Hot water system not working

[AB]

Hi blokes, another quality patrol post but I may need some help.

My bro is overseas and I've been helping his family over the winter.

Long story short they haven't had hot water for the last 2 days. I only found out on referral facebook today so rung and asked if fuse switch has triggered. It was off this morning so she switched it on.

I haven't been to there house yet but the hot water is still very cold...her words...pooftinth off cold.

If hot water was off for 2 days would it take 24 hours or more to heat up again.

Yep, all I know is that it's electric and is in the roof cavity so no idea of size until I go over there tomorrow.

I said ring me tomorrow morning if still cold. If it is still cold tomorrow morning is there anything I can check before we call someone in?

[mudnut]

Are they on tank water or mainswater?
If it is tank water, there could be
sludge built up over the element.
This reduces the ability of the
convection current to distribute
the heat.

[AB]

Are they on tank water or mainswater? If it is tank water, there could be sludge built up over the element. tank water mate...cheers

[Winnie]

Hi blokes, another quality patrol post but I may need some help.

My bro is overseas and I've been helping his family over the winter.

Long story short they haven't had hot water for the last 2 days. I only found out on referral facebook today so rung and asked if fuse switch has triggered. It was off this morning so she switched it on.

I haven't been to there house yet but the hot water is still very cold...her words...pooftinth off cold.

If hot water was off for 2 days would it take 24 hours or more to heat up again.

Yep, all I know is that it's electric and is in the roof cavity so no idea of size until I go over there tomorrow.

I said ring me tomorrow morning if still cold. If it is still cold tomorrow morning is there anything I can check before we call someone in?

Element could have blown which could trip the breaker. Could also be a thermostat. Something has caused the breaker to trip out.
If it is a twin element heater it will have two thermostats as well.
Do you or your brother have any electrician mates? Call them over to have a look. A new element or thermostat should not cost more than $50

[Winnie]

It should not take more than 24 hours to heat the tank. No different to using all the hot water in a day, the next day you have hot water again.

[Clunk]

So its an electric hot water storage system?.............
As Winnie has said, if the breaker is tripping then its most likely heater element is stuffed, same thing happened with my dishwasher

[04OFF]

If its the same as a basic normal external electric hot water system, most people do not realise you have to activate the static tank water top up valve at least every 6 months to keep the heat tank full of water, if it "is" the same as this, and its in the roof, I bet its never been topped up, and once empty (they gradually loose water through evaporation), the element will be heating more air than water inside the tank, so it will soon overheat and may trigger the circuit breaker, until the tank is refilled, you will "never" get any hot water.

[AB]

If its the same as a basic normal external electric hot water system, most people do not realise you have to activate the static tank water top up valve at least every 6 months to keep the heat tank full of water, if it "is" the same as this, and its in the roof, I bet its never been topped up, and once empty (they gradually loose water through evaporation), the element will be heating more air than water inside the tank, so it will soon overheat and may trigger the circuit breaker, until the tank is refilled, you will "never" get any hot water. thanks Steve, how do I refill the tank?

I know it may seem obvious now but just getting ducks in row before I head over.

[AB]

It should not take more than 24 hours to heat the tank. No different to using all the hot water in a day, the next day you have hot water again. yeah it tripped at some stage and she only just switched it on at 9am this morning so I was going to wait until tomorrow morning before I can isolate the problem further from my limited knowledge ;)

[Winnie]

thanks Steve, how do I refill the tank?

I know it may seem obvious now but just getting ducks in row before I head over.
When you go, find out what size the elements are. Will probably be 2.4, 3.6 or 4. 8kW

[AB]

This just posted on her crapbook post from someone...

Hi Lou, jack said "it will be on night rate and won't start heating till later tonight. If if tripped the fuse it most likely means the heating element could be leaking which has made an electrical fault which is why it tripped the fuse. It will start heating around eleven tonight...check the fuse again then to see if it trips it again....if it does its juicy fruited! "

[AB]

I thought there is no night day rate now with the smart meters????

[Winnie]

Did you say it's been back on for 24 hours? There may be a boost button on it which will start heating it now.

[AB]

Did you say it's been back on for 24 hours? There may be a boost button on it which will start heating it now. yeah nah it's been off for 2 days. She didn't bloody tell me and they have been using kettle for baths.

Leah saw a post on fb about it so I rung her this morning and said check fuse, it tripped, she put back on at 9am today.

[Winnie]

yeah nah it's been off for 2 days. She didn't bloody tell me and they have been using kettle for baths.

Leah saw a post on fb about it so I rung her this morning and said check fuse, it tripped, she put back on at 9am today.
Yeah odds are it will trip the breaker again tonight.

[AB]

Yeah odds are it will trip the breaker again tonight. thanks mate, time will tell hey...

