Electric water heater issue

[Bionic]

Morning,

2 yr old whirlpool 50 gal...

yesterday morning 5:30am noticed the water was HOT, noticeably mich hotter than normal.  I said nothing to Jenn, well she said the same thing a couple hours later.  Obviously I knew something was up then.  Anyways, 12 hours later, I come home and shower, its SCOULDING hot...then the water runs into cold water pretty fast, seemed fast for 50 gallons worth.  I had a trouble code on the screen saying excessive water heat detected....so I shut off breaker, and hit the water heaters reset.  This morning, same deal but no trouble code yet, so after Jenn took her shower I told her to flip the breaker off.  I feel like its a thermostat issue, but why if the water was scoulding hot in the early morning, then why would it not trip itself off with that trouble code I saw in the evening, if the water was super hot that morning.  Any input? The thermostat is $90, so I don’t want to throw parts at it, but I have not had a chance to really look at the  unit yet.  

Thanks

[grampy]

I had a similar issue a few years ago. Turned out to be a heating element. The bottom one. 

[Bionic]

4 minutes ago, grampy said:

I had a similar issue a few years ago. Turned out to be a heating element. The bottom one. 

Ok, where crap start to settle on it over time I guess huh?

[G-Man]

I agree sounds like 1 heating element is shot.. which one??? No idea.. you may be able to pull out and remove calcium build up.. but more than. Likely will need replacement 

[Bionic]

14 minutes ago, G-Man said:

I agree sounds like 1 heating element is shot.. which one??? No idea.. you may be able to pull out and remove calcium build up.. but more than. Likely will need replacement 

Thanks, i will drain it, and take a peak.

[grampy]

21 minutes ago, Bionic said:

Ok, where crap start to settle on it over time I guess huh?

Yes. Do you have hard water?  The calcium sediment slowly builds, and settles around the element and shorts it out. 

I'm no expert. Just a homeowner who had a similar experience. Good luck!

Edited March 28, 2019 by grampy

[ApexerER]

I agree, bottom heat element is shot. The top one is trying to make up the difference and is making the water in the top of the tank super hot. You can probably find the ohm spec on the element and test it to make sure. But this would be my guess without looking at it. 

[GreeneHunter]

Might be time for a Whole House Filter ?  Hard Water ?

[Bionic]

I just finished installing a new lower element, it was rotted out.  Yes, water is a little hard.  I am bleeding the house now, and then turning the breaker back on.  I will be putting a water softener in VERY soon.  Thanks guys for your input, really appreciate it.  You guys are great.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Bionic

[Bionic]

11 hours ago, grampy said:

Yes. Do you have hard water?  The calcium sediment slowly builds, and settles around the element and shorts it out. 

I'm no expert. Just a homeowner who had a similar experience. Good luck!

Much appreciated! Same here, I bought this home at 24, so I am learning as I go.  My dad is quite a handyman, but I am trying to learn separately sometimes, even though hes taught me everything I know.

[Bionic]

11 hours ago, ApexerER said:

I agree, bottom heat element is shot. The top one is trying to make up the difference and is making the water in the top of the tank super hot. You can probably find the ohm spec on the element and test it to make sure. But this would be my guess without looking at it. 

Thank you, that was just it.

[Lawdwaz]

4 minutes ago, Bionic said:

 Thanks guys for your input, really appreciate it.  You guys are great.

You're welcome......

[GreeneHunter]

11 hours ago, Bionic said:

I just finished installing a new lower element, it was rotted out.  Yes, water is a little hard.  I am bleeding the house now, and then turning the breaker back on.  I will be putting a water softener in VERY soon.  Thanks guys for your input, really appreciate it.  You guys are great.

Don't put in a water softener just yet ! If you have hard water install two whole house filter's side by side with a bypass . In the first filter you would have a regular filter (debris) and in the second (smell) a charcoal filter  . I have a shallow well and the same setup , this takes out any loose debris and smell . Whole House Filters use nothing more than filters and NO chemicals . If after you have installed both filters and used it for awhile and if the water is still a little hard or smell "not right " then resort to a water softener . I change my filters (both) every six month's .

[GreeneHunter]

10 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

Don't put in a water softener just yet ! If you have hard water install two whole house filter's side by side with a bypass . In the first filter you would have a regular filter (debris) and in the second (smell) a charcoal filter  . I have a shallow well and the same setup , this takes out any loose debris and smell . Whole House Filters use nothing more than filters and NO chemicals . If after you have installed both filters and used it for awhile and if the water is still a little hard or smell "not right " then resort to a water softener . I change my filters (both) every six month's .

Oh I forgot to mention ..... if your going to install whole house filters make sure you but the see through kind so you can visually check to see if the filters needs changing !

[Bionic]

25 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

Oh I forgot to mention ..... if your going to install whole house filters make sure you but the see through kind so you can visually check to see if the filters needs changing !

Thanks Greene, appreciate the input.

i have a see through charcoal filter just AFTER the water heater now, but I like the idea of the debris filter prior to another charcoal before the heater

[ApexerER]

12 hours ago, Bionic said:

Thank you, that was just it.

Glad you figured it out!  I would recommend in the future to drain the tank once a year. Hopefully some of the sediment will come out as you drain it. 

I really need to do this to mine. It has been on my TO DO list for far to long. 

[Bionic]

2 hours ago, ApexerER said:

Glad you figured it out!  I would recommend in the future to drain the tank once a year. Hopefully some of the sediment will come out as you drain it. 

I really need to do this to mine. It has been on my TO DO list for far to long. 

Thank you! 

[nyslowhand]

FYI - If you're going the filter route... Every thing GREENEHUNTER said plus install it/them where water enters the house, thus a whole house sys. Esp true for well water supplied homes.Not as helpful for village or city supplied water, as I found out. IRC, hard water can only be remedied via a softener..!?!

As far as draining a water heater annually, can say I never have. Suppose if you actually flushed it out while draining it, might help prolong the water  heater's life... 50gail is a lot of water to be dumping into the backyard. Hope you've got a long garden hose!

[First-light]

I'm surprised it worked with one element gone bad. I have a Marathon hot water heater once one element goes bad the unit shuts down. Glad you fixed it,  Have a nice shower!!

[Bionic]

7 hours ago, nyslowhand said:

FYI - If you're going the filter route... Every thing GREENEHUNTER said plus install it/them where water enters the house, thus a whole house sys. Esp true for well water supplied homes.Not as helpful for village or city supplied water, as I found out. IRC, hard water can only be remedied via a softener..!?!

As far as draining a water heater annually, can say I never have. Suppose if you actually flushed it out while draining it, might help prolong the water  heater's life... 50gail is a lot of water to be dumping into the backyard. Hope you've got a long garden hose!

Less water than the 80 that was there prior, lol.  I was under the impression hard water was only remedied by a softener as well.  I plan to ask my girlfriend’s dad, hes in the water treatment industry.

[Bionic]

1 hour ago, First-light said:

I'm surprised it worked with one element gone bad. I have a Marathon hot water heater once one element goes bad the unit shuts down. Glad you fixed it,  Have a nice shower!!

I am surprised it continued to heat as well, the unit has a screen, and it had a trouble code that said something about exceeded temperature limit, or something of that sort.  It would make sense for it to disable the elements if it was overheated lol, pretty stupid....and that water was rediculousy hot, scary hot.