Hot water heaters have become a very common household appliance and it is used to heat the water in winter to take bath. There are situations when people find that water heater not working properly. In such a case, it has to be repaired. Sometimes resetting the heater does the job but many people do not know how to reset hot water heater. The device consists of a water heater thermostat, which can get tripped and water may not get heated properly. In this article will discuss about the reasons of resetting the water heater and the process of how to reset hot water heater.
Checking the problems of the water heater
If the water heater is not working properly, first of all you need to check the reset button, which is usually red in color. If it is in the up direction then it means that the device is tripped. You need to push the button to reset the heater. If this does not work and the machine trips again, then there are chances that the heater may have some other problem.
Reasons for tripping of the switch
One of the reasons of tripping of the water heater is that the heater makes the water too hot. This can happen because there can be some fault in the thermostat.
Working of the water heater
Before we know how to reset hot water heater, let us discuss the working of the device. The working of the water heater is not very complex. When the device is switched on, the tank of the heater is filled and heating of the water starts from the bottom of the tank. The lower heating elements start heating the fresh water. As the water reaches the top, the upper heating elements start their work of heating the water. Both of these sections consist of thermostat whose job is to control the heating of water. When the water is heated up to the desired limit, the thermostat stops working. When the water starts cooling, the thermostat starts its work again. If any of the thermostats does not work, water will not be heated.
High limit switch
This is a switch, which will help you to set the temperature at a desired limit so that water can be heated at the desired temperature. As soon as the temperature of the water will reach the setting, the thermostat will stop working.
Reasons for tripping up of the reset button
There are many other reasons due to which the reset button trips. These reasons are mentioned below.
- The malfunctioning of high limit switch can be one of the reasons of tripping. If this switch does not work properly, water gets overheated and this leads to the tripping of thermoset.
- Another problem can be related to wiring. If wiring is loose, the heating element can get overheated and this can result in tripping.
- If there is a short circuit in the heating system, there will be no problem in the working of thermostat but it can lead to overheating of water.
Process of resetting water heater
Now let us know the process of resetting the water heater.
Checking the electrical panel
You need to check your electrical panel to which the water heater is connected. There can be a situation that the breaker can be in OFF position. You need to switch it on. If the breaker switches off again, then it is better to call an electrician who will mend the panel. If there is no problem after switching on the breaker, then the next thing is that you should switch it off, as there is no problem in the panel.
Pushing the reset button
The next thing you have to do is push the reset button. In most of the water heaters, the reset button can be found near the thermostat. In some cases, the button can be found behind a metal panel, which can be removed easily. Press the reset button and then release it. If the button trips again, then there is a need to call a technician to look into the matter. If everything is fine, you need to wait for a few hours to reheat the water. If still there is a problem then you need to call the technician.
Other problems and their solution
Now we will see some other problems and their solution
No hot water
There can be a chance that you switch on the water heater but when you check your tap, the water is still cold. In such a case, you need to check the power panel. Also check the trip limit switch which may not be set properly and this led to the problem of no hot water.
Inadequate hot water
There can be a situation that the heater is heating the water. The heating is not enough that you can use it for bathing or for other purposes. One of the reasons is the capacity of the water heater, which can be small and is not able to meet the needs of your family. If size is not the problem then the other problem can be the failure of the heating elements. You can easily know which heating element has failed. If the water is lukewarm then the upper unit is failed. If the water s hot but after a short while cold water comes out, then lower heating element has failed.
Too hot water
There can be a situation that the water delivered by the heater is too hot. In such a case, check the settings of the thermostat. If it is set to a too high temperature, then set it down to the lower and required temperature.
Wrapping Up
These are some of the reasons that the water heater has to be reset. You need to check and do all the things that you can so that there is no need to call a technician. If everything you have applied has failed then it becomes necessary to call the technician who will look into all the problems and resolve them.
