Replaced Water Heater Element-Still No Hot Water

[ZekenSpider]

The switch assembly on the left is the Over Temp switch when operating on propane. It kills the 12 VDC to the gas solenoid if the water temp gets too high. The switch on the right is the Over Temp switch when operating on 120 VAC and kills power to the heating element if the water temp gets too high. The small wire that melted (the one the burned open for you and that you replaced) carries all of the 120 VAC heater element current and would likely melt before the 120 V, 20 Amp circuit breaker would trip. I do think that it burned because of the heater element short.

Heater element failure can be either burned "open" (no short) or burned "shorted". It is a random type of event so the failure would not always burn the jumper you found melted.

Good information. It helps arm me with more information for my future trouble shooting.

Jerry

[Speckul8r]

You may want to put a "bubble cover" over your new 30 amp receptacle. Will keep the rain out when you are plugged in. Lowes has 'em.

[girlbugspoppa]

Originally Posted by Speckul8r

You may want to put a "bubble cover" over your new 30 amp receptacle. Will keep the rain out when you are plugged in. Lowes has 'em.

Good idea! Thanks!

I am in the same boat, no power to the wires going into the element. Breakers ok, reset switch above the element not popped. It runs fine on gas and worked last fall.
How do you get the little on off switch out??
Not sure where the burned through wire was but would like to know.
thanks! Roger

I finally got mine apart and it looks exactly like yours. Does anyone know if this is a fusable link or could I just solder a piece of wire to each end and restore it.

I still don't know if my heater element is dead as I don't have a meter, only a little circuit tester bulb.

Will be going out to buy a tester before replacing my element.

I went to a local RV repair place and they informed me the wire between the two parts of the overtemp switch is a fusible link and the part must be replaced. They also confirmed that it almost always happened when the heater element shorted out.
I bought a new heater element and switch but can't get the element out. The local RV place recommended light tapping and the application of some heat. The also told me that forcing it will ruin the tank.
I will play with it a little longer but have resigned myself to using gas. As we mostly wash dishes and take few showers on board this shouldn't be a big cost.

If anyone has a better way to get the heater element out I would appreciate hearing from them. I bought a water heater element removing tool at the local hardware for $8.

[Speckul8r]

Gas is cheap and easy. If you get over frustrated taking it out, I'd go that way. Also, there is a product called Sili-Kroil by Kano labs that is by far the best penetrating oil out there. http://www.kanolabs.com/
I have a pair of glasses that are 250+ years old. Hand made screw. When I wanted to put my prescription in them, of course, the screws would not come out and the optometrist wouldn't touch 'em. Let 'em soak in a petri dish over night with this stuff and the next morning they came out like brand new. Since then, I have used the stuff on everything imaginable, guns, cars,etc., and it has never let me down.

[girlbugspoppa]

Originally Posted by RogerR

I went to a local RV repair place and they informed me the wire between the two parts of the overtemp switch is a fusible link and the part must be replaced. They also confirmed that it almost always happened when the heater element shorted out.
I bought a new heater element and switch but can't get the element out. The local RV place recommended light tapping and the application of some heat. The also told me that forcing it will ruin the tank.
I will play with it a little longer but have resigned myself to using gas. As we mostly wash dishes and take few showers on board this shouldn't be a big cost.

If anyone has a better way to get the heater element out I would appreciate hearing from them. I bought a water heater element removing tool at the local hardware for $8.

We used gas for the last 3 trips before we got this fixed. I really have no problem with gas vs. electricity, except of course the electric is included in your campsite fee. We camped this past week at a small park 15 miles from us and it was nice to just turn on the outside switch and have hot water without lighting the gas. I bought the same element removal tool you used and the element came out pretty easily. I think I would try the penetrating oil that was suggested and see if that helps.Still, If the element is that hard to get out I'd rather use the propane than risk ruining the tank.

[Bill]

A little penetrating oil couldn't hurt, but if it works, make sure that none of it gets into the tank. Before screwing the new element in, clean off the tank threads really well, probably using soap and water followed by a really good rinse. The taste of petroleum-based oil lingers for a long time.

Perhaps on this board, I have read - and I have found - that when trying to remove a really stubborn threaded bolt, for example, that you should try to work the bolt in both directions, tighten and loosen. Sometimes it will move just a hair in the tighten direction, which starts to break the bond. Then go back and move it in the loosen direction, then back to tighten, and so forth. At each reversal, you gain slightly more movement, until suddenly it breaks free.

Like GirlBugsPoppa, I've used the water heater wrench with good results. It takes a pretty long rod to get enough leverage. I think I used a sixteen-inch screwdriver, with about a foot of it sticking out of the wrench body.

Good luck

Bill

[mjlaupp]

Originally Posted by Bill

....I've used the water heater wrench with good results. It takes a pretty long rod to get enough leverage. I think I used a sixteen-inch screwdriver, with about a foot of it sticking out of the wrench body.....

Add to the above: While putting pressure on the wrench with the screwdriver, tap lightly on the end of the wrench with a hammer. This is a poor man's impact wrench.