Thermostat Trips Electric Water Heater

Has this ever happened to you.

Thermostat trips electric water heater.

The heating element is the part of your water heater that heats the water. When the water has cooled off the thermostats kick on the heating elements to heat the water. An electric hot water heater has two thermostats controlling two separate heating elements one in the upper half of the tank one in the lower half. So you go and reset the circuit breaker.

Diagram of electric water heater. We highly recommend hiring a licensed plumber take care of any repairs on your water heater. Okay with that out of the way let s look at the possible problems that are causing your electric water heater to trip your breaker. One on top and one on the bottom.

This helps protect you from getting burned or scalded by the excessively hot water. The thermostats are responsible for controlling the heating elements. Your water heater trips the circuit breaker in your house. Electric water heater red reset button tripping troubleshooting guide about the author based in colorado springs colo jerry walch has been writing articles for the diy market since 1974.

When the water reaches 180 the limit switch a little red reset button on the water heater trips. When a water heater starts tripping the eco repeatedly it s time to call a plumber for service. How a bad thermostat causes your water heater reset button to trip. Water heaters have a limit switch that keeps the water from exceeding 180.

Electric water heaters have 2 thermostats and 2 heating elements. Electric water heaters have a lower and upper thermostat one for each heating element. There is an upper and lower thermostat element pairing as seen in the diagram below. How to easily repair fix troubleshoot an electric water heater that trips the circuit breaker or blows fuses little or no hot water.

There s a good chance that the water in the tank is dangerously hot and since the problem is usually caused by a failed component it won t get better until the bad part is identified and replaced. Most electric water heaters have 2 heating elements. And once the water has. A red button located on the water heater itself just above the thermostat that trips when the water temperature exceeds 180 f the reset button is sometimes referred to as the eco emergency cut off or high limit switch.

The most likely cause of the limit switch tripping is a bad thermostat. A diy plumbing water. Burnt out heating element.