ftpiercecracker1 Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 So here's the deal. I have a 2 year old whirlpool hwh ALL. COMPONENTS. BRAND. NEW. and still no hw. I have verified 120v, via multimeter, on all legs/contacts. Both incoming power legs have 120v Both elements pass continuity test, 13ohm. Elements pass grounding test, infinite resistance between hwh body and elements. breaker is on, duh. Tank is full of water, 100% certain. Out of ideas. fpc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 If both elements test good (sounds like they do), then the high-temp thermostat is probably shot. It's the clip-on unit with the red button on the top element. Hit the red reset button and try again. Looks like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnuck Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Check across the elements for 220 from one element to the other. If no go then the neutral may be missing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Why would you need to heat hot water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Problem solved! One side of double pole breaker was smoked. But there is still a mystery. When I tested the breaker across the poles, one lead on each lug, I read 0v, BUT they read 120v individually, from one lug to ground. The only thing I can figure is the one side of the double pole breaker that was still functioning was sending power all the way through the hot water heater circuit and making its way back to the bad side of the breaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skorpyo Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I bet you're ready for a hot shower now! Congrats on the fix! So funny hot water heater story... my old water heater started a slow leak from the drain valve. I discovered it a bit late, but noticing it had a crack in the valve (and it's plastic) I decided to drain the tank and get a new valve at the hardware store for a mere $7. I hooked up a hose to the drain valve, ran it to a bucket and turned the valve. It was stuck but opened a little and water was slowly draining from the tank. After 30 mins I hadn't drained 5 gallons so I decided to use a pair of channel locks to turn the valve more to open it. Mind you I was home alone and the entire drain valve snapped off the tank and a 1" jet of water came out. So like anyone else I stuck my finger in there to stop the bleeding. With 30 gallons of water in the tank I was sitting there with my finger holding it in, and NO ONE ELSE even in the house. I felt like that kid with his finger in the dike... Eventually i thought to pull my shirt up over my head, slide it down my arm and jam it into the hole with a screwdriver... Fun times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 haha! nice one I had a similar event when I went to turn off the water under my grandpa's kitchen sink. soon as I touched the valve it popped right off in my hand and shot 50psi in my face. so I plugged it with my thumb and tried my darnedest to, uh, "calmly" explain to my grandpa where the master shutoff was in the basement and then waited while he shuffled off. man my thumb was hurtin' by the time the pressure stopped. all the while my grandma was freaking out over the water in her cupboards. she always was one to recognize the important things in life. or the time I was fixing a leak at my cousin's house and noticed that the in and out for the hot water tank were switched. as in, were always that way since the house was built. oops! thank god for flexy lines. I hate plumbing I'm not even a plumber and there's no end to the stories of fixing other peoples' mistakes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skorpyo Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 haha, that's hilarious... i've done a fair bit of plumbing in my time, but I still hate having to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banshee Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 So here's the deal. I have a 2 year old whirlpool hwh ALL. COMPONENTS. BRAND. NEW. and still no hw. I have verified 120v, via multimeter, on all legs/contacts. Both incoming power legs have 120v Both elements pass continuity test, 13ohm. Elements pass grounding test, infinite resistance between hwh body and elements. breaker is on, duh. Tank is full of water, 100% certain. Out of ideas. fpc Sounds like either the over temp switch is out, or the thermostat isn't closing Sent from my LG-H740 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 Since we are now sharing plumbing stories I have one of my own. A few years ago I was working for a apartment complex as a helper/grounds keeper. During a punch out I had to remove the escutcheon plates from a bathtub. Unfortunately no one had warned me that in this particular design the handles were also part of the valve assembly. So there I was crouched in the tub removing the first handle when I started to get that gut feeling something wasn't right. An instant later the handle and valve guts shot out followed by a geyser of water that could have rivaled Old Faithful. There is no plugging it with my finger and I don't have a clue where the main is. Looking like I had just jumped out of the pool I had to rush downstairs, oh yeah I forgot to mention this is a two-story building, to find my supervisor to get the main shut off. All was well in the end, but I hope not to have a repeat anytime soon. FPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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