2. A water heater generally has two thermostats. If it is, you will have a reading of 240V on terminals 1 and 3. If the opposite thing happens, that means your thermostat has defected. Now, after insulating the thermostat properly, put the access panels back on it again. Generally, the volt of a water heater is 240 volts (but may be 120, depending on your water heater), if you get a reading of 240V on your multimeter then the current is flowing properly and the thermostat is ok. IF YOU ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, PLEASE WRITE TO THE COMPANY LISTED ON THE RATING PLATE ON THE WATER HEATER. This insulation reduces the risk of current touching any conducting part of the heater keeping you safe from any hazard. If you get the reading of 240V on terminal 1 and terminal 3 then the power is on but if you get no readings then the power is off. The furnace thermostat controls the temperature in your home during the winter heating season. Tankless.reviews is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. A water heater thermostat can be changed if it goes bad. In a gas water heater, a broken thermostat won't shut off the burner when the tank water reaches the set temperature. Use the screwdriver to set the lower thermostat to the highest setting. Locate the access panels and carefully remove them. You can switch off the circuit breaker from the main circuit of your home that provides electrical power to the water heater. Next, locate the thermostat (s) on your water heater. Use your multimeter to check for power on the upper element terminal screws. How To Test a Thermostat . There can be two causes for this problem. In order to turn off the lower thermostat rotate its dial to the least. Mainly, the thermostat is used to adjust the temperature of water for different purposes.For example, the temperature of water required for doing dishes can differ from the temperature of water required for taking a bath. So safely remove the access panels from your water heater, make sure you’re wearing safety gloves for protection. It does this by controlling the heating element’s behavior. Take out the panel, some models may have screwed panel so you may need a screwdriver to take it out. How to test a thermostat depends on the type of water heater, so I will give a brief rundown right below on how to test an electric or gas water heater thermostat. After purchasing my very first tankless heater years back, I realised that other people needed to hear about the incredible money-saving ability of this household item, and wanted to share my lessons with you! Thermostats are simply a switch; they turn the furnace on and off. Usually, these are under a control panel that’s attached with screws. For your own safety, shut off the power to the water heater at your home’s main circuit breaker. You may see that there is no hot water or maybe there might be hot water initially but suddenly it becomes cold again. Copyright Tankless Reviews 2021 © If you think you are having a problem with your gas valve, see the article, ' Troubleshooting Gas Valve Problems ' for more information. First thing you should always do while testing any kind of electrical appliance is to switch the power off. Now once you have done testing the water heater thermostat, put the safety cover back on it again. Place the prongs of the multi-meter on the terminal 1 and red wire of the lower heating element. In general, there are three main components in an electric water heater. Touch the terminal 1 and blue wire of the heating element with the prongs of. The first step in replacing the thermostats is to disconnect the ground strap from both the house and chassis batteries. Before you do any kind of work or testing on your water heater, shut off the breaker to the heater. Before starting the steps make sure you have the following tools – A Philips screwdriver, a multimeter, safety gloves and safety shoes. d) If specified voltage is not indicated, and water temperature is 120°F or lower, the switch is defective and must be replaced. STEP 3: Now set the new thermostat at the same place using a screwdriver. Test the defective thermostat, using a multimeter. There’s no fixed reason for a thermostat to lose power. Safely remove this insulation first gently so that any wire doesn’t accidentally get pulled off. Now check if the heating element is getting any current or not. Now you need to move the prong on the terminal 2 and red wire. Electric Water Heater Thermostats (36) Gas Water Heater Thermostats (3) Water Heater Flammable Vapor Sensors (7) Water Heater Gas Valves & Controls (33) The upper thermostat must be damaged if your water heater is giving cold water after turning on the hot water tap and if the outlet water is getting cold after some time then the lower thermostat is damaged. Fortunately, adjusting a hot water heater is simple, provided that you’re careful. You don't want any electricity at the contacts while you're working. Honeywell water heater gas control valve recall. Or, if you have a friendly neighbor, maybe you can go to his/her house to bath. If it is defective then pull it out and replace it with the new one. Make sure you’re wearing all the necessary safety equipment, such as rubber gloves and shoes. Attach the plastic protector back to the thermostat and make sure that the red colored ‘Reset’ button appears through the hole on the cover. The Ultimate Guide to Buy Under Sink Water Heaters 2020, Top 5 Best Propane Tankless Water Heater Reviews, 9 On-Demand Rheem Tankless Water Heater Reviews, Best Tankless Gas Water Heater – Buying Guide 2020, Gas vs Electric Tankless Water Heater-Which is Best For You, Top 5 Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters Reviews. See separate bulletin on this subject. Test the lower water heater thermostat Now check the voltage of the lower element. Remove this safety cover to start testing your water heater thermostat. Best Shower Systems in 2021: Buyers Guide, How to Flush a Water Heater – The 10 Step Guide, How to Install an Electric Tankless Water Heater. Tankless Reviews was created with the goal of helping people to understand the benefits and practical knowledge related to tankless water heaters. If you get a reading of the power then the thermostat is good, if not then your thermostat needs to be replaced. Then this is good news for you! Attach the circuit wires to their respective terminals and then tighten the screws. Rheem water heater troubleshooting allows you to find pressure relief valve to some common issues or indicates professional repair or replacement is needed. If you don’t hear it then wait and let the water inside the tank to get heated up more. Never use a lighter or any kind of flame to check for gas leaks. All you need is some tools (screwdriver and multi-meter etc. Yes, the thermostat.You will find two