Water in my house is Very Hot! What is wrong?!

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flyboy718

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Ok. I have a State Select 50 gallon electric water heater that is ten years old and as far as I know has never had anything done to it. We are the third owners. Model is: ES652DORTW What is causing the water to be so hot!? We just noticed it for the last few days. How do I fix it?
 

Smooky

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Do you have a mixing valve at the hot water heater that blends hot and cold water or does the hot water from the heater go straight to the fixtures? The mixing valve may have failed..... If the electric hot water heater just got hot and no one messed with it, one of the thermostats or elements could be bad or the thermostat is not tight against the tank etc. Turning the temperature down is very easy if it has always been too hot and you just want to lower the temp. But if there is a failure of some sort, it is a lot easier and probably cheaper to just call a plumber. Testing an electric hot water heater can be dangerous. It is an easy fix for any plumber and doesn't usually cost too much.
 
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flyboy718

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Do you have a mixing valve at the hot water heater that blends hot and cold water or does the hot water from the heater go straight to the fixtures? The mixing valve may have failed..... If the electric hot water heater just got hot and no one messed with it, one of the thermostats or elements could be bad etc. Turning the temperature down is very easy if it has always been too hot and you just want to lower the temp. But if there is a failure of some sort, it is a lot easier and probably cheaper to just call a plumber. Testing an electric hot water heater can be dangerous. It is an easy fix for any plumber and doesn't usually cost too much.
I'm a pretty handy guy...pretty sure I can troubleshoot it or replace a thermostat
 

Terry

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I would look at the thermostats. A faulty one will allow the elements to heat non-stop. Normally the elements are on only long enough to to maintain the preset temperature.
 

flyboy718

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Update Guys: Got continuity on both my heater elements and I have power coming to both thermostats. I see the switch opening and closing on each thermostat when I turn up the heat and call for power. When they are both satisfied there is no power going to the elements form the thermostats. Seems everything has checked out. Now that's all pending that I have an understanding of the wiring which I am not 100% on it. I have attached pictures of the upper thermostat and the lower thermostat. If yall could help me with telling me where I should be seeing power where. Both elements I disconnected the wires and checked for continuity and I have confirmed that on both. I also audibly heard both thermostats kick the heat on when I turned them to a hotter setting and I have heard them go off when I place it back on original setting. My voltage reading was 240 everywhere that I saw power. Should it be 120 instead of 240...it appears that only one side of the 240 comes down to the elements?
 

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Reach4

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If the top thermostat is cool, the top element is turned on. If the top thermostat is not cool, the power is passed down to the lower thermostat, which would turn on power to the lower element if the bottom thermostat is cool.
There should be 240 VAC between these terminals, ... On when, comment:
L1 - L3, Always, From breaker box
T2 - T4, If top is cool, turn Top element on
L4 - T4, If top not cool, pass power to lower thermostat

You should never have 240VAC between T2 - T4 and L4 - T4 at the same time.
img_2.jpg
 

flyboy718

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If the top thermostat is cool, the top element is turned on. If the top thermostat is not cool, the power is passed down to the lower thermostat, which would turn on power to the lower element if the bottom thermostat is cool.
There should be 240 VAC between these terminals, ... On when, comment:
L1 - L3, Always, From breaker box
T2 - T4, If top is cool, turn Top element on
L4 - T4, If top not cool, pass power to lower thermostat

You should never have 240VAC between T2 - T4 and L4 - T4 at the same time.
Ok. I am walking with you...I will check this when I get home. Thanks!
 

Jadnashua

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To stop power, you just need to break the circuit and with 240vac, they often don't switch both legs, since opening either one will prevent current from flowing. This can be misleading, depending on how you measure.
 

hj

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quote;
This can be misleading, depending on how you measure.


It can also be dangerous if you do NOT know that half the circuit is still energized. In addition, there will be 240 v between L4 and the terminal below L1, (ab0ve T2), UNLESS the ECO, (the red button), has popped out because of extreme hot water.
 

hj

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Actually, when water gets extremely hot, it is often because the lower element has burned out, but has done it in such a way that it does NOT short out, but rather has bypassed the thermostat and is operating on 120v CONTINUOUSLY, until the ECO/red button pops out.
 

flyboy718

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Well for the last two nights I haven't had a chance to get back out there and mess with it. However, the water is not as hot anymore. Also, the ECO has not popped out either. I will be able to take a look at it again this evening.
 

hj

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Check the lower element for current draw, both wires, not ohms. It may have gone completely bad so it is no longer overheating the water if that was the original problem.
 
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