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water heater

Jac
Jac Member Posts: 3
in THE MAIN WALL
Was on a late call to do a repair, customer mentioned she may need hot water heater becaudse of running out of hot water. Being a hero I wanting to make a few extra bucks I said I will check out the water heater. Found defective lower element, proceded to drain & flush tank, replaced element & re-filled tank while purging air with open faucet & T&P valve, as the tank filled air & water sputtering out of faucets & then stopped. Can not get water out of any faucet in house or in washing machine which is next to water heater. Purged & drained several times & still can not get any water from faucets, but have pressure at T&P valve & tank drain. Never had this happen before & am really stuck. Would appreciate some intake on this. Thanks

Jack

Comments

  • jbplumber
    jbplumber Member Posts: 89
    areators

    Have you removed the areators at the sinks ?
  • ZEB_4
    ZEB_4 Member Posts: 1
    How did you

    How did you test the element ? Disconnect wire connections and use an ohm meter or check voltage on each terminal? I've never worked on an electric water heater.
  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    some tanks

    have those funky energy saver nipples in them A small passage with a check ball or flab. You may have plugged the outlet (hot) nipple with crud. Or every faucet in the house (doubtful):)

    Loosen or remove the connection at the hot outlet and bump the fill valve for a quick second. Any water at this point?

    hot rod

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  • Al_11
    Al_11 Member Posts: 34
    water heater

    You probably released some sludge into the system and it has plugged up the screens in the faucets. Take them out and clean them, you should be OK
  • jbplumber
    jbplumber Member Posts: 89
    Element test

    Zeb-I prefer the snap on amp meter test.
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    3 things come to mind...

    The little plastic ball Hot Rod mentioned,the areators being plugged solid,and ehm...closed gate..then one last thought in parting,is it galvy pipe distribution? and does it run thru a heat exchanger or side arm? Go to the washing machine box...take the hot supply hose off,disconnect the washing machines cold water hose...take the hose that is still connected (COLD) at the wash box and run it into a bucket...then take the hose and connect it to the Hot on the washing machine box...if you still dont have flow, your distribution lines on the hot water are clogged with something.
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    Jac be nimble, Jac be quick...

    Back flush the system. Shut off the cold water valve to the water heater. Open the hot water connection at the automatic clothes washing machine, and take the hose completely off the machine side and the cold faucet side. Connect the hot water to the cold water. Open the cold water, and open the drain valve on the bottom of the hot water heater while opening the hot connection at the washing machine hose connections.

    What you are essentially doing is back flushing the hot water distribution system to flush whatever busted lose back into the tank.

    Close tank drain, open cold water line to tank and see if you have flow to the hot water outlet at the auto washer. If so, check everywhere else through out the house and if its everywhere, revert everything back to normal. If not, do it again. You may even have to move the back washing operation to say the tub or kitchen faucet. You'll eventually get it cleared.

    Let us know how you make out.

    ME
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    You should do both...

    First, check to see if you have voltage to the elements. If not, figure out why, and get voltage there. Then, with voltage turned off, check elements for proper resistance. Don't forget that in order to properly test the resistance of an element, at least one wire needs to be disconnected.

    ME
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    :) we think somewhat alike *~/:)

  • Jac
    Jac Member Posts: 3
    water heater solutuons

    Thanks for all the replys on my water heater problem. I did check all the areators on the sinks & they were clear. The water heater did not have temp ball valves. I am going to try the back flush on the system & let you know how I make out with it. I check the element by continuity, if its open the element is defective, or you can check if you have voltage going to element, check the amps, no amps bad element. Thanks again for the help.
    Jack
  • Jac
    Jac Member Posts: 3
    Jacks water heater probplem

    Went back to job during daylight hours & spent some time at job. customer tells me upstairs fixtures getting hot water, nothing on ground floor gets hot water as well as cold water pressdure very low?? I removed kitchen sink lines and hot water & cold water pressure there but not at faucets. Removed faucet stems & faucet nozzle & did find white flakes there which tells me the water heater dip tube disinergated. Flushed out everything & put everything back together & still can not get hot or cold water past a dribble from faucet at kithcen sink. I back flushed washing machine valve & got hot & cold there, removed small downstairs bathroom faucet aireator & cleaned that out and got good water there, so now I have hot & cold water every where in house except for kitchen sink. I recomend to customer to replace supply faucets & faucet at kitchen sink, & to get new water heater. Thanks again Jim, Al, Hot Rod, Mark, Weezbo, & Zeb for your input Regards
    Jack
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