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  1. #1
    Kenneth Wantzloeben's Avatar
    Kenneth Wantzloeben Guest

    Default Dual Water Heaters

    Have a question about my dual water heaters which has me puzzled.

    Both heaters are the same size and age and appear to be connected in series. When flushing the tanks, the water draining from the one with the cold water supply coming into from the street-side, was cold or at best barely lukewarm. Whereas, the water draining from the other tank was hot. I was expecting both to drain hot water. I checked the thermostat setting on the first tank and found both upper and lower heaters set at 125F. Could it be that one tank has an inoperable heating element or is what I experienced normal?

    Appreciate your help and comments.

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Charlotte NC
    Posts
    2,304

    Default Re: Dual Water Heaters

    Quote Originally Posted by Kenneth Wantzloeben View Post
    Have a question about my dual water heaters which has me puzzled.

    Both heaters are the same size and age and appear to be connected in series. When flushing the tanks, the water draining from the one with the cold water supply coming into from the street-side, was cold or at best barely lukewarm. Whereas, the water draining from the other tank was hot. I was expecting both to drain hot water. I checked the thermostat setting on the first tank and found both upper and lower heaters set at 125F. Could it be that one tank has an inoperable heating element or is what I experienced normal?

    Appreciate your help and comments.
    It sounds like the top element in the first water heater is bad. Testing with a meter is the only sure way to know and should only be done by experienced professional. If you put your ear to the water heater near the top element you should hear the water heating if it is working.

    The beatings will continue until morale has improved. mgt.

  3. #3
    Kenneth Wantzloeben's Avatar
    Kenneth Wantzloeben Guest

    Default Re: Dual Water Heaters

    Quote Originally Posted by Vern Heiler View Post
    It sounds like the top element in the first water heater is bad. Testing with a meter is the only sure way to know and should only be done by experienced professional. If you put your ear to the water heater near the top element you should hear the water heating if it is working.
    I will certainly do that. Thank you for the suggestion.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    274

    Default Re: Dual Water Heaters

    Make sure the power is on, I've seen where plumbers switch the power off to both when doing work, only to switch one back on out of habit. If you have power try hitting the red reset button on the thermostat.

    If I remember right you will have to run some hot water to get the top element to kick on as it heats when cold water enters, don't remember all the details, the bottom one finishes the heating process and maintains the tank temperature. But yup, if the top one is dead the bottom one won't work, in most cases.



  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Charlotte NC
    Posts
    2,304

    Default Re: Dual Water Heaters

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Kleisch View Post
    Make sure the power is on, I've seen where plumbers switch the power off to both when doing work, only to switch one back on out of habit. If you have power try hitting the red reset button on the thermostat.

    If I remember right you will have to run some hot water to get the top element to kick on as it heats when cold water enters, don't remember all the details, the bottom one finishes the heating process and maintains the tank temperature. But yup, if the top one is dead the bottom one won't work, in most cases.
    Good point to check the switches, with two water heaters some people will leave the first in line turned off to save energy and only turn it on during high demand period, like holiday company.

    The lower element only receives power if the top element sensor is at the set temperature. When the top of the tank reaches the top element set temp, the double pole double through switch in the control switches power from the top to the bottom. Only one element powered at a time.

    The beatings will continue until morale has improved. mgt.

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