Having problems with my water heater heating my water too hot. I
turned the thermastats all the way down to 110, but out of the tap it
seems way hotter, cant keep your hands there long anyway! I dont quite
understand how to diagnose an a/c electric circuit, but live in the
middle of nowhere and was hoping for some help. Searched the archieves
but cant seem to figure out what is wrong. I was thinking the
thermastats where bad, but here an audible click when the upper and
lower are turned up higher, and there is about a 220 volt drop across
both heating elements. Stumped!!, any input would greatly be
appreciated. I was gonna try a infared temp gun on both heat element
areas to see if could condemn one of the thermastats that way, but
unsure if it will be a accurate diagnosis. thanks jrw

First get a thermometer and get an objective reading of the water temp. I
don't know if you are just sensitive to hot water.

Knowing the temp of the heating element is irrelevant. It is either very
hot or not. The element itself is not temp regulated. There should be 220V
across the element when it is on and 0V when it is off. Turning the
thermostat knob should be able to achieve both on and off states.

If it is always on, that's definately a cause of hot water, there must be
another thermal breaker keeping it from boiling if that is the defect.

The thermostat or sensor still may be defective if it is far out of
calibration but otherwise working.



"rjwrong" wrote in message
ups.com...
Having problems with my water heater heating my water too hot. I
turned the thermastats all the way down to 110, but out of the tap it
seems way hotter, cant keep your hands there long anyway! I dont quite
understand how to diagnose an a/c electric circuit, but live in the
middle of nowhere and was hoping for some help. Searched the archieves
but cant seem to figure out what is wrong. I was thinking the
thermastats where bad, but here an audible click when the upper and
lower are turned up higher, and there is about a 220 volt drop across
both heating elements. Stumped!!, any input would greatly be
appreciated. I was gonna try a infared temp gun on both heat element
areas to see if could condemn one of the thermastats that way, but
unsure if it will be a accurate diagnosis. thanks jrw

PipeDown wrote:

First get a thermometer and get an objective reading of the water temp. I
don't know if you are just sensitive to hot water.

Knowing the temp of the heating element is irrelevant. It is either very
hot or not. The element itself is not temp regulated. There should be 220V
across the element when it is on and 0V when it is off. Turning the
thermostat knob should be able to achieve both on and off states.

If it is always on, that's definately a cause of hot water, there must be
another thermal breaker keeping it from boiling if that is the defect.

The thermostat or sensor still may be defective if it is far out of
calibration but otherwise working.


An element which faulted internally to the sheath will draw current
(and heat the water) even with thermostat off. Typically, the
thermostat opens one side of the Line, allowing current to flow
from the other Line to Ground.

Jim




"rjwrong" wrote in message
ups.com...

Having problems with my water heater heating my water too hot. I
turned the thermastats all the way down to 110, but out of the tap it
seems way hotter, cant keep your hands there long anyway! I dont quite
understand how to diagnose an a/c electric circuit, but live in the
middle of nowhere and was hoping for some help. Searched the archieves
but cant seem to figure out what is wrong. I was thinking the
thermastats where bad, but here an audible click when the upper and
lower are turned up higher, and there is about a 220 volt drop across
both heating elements. Stumped!!, any input would greatly be
appreciated. I was gonna try a infared temp gun on both heat element
areas to see if could condemn one of the thermastats that way, but
unsure if it will be a accurate diagnosis. thanks jrw

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
. com...
PipeDown wrote:

First get a thermometer and get an objective reading of the water temp.
I don't know if you are just sensitive to hot water.

Knowing the temp of the heating element is irrelevant. It is either very
hot or not. The element itself is not temp regulated. There should be
220V across the element when it is on and 0V when it is off. Turning the
thermostat knob should be able to achieve both on and off states.

If it is always on, that's definately a cause of hot water, there must be
another thermal breaker keeping it from boiling if that is the defect.

The thermostat or sensor still may be defective if it is far out of
calibration but otherwise working.


An element which faulted internally to the sheath will draw current
(and heat the water) even with thermostat off. Typically, the
thermostat opens one side of the Line, allowing current to flow
from the other Line to Ground.

Jim


That can be checked by using an ohmmeter to measure continuity and verify
there is some resistance between the heater terminals and open to everything
else (like the metal case and pipes).

ohm tested the elements- 13.0 on one and 13.5 on the other; no
continuity to case or pipes; still stumped-how or is there a process to
re calibrate the sensor or thermastat or just replace. The thermastats-
both at set at the lowest settings-110, the water temp at the faucet
is about 115 which is probably okay. See I think yesterday when I was
playing with the thermastat swith- the lower stat never clicked until
about the about the 3rd time turning it and there was no voltage on the
element, but I wasnt sure if I just didnt here it and my meter leads
were right or not, so I just passed by it. Today I think things are
working okay. Would a lower stat switch cause an over heating water
problem? thanks for the input!! JRW

bump

pipedown wrote:
"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
. com...
PipeDown wrote:

First get a thermometer and get an objective reading of the water temp.
I don't know if you are just sensitive to hot water.

Knowing the temp of the heating element is irrelevant. It is either very
hot or not. The element itself is not temp regulated. There should be
220V across the element when it is on and 0V when it is off. Turning the
thermostat knob should be able to achieve both on and off states.

If it is always on, that's definately a cause of hot water, there must be
another thermal breaker keeping it from boiling if that is the defect.

The thermostat or sensor still may be defective if it is far out of
calibration but otherwise working.


An element which faulted internally to the sheath will draw current
(and heat the water) even with thermostat off. Typically, the
thermostat opens one side of the Line, allowing current to flow
from the other Line to Ground.

Jim


That can be checked by using an ohmmeter to measure continuity and verify
there is some resistance between the heater terminals and open to everything
else (like the metal case and pipes).