[mozart6099]

I installed a brand new electric whirlpool at my church two weeks ago. I only get 5 minutes worth of hot water. I do get continuity for both elements. Also, checked voltage...230 v on both leads at top element. I got about about 118v on bottom element...one lead to ground. Please help. Thermostats at 135°F.

 

[AllanJ]

Is this five minutes of hot water true at any fixture including bathrooms?
How long does it take before you can get another 5 minutes?
Carefully feel the pipes coming out of the top of the water heater after the water went cold. Is the hot pipe cold by now?
Do you have anti-scald devices in the system? These may be located under sinks or be part of hot-cold faucet assemblies or be a separate unit mounted above the water heater between the cold and hot pipes. These could be out of adjustment, blending cold water into the hot water unnecessarily.

Double check to be sure the fresh cold water is going into the cold inlet and the hot water is coming out the hot outlet pipe on the heater. (If you got it backwards you may have also burned out an element because a large air pocket can remain inside the tank.)

 

[rjniles]

Measure across the bottom element after the top element shuts off. You should see ~240 volts. Only 1 element heats at a time, after the upper is satisfied the upper t-stat transverse the power to the lower.

 

[mozart6099]

Is this five minutes of hot water true at any fixture including bathrooms?
How long does it take before you can get another 5 minutes?
Carefully feel the pipes coming out of the top of the water heater after the water went cold. Is the hot pipe cold by now?
Do you have anti-scald devices in the system? These may be located under sinks or be part of hot-cold faucet assemblies or be a separate unit mounted above the water heater between the cold and hot pipes. These could be out of adjustment, blending cold water into the hot water unnecessarily.

Double check to be sure the fresh cold water is going into the cold inlet and the hot water is coming out the hot outlet pipe on the heater. (If you got it backwards you may have also burned out an element because a large air pocket can remain inside the tank.)

Thx AllenJ...the pipe is luke warm, everything else checked fine.

 

[jmon]

Could be something simple like the thermostats not adjusted properly. That info can be found in the manual.

If you followed all the manufacturers installation instructions, checked the obvious, and still having problems or do find a bad part, return it for another one. Very rare they are dead right out of the box, recheck your work.

Hope you get it up and running soon mozart. Let us know what the problem was. Thank you.

 

[mozart6099]

Measure across the bottom element after the top element shuts off. You should see ~240 volts. Only 1 element heats at a time, after the upper is satisfied the upper t-stat transverse the power to the lower.

I'm getting 230V...can that be the problem?

 

[mozart6099]

I'm getting 230V...can that be the problem?

237volts to be exact

Measure across the bottom element after the top element shuts off. You should see ~240 volts. Only 1 element heats at a time, after the upper is satisfied the upper t-stat transverse the power to the lower.

 

[jmon]

237v is within tolerance. Could be your mm. You have verified that the unit is getting power, and both thermostats and both elements are good, and both thermostats set to 135 degrees.

Any reset buttons tripped?

Try everything again and verify if unit is operating correctly. Upper will come on first, once satisfied, it will click off then the lower will kick on.

If still no good, return the unit for another one, or call the manufacture directly and tell them whats going on and ask them what the next step should be. Don't void the warantee. Just a suggestion.

 

[paintdrying]

I bought a house with very little hot water. I put the temp to the lowest setting and had plenty of hot water. I think it was wired wrong.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Pull the upper element and run a resistance check. Sounds like you turned power on before the tank was 100% full.

 

[mozart6099]

Will check Friday...thx guys.