Hot water tank question

[giles]

I went to get in the shower before work yesterday and had to crank it all the way on hot to get warm water. I figured I'd look at it this morning, then basically forgot about it.

A little while ago I went to take my scent free shower and was quickly reminded... Traced a few things to find out I had no power and that the breaker was tripped. Reset the breaker about 40 minutes ago and still nothing.

This brings me to my question, how long does it take to hear back up?

Tank is only 3 years old and is huge...75 gallon I think. Online said 2 hours before you get warm water, that doesn't sound right to me. I only found that info in one place.

 

[giles]

Still nothing... Thinking I'm about to put myself through a crash test of troubleshooting.

 

[Wmiller07]

If I could help I would. My only advice is look on YouTube

 

[bowhunter1023]

Does it have any temp to it at all, or still cold?

 

["J"]

Heating element is probably bad... Should be a quick easy fix....

 

[giles]

Cold still. And now the damn garbage disposal is leaking!!!! It's only a couple months old and coming out the weep hole...

 

["J"]

Cold still. And now the damn garbage disposal is leaking!!!! It's only a couple months old and coming out the weep hole...

#2 pencil will take care of that.....

For a while lol....

 

[bowhunter1023]

Element is an easy fix. Don't know anything about garbage disposal.

 

[giles]

Are heating elements universal? Lowes has one that's the same watts, but it's not the same brand as my WH.

 

[giles]

Also, wtf is a "water heater element wrench"?

 

[giles]

Here it goes...2 new heating elements installed, filled back up, and power back on.

One element had a hole in it, guessing that was the problem. Fingers crossed!

BTW, that wrench is fuggen stupid! It's a 1 1/2" socket that fits it, shallow/thin wall fit it just fine.

 

[giles]

I also didn't know they made tanks 80 gallons...

 

[RedCloud]

I hope it worked out. Sounds like you found the issue. 80 gallons is a huge tank lol. That's what I needed in my house of 5 lol.

 

[giles]

It's working just fine now, thanks.

Yes, 80 gallons is a bit ridicules. No wonder we never run out of hot water, even when we have guest! Lol

 

["J"]

It's working just fine now, thanks.

Yes, 80 gallons is a bit ridicules. No wonder we never run out of hot water, even when we have guest! Lol

They pushed those in the late 90' early 2000's for energy efficiency, a bunch of guys I worked with all switched over too them for a break on their electric bills..... Too be considered "all electric" and get the better rate these were part of the deal....

 

["J"]

Here it goes...2 new heating elements installed, filled back up, and power back on.

One element had a hole in it, guessing that was the problem. Fingers crossed!

BTW, that wrench is fuggen stupid! It's a 1 1/2" socket that fits it, shallow/thin wall fit it just fine.

If I remember right some sockets were too thick walled too fit in to the area and break it loose.... Glad your selection of on hand tools worked..... See after the initial shock of it that was a pretty easy job wasn't it???

 

[giles]

Trying to drain the tank and waiting for that was the worst part. I've got a few more hand tools than your average home owner... Can't fit a car in my 2 car garage, I NEED to build a shop!

 

["J"]

Trying to drain the tank and waiting for that was the worst part. I've got a few more hand tools than your average home owner... Can't fit a car in my 2 car garage, I NEED to build a shop!

Garden hose, turn off water and start draining while you have someone upstairs start opening the hot water valves on the sinks....

 

[hickslawns]

J to the rescue.

Here are my thoughts: elements do go bad. Hoping this is all that happened. BUT if you keep tripping breakers, chances are it is because there is moisture from the tank getting to the elements and causing the breaker to trip.

 

[giles]

Garden hose, turn off water and start draining while you have someone upstairs start opening the hot water valves on the sinks....

Garden hose, isolated just the tank so I didn't have to drain the house, and opened the pop off valve so it could breath. The tank was full of shit and didn't want to drain. So I had to keep stomping on the garden hose or taking it off to stick a screw driver up in it.