In Hot Water (Heater Help Please!)

[SoMDGirl42]

I had a mimilar problem last year with my hot water heater. I didn't realize SMECO will come out and test your hot water heater elements. They fixed mine when they came out

 

[Agee]

If you, significant other or friend know how to use a VOM (Volt-Ohm-Meter). You can test your elements. Kill the power to the unit. Remove the two leads to the element. With the meter set to the "Ohms" position, place one meter probe on each terminal of the element. The reading for a good element should be between 12.3 to 12.8 Ohms.

 

[clevalley]

While you have the element out, it's a good idea to take a shop vac with a piece of tubing taped to the end and stick it in the hole and vacuum out as much sediment as you can get. That will buy you some more time before the next replacement.

Flyingdog while you have the old element out you also need to remove the scale from the bottom of the tank. If you don't and the new element touches it you will have the same element burnout problem. A shop vac with a small attachment works well for this. Look inside the tank with a flashlight after you clean to make sure there isn't any scale buildup that could possibly touch your new element.

The bottom element is probably dead not heating the bottom of the tank - the upper part of the tank (water) is getting heated by the upper element. As you use hot water it draws from the top and uses that water and theoretically the bottom is hot as well, but if the element on the bottom is not working, then the water is cold. This explains why it works for 10 minutes then goes cold!

When you get that bottom element replaced and the bottom of the tank vacuumed out it will work like a champ!

It is prudent to drain your tank and remove that bottom element once a year to check for sediment/scale buildup, which reminds me I have to do this myself!

 

[penguin6]

I've often wondered about sediment build up in the water heater. Is it a good thing to flush it every so often, or just wait until it stops heating? My well has a good bit of calcium scale so I've often wondered how things were inside the heater (though the water is still quite hot).

UPDATE: Just saw your message saying yes, every year. Might try that..

 

[willie]

I've often wondered about sediment build up in the water heater. Is it a good thing to flush it every so often, or just wait until it stops heating? My well has a good bit of calcium scale so I've often wondered how things were inside the heater (though the water is still quite hot).

UPDATE: Just saw your message saying yes, every year. Might try that..

Open the drain until it runs clear. If it won't drain then it gets more involved. Draining just a quart or so every year will prevent any buildup.

Replacing either element can be done without draining the tank. If the in and out water valves are closed, very little water will escape when the element is removed because of the vacuum created in the tank. Sort of like pouring gas out of a 5 gallon can without opening the vent.

 

[clevalley]

Open the drain until it runs clear. If it won't drain then it gets more involved. Draining just a quart or so every year will prevent any buildup.

Replacing either element can be done without draining the tank. If the in and out water valves are closed, very little water will escape when the element is removed because of the vacuum created in the tank. Sort of like pouring gas out of a 5 gallon can without opening the vent.

Be sure to cut the power off to the hot water heater if you drain it down. Draining a quart or so you do not have to cut power... but I drain mine down all the way once a year, remove the lower element and check for scale.

 

[beerlover]

As long as we're this far into this topic I might as well post this tip, too. In order to make draining/flushing more efficient, it's a good idea to unscrew the drain spigot (if you can get it off) and replace it with a ball valve. The ball valve is a straight-through design and has a bigger inside diameter and will allow the scale to run out with the water much more easily. You can also run a tube into the tank through the ball valve to vacuum sediment out. It works much better than the standard spigot drain.

 

[smilin]

Question:
I've done the draining thing every time I've bought a house and then every year after. Sometimes there is a little pile of whitish pebbles, what is this stuff? I vaguely remember something about the sacrificial rod.

 

[beerlover]

That's the sediment. It's calcium carbonate that builds up from the minerals in your water.

There is a sacrificial anode rod in the tank, but it's not related to sediment buildup. It is made or Magnesium (I think) which will corrode faster than your steel tank. SO the theory is that the water will corrode away at the anode instead of rusting out your tank. You can unscrew the anode from the top of the tank for replacement if you can get it loose.

 

[clevalley]

Huh - did not think about a sacrificial anode... the hot water heater in my camper has one, never even crossed my mind about one in the house !!!

I guess if you are getting a LOT of sediment the sacrificial anode is gone and time to replace it - but at that time the inside of the tank is rotting so you better replace the tank... guess it justs prolongs the life of the liner.