[04OFF]

Andy, There should be a valve on the side of the tank (normally near the top) something like this....


http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/hwh_maintenance_3.htm


You pull it open and it will fill the tank, (they sometimes drip a little when open) keep it open until water flows out of the overflow pipe , when the tank is empty, filling can take 4-5 mins.

I refill mine every 3 months or so (or whenever I pass the hot water system), as I said, most people don't even realise you are supposed to do this.

[AB]

Andy, There should be a valve on the side of the tank (normally near the top) something like this.... http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/hwh_maintenance_3.htm You pull it open and it will fill the tank, (they sometimes drip a little when open) keep it open until water flows out of the overflow pipe , when the tank is empty, filling can take 4-5 mins. I refill mine every 3 months or so (or whenever I pass the hot water system), as I said, most people don't even realise you are supposed to do this. I knew you were talking about this thing I should've said so and I know about releasing that every so often.

Thanks mate!

I do that on mine every month or so when I feed the chooks as its bedside the hutch...lol

[happygu]

AB,

Thermostat could be faulty, and that is a fairly easy changeover.

if it is the element that is faulty, there are two main types of elements, an immersion type, and a bobbin type.

The immersion type is in the water, so removing it will mean that you need to empty as much as you can and then be ready for water to pour out ...... gotta change it over quickly otherwise you may end up wetter than the tank. Immersion type usually has a metal end with four bolts in the corners.

The bobbin type is in a tube, and can be removed at any time ... make sure that it is clean and dry inside the tube, and just insert.
Bobbin type usually has a ceramic end

[AB]

AB, Thermostat could be faulty, and that is a fairly easy changeover. if it is the element that is faulty, there are two main types of elements, an immersion type, and a bobbin type. The immersion type is in the water, so removing it will mean that you need to empty as much as you can and then be ready for water to pour out ...... gotta change it over quickly otherwise you may end up wetter than the tank. Immersion type usually has a metal end with four bolts in the corners. The bobbin type is in a tube, and can be removed at any time ... make sure that it is clean and dry inside the tube, and just insert. Bobbin type usually has a ceramic end thank you for advice mate, it's a waiting game now!!!!

[Winnie]

AB,

Thermostat could be faulty, and that is a fairly easy changeover.

if it is the element that is faulty, there are two main types of elements, an immersion type, and a bobbin type.

The immersion type is in the water, so removing it will mean that you need to empty as much as you can and then be ready for water to pour out ...... gotta change it over quickly otherwise you may end up wetter than the tank. Immersion type usually has a metal end with four bolts in the corners.

The bobbin type is in a tube, and can be removed at any time ... make sure that it is clean and dry inside the tube, and just insert.
Bobbin type usually has a ceramic end
Only very very very old systems use bobbin elements. Very uncommon.

[happygu]

Only very very very old systems use bobbin elements. Very uncommon.

Done a few in my time .... but yes you are right ...

[lhurley]

Some systems are set up on a timer to only heat at night. Ours is like that and it sucks big time. I get many a cold showers in winter.

[NissanGQ4.2]

I thought there is no night day rate now with the smart meters????

I was about 2 post saying it could be off peak.

Not sure about about you mexicans, but when I got the solar panels we had the option 2 stay on our current off peak or be put onto the new smart meter charges.

[Clunk]

Natural gas..... only way to go

Unless you have solar hot water

[AB]

Natural gas..... only way to go Unless you have solar hot water I can almost throw a stone at the mains gas pipe that runs through our town but we do not have mains gas here :(

Thought about tapping into the pipe but yeah it sounds dangerous ;)

[MudRunnerTD]

Yeah ab my hot water is the same, off peak from midnight. Hopefully she has hot water tomorrow morning when she wakes up.

[firm351]

I do that on mine every month or so when I feed the chooks as its bedside the hutch...lol

I reckon you should be feeding your chooks more than every month or so.[emoji6]

[04OFF]

Andy only has the Chickens and Hot water together so he can tell the boys down the pub he's always picking up "hot chicks" ;)

Hahaha!

[AB]

Andy only has the Chickens and Hot water together so he can tell the boys down the pub he's always picking up "hot chicks" ;) Hahaha! You're an idiot ;)

Anyways, good news!

The hot water is back on!

[Clunk]

You're an idiot ;)

Anyways, good news!

The hot water is back on!
So what was it?

[AB]

So what was it? No idea but after it tripped she put it back on and there's hot water this morning.

I'll pop over after work anyway.

[mudnut]

That's what happened to our unit
when the sludge had covered the
element. But we didn't know that
was the cause, until the element
failed from overheating, just a
few months later. Anyway, it
is just one more thing to check.

[Winnie]

No idea but after it tripped she put it back on and there's hot water this morning.

I'll pop over after work anyway.
Hopefully it was a once off thing mate!