Electric WH insufficient heat

John Mills_5

Generic Whirlpool 50 gallon electric, water luke warm. They tried turning stats all the way up. Got 106 steady out of the tap. I found that the upper stat would not bring on the top element. Got both stats replace. No improvement. Top element is now coming on. Any guesses besides checking the dip tube? Thanks

Larry Weingarten

Just to be sure...

... check hot water temperature as it leaves the tank to be certain the problem is in the tank.  A cross connection in the plumbing could cause your 106 degree reading.  If it is only 106 leaving the tank, check elements with an ohm meter to see if there is any leakage to ground.



Yours,  Larry

John Mills_5

Thanks

Will check both. 

John Mills_5

Something fishy

118 leaving tank, 106 at first then dropping at the nearest bath lav. Turn off the incoming water to the heater and the faucet keeps going and goes cold. So obviously there's cold water getting into the hot supply somewhere. Shut off those faucets we could get to and didn't solve it. Both bath controls can't get to, one of them likely the culprit? 

pcloadletter

Shower valves

Sometimes the temp balancer (ant-scald valve) in single-handled shower/tub faucet can go bad and leak, causing cold water to get into the hot water line and vice-versa. Do you have any of those single-handled faucets?

Larry Weingarten

here's a test

Hello:  Try this.  Run hot at the shower till it gets as hot as it will. Shut it off and go run hot somewhere else and shut it off.  Now, go back to the shower and run hot.  Does it start out cold?  If so, you know cold filled the hot line and there is a cross connection.  I've met the problem with Moen and Grohe valves.  The polysulfone Moen cartridges replace the brass ones and get rid of the problem... which is nice!



Yours,  Larry

John Mills_5

Solved

New control in shower under construction was in the on position with outlet capped.