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Old 03-15-2016, 01:12 PM   #1
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No hot water....again

I have a suburban water heater that does not work on 110v, again for the 3rd time. It has been to the shop twice, first time they found nothing wrong,water heater was working at service center. Get home water heater not working. Another trip back to shop, tech pulled heater and located bad wire, changed wire and water heater was working. It stopped working again, I changed element with no luck. I thought switch, changed switch, no luck. What else can I test to see why water heater is not working on 110v?
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:30 PM   #2
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I have the same issue, my water heater only works off of propane but not eletric. the shop replaced the element once and the actual tank the 2nd time and still same issue. I gave up on it for now. If I ran into the same issue again this summer, it'll be replaced again this year
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:34 PM   #3
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Have you checked to see if you have power to the element?
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:48 PM   #4
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Many units have TWO switches that need thrown for the 110v side to work.
Is yours like that?
Have you done any preliminary 110v tests at the element or thermostat?
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:50 PM   #5
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The wiring diagram is pretty simple on those units. Here's a link to the service manual.

Basically the hot wire runs from the breaker to the switch, then to the thermostat (with reset button), then to the element. The neutral (white) wire runs straight to the element.

Start by testing voltage at the various locations until you find the first one in line that has no power. The device before that will be the culprit.
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:58 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin & Judy View Post
Have you checked to see if you have power to the element?
I did but I am not sure if I did it correctly. I cannot remember the reading I was getting on my meter. I should get 110 at the switch correct?
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:00 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker View Post
Many units have TWO switches that need thrown for the 110v side to work.
Is yours like that?
Have you done any preliminary 110v tests at the element or thermostat?
I am not aware of another switch, the only one I found is on the heater itself.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:08 PM   #8
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If you you had a second switch for the electric side it'd be right next to the propane on / off switch.


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Old 03-15-2016, 02:18 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bama Rambler View Post
The wiring diagram is pretty simple on those units. Here's a link to the service manual.

Basically the hot wire runs from the breaker to the switch, then to the thermostat (with reset button), then to the element. The neutral (white) wire runs straight to the element.

Start by testing voltage at the various locations until you find the first one in line that has no power. The device before that will be the culprit.
Thanks, I will check from breaker to heater when I get home from work. If I remember I was getting 14v at the element last time I checked. I cant remember, I suffer from CRS.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:23 PM   #10
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Thermostat re-set, I had the same problem, had to continually press the re-set.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:28 PM   #11
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There are 2 hi limit switches at the top of the tank behind the black rubber buttons. Remove the black cover and check the hi limit switches. I changed both of mine when I forgot to turn the 110 off and drained the tank. Replaced both with 142 degree switches and don't use as much hot water.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:32 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot View Post
There are 2 hi limit switches at the top of the tank behind the black rubber buttons. Remove the black cover and check the hi limit switches. I changed both of mine when I forgot to turn the 110 off and drained the tank. Replaced both with 142 degree switches and don't use as much hot water.
Will check those also, thanks!
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Old 03-15-2016, 07:09 PM   #13
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No hot water....again

Ok here is what I have so far. Tested switch, getting 110v with breaker on/0v when off. Element is getting 110v when on/off switch on, and 0v when off. I Went up to hi temp switch, lp side ohms out with solid tone where where wire/spades connect to switch. Hi temp switch on AC side gives intermittent tone where wire/spades connect to switch. The "fuse" on the switch is in tact and ohms out. Could my problem be the hi temp switch since it gives intermittent tone?


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Old 03-15-2016, 07:10 PM   #14
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Oh hi temp switch was not tripped.


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Old 03-16-2016, 07:49 AM   #15
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If you're getting 120 volts to the element then the element is most likely bad. If it were the hi-temp cutout you wouldn't get 120 volts to the element.

Did you test the resistance of the element itself?
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:15 AM   #16
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Faulty circuit-----------

Faulty circuit board. I had the same problem and I found two things can cause for hot water to be intermittent. On the circuit board is a transformer that has three legs soldered to the board. I found the legs had a bad solder connection where they pass through the board. The transformer will jar loose on a rough road causing the tank not to work on 110Volts. I removed the board, removed all the old solder from the three legs of the transformer. I then cleaned the three legs good by scraping the legs with a knife until all three legs had a good shine to each one. I re-soldered the transformer to the board, re-installed, HOT WATER.

Also the 110V switch at the hot water tank can get dirty at the contacts, rock it back and forth several times to make it work.

The 110V thermostat that is installed on the tank may not be fitted against the tank to sense the temp of the tank good. Remove the thermostat, bend the clamping ears until the thermostat fits snug against
the tanks surface. Sometimes the studs that are fused to the tank that holds the thermostat are crooked just enough to prevent the thermo from making good surface contact.

Last the 110V thermostat could be bad.

GOOD LUCK
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:32 AM   #17
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As Bama Rambler said... test the continuity of the element with the wires removed. (be sure the power is off)

Also, check for voltage on BOTH sides of the element. (power back on and wires connected)

I'm not sure if you were able to determine the 'feed' side (black) of the element connection (comes from the thermostat and high limit reset) and if that is the only place where you tested?

If you tested the feed side (black) and had 110v and ALSO checked the other side, (white) and had NO voltage, you likely have a burned out element... but... if you HAVE voltage on both sides of the element, you could also have a problem in the wiring from the element to the ground side.
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Old 03-16-2016, 08:41 AM   #18
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As for the suggestion to check the circuit board for poor solder joints at the transformer, I may be missing something but according to the wiring schematic posted in post # 5, the 110v side of the water heater does not go through anything on the circuit/module board.
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Old 03-16-2016, 09:02 AM   #19
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Circuit board

I can guarantee if the transformer has broken connection, you will not have hot water.


I am wrong, it controls the gas firing element.


Check the thermostat installation surface against the tank surface.
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Old 03-16-2016, 01:54 PM   #20
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After taking off and putting the hi temp switch back on, removing and testing the on/off switch etc. I now have hot water. With the new element it heated up within 30 minutes. I think I have a gremlin, guess we will see next trip if it shows up or not. Thanks for the pointers and wiring diagram!
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