thermostats in your water heater. Once done then try again. Step 1: Turn the power off Head to your circuit board and turn off the water heater’s breaker. Change the temperature of the lower thermostat to the highest possible temperature. Remove the insulation underneath as well. It’s very easy to test and replace the faulty thermostat of your water heater. Before you do that, first check if the lower thermostat is ok or not. If your rig has battery disconnects, you can turn them both off instead, but be sure to check with a circuit tester to make sure that there's no DC voltage in the water-heater compartment. How do I test my thermostat with a multimeter? A thermostat is necessary for maintaining the heat flow at an optimal rate in your water heater. Make sure you’re still wearing safety gloves. Save the money do it yourself. One thermostat is on the upper part of the heater and the other one is in the lower part of the heater. If it shows the reading of 240V then it means power is supplied and now you can move the prongs to the terminal 2 and the blue wire. Place one probe on the upper contact screw of the lower thermostat and other probe on the tank’s surface. And the adjustment cost of water heater is quite high that you must be wanted to keep the distance from it. Leave the upper thermostat in the lowest setting and test the lower thermostat. Now let us get started with the following steps on how to test a water heater with multimeter. To check it, place the probes of the multimeter on the screws touching the heating element. Your meter should read 240 volts. Adjusting the temperature isn’t difficult, especially if you have a water heater with a dial thermostat. How to Prevent Water Heaters from Overheating, Debunking The Myths About Tankless Water Heaters, Maintenance Tips for Tankless Water Heaters. You can find our recommended multimeters here. Testing of Thermostat Check the power supply of the thermostat. Check the thermostat Energy.gov recommends a water temperature of 120 degrees Farenheit for your water heater. Check the power supply of the thermostat. 3. If the necessary fix is a smaller one, such as the breaker or thermostat, you may be able to fix this yourself. It activates the heating element to heat the water when it gets cool and it stops them from heating the water once it has reached the desired temperature. You just have to be a little careful to avoid any kind of accident. If you get a power reading, start to reduce the temperature of the lower thermostat. Make sure to place it correctly on the storage tank. Electric Water Heater. There's no need to drain the tank, sinc… Water heater problems that may be caused by the gas control valve include a faulty hot water heater thermostat, faulty gas valve, pilot light that won’t light, and tripped heat limiter.Here’s what you need to know about replacing your water heater’s gas control valve. For a gas water heater, check to see if the pilot light went out. Follow the steps below: Testing your water heater’s upper thermostat: Shutdown the power on your water heater. The only big difference from a light switch is that they have a mechanism that measures the temperature and when it reaches a predetermined point, … You don’t need professional skills for this. Usually the average cost of replacing or fixing your water heater thermostat ranges from $150 to $200. Adjust the temperature of the thermostat to 120ºF. Again using the Philips screwdriver to turn the dial of the lower thermostat’s temperature and increase it. Current leakage could be a safety hazard to anyone touching the water heater accidently. Check the temperature of the water exiting your faucets. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. If functioning properly, proceed to Upper Thermostat Test. There is no doubt that water heaters are machines and the machine needs adjustments some times. In a nutshell, all you need is to: It’s very easy to test and replace the faulty thermostat of your water heater. Screw the new thermostat in and reconnect the wires back to the same contacts referring to the photo or the notes. If not check your electrical panel. Didn’t know you could adjust the thermostat on your water heater? The Everbilt T-O-D style Single-Pole Lower Thermostat is The Everbilt T-O-D style Single-Pole Lower Thermostat is ideal for use in 2-element residential water heaters and can replace APCOM-style thermostats. If it is defective then pull it out and replace it with the new one. Use a Philips screwdriver to turn the temperature of the upper thermostat to maximum. Make sure it fits properly and doesn’t have any open space. or less. But if you don’t have power at the element, then go to the next step. Check for power to your water heater. It should read 240 volts. To avoid this, from time to time, you should test your water heater thermostat. But before that, you need to know how the thermostat actually works. Honeywell water heater thermostat valve. –Do not store or use gasoline or other Decrease the temperature of the upper thermostat to lowest setting. Now turn on the power of the water heater. To test the lower thermostat, turn the top one to its lowest setting and the lower one to its highest setting. To look at the faults in the upper thermostat, you need to turn off the lower one. For this, unscrew the terminals on the thermostat. Give it a light shake to make sure it’s in place. If you get a reading of 120V then your lower thermostat is working properly. Category. However, if your tankless water heater frequently becomes overloaded, you should consider either upgrading to a tankless water heater with a higher capacity or adding a second unit. Now that you have learned about all the prerequisites of replacing the thermostat, you are ready to replace it on your own. Now that you have detected the faulty thermostat, its time to replace it. Locate the breaker inside the panel box labeled “water heater” or “hot water” and turn the breaker off. If you get any other reading then the thermostat may be faulty. In this case, also check the current at the high limit switch. How to Test the Thermostat on a Gas Furnace. Now place one probe on the lower contact screw of the lower thermostat and the other probe on the surface of the tank. Understanding How Propane Heaters Work. Sometimes on cold days you may face some problems with hot water in your taps. Hold the multimeter prongs to the element screws to test for flow. Replace the thermostat if it doesn't cycle the burner on and off to keep the tank water at the set temperature. Turn the shut off valve on the gas line to the on position (parallel with the gas line). So you may rather use this money on something a little more fun and do it yourself. Move to the thermostat terminals and check if it is supplied with power. 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