AO smith ECC code

psb75

I just read through this thread. I am an installer of mostly Brad White heat pump water heaters. Next most are Rheem and least are A.O. Smith/State units.
This thread has been exceedingly INFORMATIVE. Good input from owners! I'm NOT GOING TO INSTALL A.O. SMITH HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS ANY MORE. I too have experienced mixed results from tech support. It IS remarkable when they offer to replace the whole unit. BUT...I have to do it-- with no labor reimbursement. I'm tired of doing this for ALL companies! I have done it for all three companies. I've also replaced components on all units i.e. fans, motherboards, sensors, elements etc. But..NEVER COMPRESSORS. Only WHOLE UNITS. No one seems to work on these compressors. "If the compressor is bad...TOO BAD for you"...seems to be the mantra. I'm out here in the field selling and making recommendations of particular brands of water heaters. I'm just about done doing it.
Tech support is KEY. Company support is even MORE IMPORTANT. Oh and this: is ANYONE REPLACING
ANODE RODS? Good luck widdat! My rant. I feel like Clammy now. Over and out...with peace and goodluck.

Katkota

AO Smith is just a crappy heater … I would definitely stay away from it in the future and I also found the electric usage while my AO Smith unit was running perfectly fine was a lot more than normal … if you end up getting a different brand like I did (Rheem), you will see why I was saying that about the electricity cost 

Intplm.

@psb75
I too am installing mostly Bradford White.

And to your question, "is anyone replacing anode rods?" A commercial one, maybe.
But otherwise......
Not me, NO WAY!!


By the time you change all the crap that you need to get that done the price can and usually does come very close to a full replacement.

Turn the anode rod plug out of the heater? Most of the time the thing will not move or can bust the wall of the heater . And the entire water will spin! Glass lined, stoned lined it doesn't matter. Now what.....full replacement !

And oh !!!
lets not forget the boiler drain on these things. Eight times out of ten they need to be replaced because they are made of plastic and won't drain because of rice stone build up or other debris clogging the thing.

So yeah. Ill leave the misery loves company to others.

Jfrandol

I have had exactly the same experience as kat lkota, down to having my first unit warranty replaced and having to pay a large labor cost, and then also getting the replacement and having it start flashing the ECC code about 7 months later. 

I believe there is a way to put it into electric mode permanently.  Maybe you have already stated it I'm going to look for it.

John F

Katkota

Hey John F.
Here’s a YouTube video on how to override permanently the default 48 hours so you won’t keep manually putting it in electric only … I hate for you to do this because using it in electric mode only would defeat the whole purpose of paying big money to save on electricity but here it’s 

https://youtu.be/SKHeIpvAQGQ?si=jQ75vhBIsog7acbO

psb75

Karkota, Information is POWER. Thank you very much for this information! It will hopefully save MANY human hours spent on the phone waiting, requesting and dealing with TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

RIRED

Katkota said:

Hello folks;
I have a brand new home for 3 years and builder installed 50 gallon AO smith heat pump water heater which lasted for about 2 years then I got error code “ECC” which according to their manual means the compressor is not functioning properly… The AO smith issued RMA to replace but I have to foot the bill of about $$$$ a lot for labor and was replaced with the same unit which worked for about 7 months then 2 days ago I heard the same scary beeping and I saw the same darn code again ECC… The unit still working and I have hot water but again AO Smith said you may need to replace it again as I don’t believe they have a clue about their product… Anyone else have seen this? I honestly don’t think the unit is defective or the compressor could go that fast twice but I’m not an expert and the plumbers I called don’t seem to know much about that one … the unit is in my basement which is finished and air tight and big enough … Any insight or idea would be great as I’m not ready for another big labor bill to spend in less than 7 months (so much for saving money with new technology)
Thank you in advance 

I have had the same experience with AO Smith Ive already replaced one with compressor that failed and now the replacement is showing the ECC code. These heaters are prone to failure!

dosrios

I am having the same problem: Unit 13 months old, reads error code ECC (compressor). No local repair people, and I must pay labor cost. Very frustrating. My husband wants to have it repaired, but I am leery of unqualified service. So I am ready to use it on heater only (without heat pump) and be done with the expense and hassle. A O Smith has been no help.

kcopp

It CANT be repaired... only way to "fix" is to replace.

Cincyjoe12

@floridaservices did replacing the run capacitor help you? Is it located in an easy spot to change out?

After 7 months, my hybrid state water heater also started throwing ecc 120. Gonna change the default so I can atleast run it in electric mode until I figure out how to move forward

dsc369

Good Morning, I am experiencing the same issue with my AO Smith, HPTU-66N Hot Water Heater. The current unit was a replacement for a previous original install in our home in 2013. That unit started leaking in 2020. I contacted AO Smith and without much conversation was sent this current hot water heater replacement. These units have a ten (10) year warranty, except when they are a replacement unit for a previous defective unit as in my case. The new/replacement unit picks up the old unit's time line for the warranty, which meant this new unit warranty ran out in 2023 - as explained to me by an AO Smith Rep. I am told that that is done to keep folks from filing false claims when the warranty period is coming. My question is the "ECC" code is showing on the unit on its own, how are they allowed to get away with offering a defective unit knowing the problems they are having and not covering it?

As far as the error message (ECC), I have been told to manually switch the unit to "Electric" mode and leave it there, thus bypassing the compressor altogether.

At what point-in-time is a recall for these faulty units made? I will file a complaint with the BBB and see what happens.

Good Luck,

DSC

Lance

I hate to add to this as I work for certain mfg. But if go to the source of the cause of these type of product design and conception including the $ influence to build and distribute we have only to look at the zealots that think they can regulate and bribe their way to get this thing built under the guise of saving energy. What they never see is the true cost of time and frustration to fix it, service it, and burden us all. How many times would you buy the same phone or car, or whatever if you had to buy one every few months or every year? The life cycle cost of failure is way too high. And as always, the real energy loss is all the raw materials and labor that are never recovered or can never be recycled.

Many times the culprit is loss of refrigerant. If the temp difference of the air flow across the coils is neutral or even backwards. Code or no code it is always condemned. PS. Lowes will not release a warranty tank, without first receiving the defective one. Once the mfg. pays, I think they trash it.

GGross

One manufacturer has told me that since the vast majority of people calling are not qualified to work with refrigerant they won't troubleshoot ECC code, they said many times it is just a capacitor but they won't troubleshoot the code at all. Makes no sense to me to sell an item to people not qualified to troubleshoot it! In my experience call tech support tell them the code, they will check warranty status and give you a replacement number, pre-approved warranty replacement. Distributors can chose how they process these, we always just send out the new tank at no charge since the "R" number will always yield a warranty. I have never sent a warranty tank back to the water heater manufacturer, only units that arrive damaged. They may ask for a rating label photo, or some other proof the unit has been decommissioned.