Hot water needs to be reset over and over

[DruidZ]

Yesterday I had no hot water. It was fine since we bought the unit two weeks ago. I checked the valves and everything was set exactly as the diagram showed for city water. The switch inside was on and lit. No fuses or breakers are blown and the switch in the hot water unit is on.


I then noticed the odd crease in the left reset button. See image. When I pressed that I could feel it switch on and water got hot again.


This morning I found that water was cold again and the same issue happened with the creased reset switch.


Anyone know what I should be looking for next? Thanks.

[TacomaJoe]

You will need the model number for the heater to get specifics. I think there are 2 thermostats wired in series. One controls the water temperature and opens and closes the power the heating element. The one with the button is the over temperature protection that trips if the water gets too hot. I'll guess the temp setting one is bad, or may not be in good contact with the tank and your water is getting too hot. That panel of yours looks like mine, there are two for electric and two for gas.

[DruidZ]

The model number is SW10DEL. I just had to reset it again.


How do I set the temperature?

[TacomaJoe]

The thermostat on these is not adjustable, factory set at 130 degree. Looks like the thermostat and high limit switch may be together as a single part. I'd look at the wire connections to be sure everything is tight and not corroded also. Does it work OK on LP?

[onetonford]

The thermostats are under the same cover side by side they are not adjustable. one is for the gas side the other is for the 110-volt side you need to replace one or the other depending on which one has failed gas or electric. Make sure if you replace them to turn off all power to the water heater.

[wmtire]

The thermostat assemblies under those rubber cover/buttons are to your two different heating modes. The one on the left goes to the electric heating element mode...and the one on the right goes to the propane/gas mode.

Each thermostat assembly has actually two thermostats per assembly connected to one another via a fusible link. You have a normal thermostat that opens up around 130 degrees, to cut off the power source to the heating mode. There is a second thermostat called a hi-limit ECO (Emergency cut off thermostat) that opens up around 160ish degrees. The ECO is a fail safe in case the normal thermostat fails to keep you from getting scalded by super heated water. You can reset the ECO, which you are doing...but the fact it keeps tripping may be another problem.

1.The normal thermostat could be failing to open, thus the water is overheating until the ECO opens up.

2.The ECO could just be failing in itself.

You replace both thermostats (normal and ECO) as one assembly as that is how they come. Make sure if you do replace it, you get the correct part #. As I explained you have two different thermostat assemblies. The one on the left is 120 volt AC and the one on the right is 12 volt DC. They are two different assemblies and part #'s.

[Chuck_S]

I'd verify the water heater works on LP so I'd have hot water until October which is the next date your dealer will have any time for you. Note that the water heater is not warranted by Forest River but by Suburban so any shop can perform warranty work but they're gonna be as booked as "your" dealer.

-- Chuck

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

I'd verify the water heater works on LP so I'd have hot water until October which is the next date your dealer will have any time for you. Note that the water heater is not warranted by Forest River but by Suburban so any shop can perform warranty work but they're gonna be as booked as "your" dealer.

-- Chuck

If it's out of warranty, this is a pretty easy DIY replacement.

[DruidZ]

Thanks for the help. It did turn out to be the thermostat but the issue was the small strip of metal connecting the main one to the high point cutoff. It had broken off from the high point side and was arcing. A new thermostat fixed the problem.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Each thermostat assembly has actually two thermostats per assembly connected to one another via a fusible link.

Originally Posted by DruidZ

Thanks for the help. It did turn out to be the thermostat but the issue was the small strip of metal connecting the main one to the high point cutoff. It had broken off from the high point side and was arcing. A new thermostat fixed the problem.

Yep, that is the fusible link. Glad you got it solved.

[Chuck_S]

Glad it's fixed. The dealer is the last place you want it this time of year.

-- Chuck