FULLY Understanding How Electric Water Heater Thermostats Work

[@gartar3347]

Thank you for explaining how a water heater thermostat works. Enjoyed watching your video.

[@electronicsNmore]

Thank You! Be sure to rate Thumbs Up, and share my videos with others.

[@BullyMolosserMart]

Thank you so much for opening it up and showing the inside. I had been looking to see how it's laid out inside... thank you!!! Great help.

[@electronicsNmore]

Your welcome! Be sure to share, and rate a thumbs up. Thank You

[@johngalt5268]

Thank you. Exactly what I was trying to find out.

[@aleister9995]

Great video, thanks I thought it would take me hours to learn this.

[@koaasst]

i have my 'thermo-o-disk' sitting here wondering how it works! glad you made this video man

[@electronicsNmore]

Glad you enjoyed the video! I have a lot of excellent videos on my channel that cover many different subjects, so be sure to check out my extensive video playlists for other videos of interest to you, rate thumbs up, and share my channel with others. Thank You

[@36000408]

Thanks! I just changed the thermostats in my hot water heater and was wondering how they worked!

[@electronicsNmore]

Thanks For Watching!

[@someshsahu4638]

Very nice explanation thankyou so much sir 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@electronicsNmore]

Thanks, and you're welcome!

[@mohammedsulieman5992]

Thank you for the useful video ❤🙏🏽

[@SkurzStang]

I was playing around with a hot water tank today and I just gotta know how everything works! Thanks for the video.

[@electronicsNmore]

The Skurz You're welcome! Please share my videos with others and rate thumbs up.

[@begood9423]

Perfect explanation

[@northerntranquility1614]

Great video, explained it perfectly one question would this work for a 12 volt heating element want to make a water heater for solar .Its mechanical so I couldn't see why not .Thanks again Dale

[@electronicsNmore]

Yes, but if you reset it often the contacts may wear out.

[@jwchitwood]

Like it, simple and to the point.

[@electronicsNmore]

Great to hear Jon! Be sure to look over my video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites. Thank you kzbin.infoplaylists

[@1973jdmc]

You are just BRILLIANT- thank you

[@electronicsNmore]

Glad you enjoyed the video! I have a lot of excellent videos on my channel that cover many different subjects, so be sure to check out my extensive video playlists for other videos of interest to you, rate thumbs up, and share my channel with others. Thank You

[@usmcmario5032]

thank you for the explaination very well done

[@electronicsNmore]

You're welcome Mario! Be sure to share my channel with many others, and look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you. Thank you kzbin.infoplaylists

[@ZR1Terror]

Wow, thanks a lot for this video. I always found water heater thermostats intimidating. Not anymore

[@electronicsNmore]

You're welcome! Be sure to rate thumbs up, share my channel with others, subscribe, and check out my extensive video playlists.

[@TymerTopCat]

Good explanation of how they work. But more important is how or why do they fail? What is the usual case of failure? Is it the button with 2 metals that fails? The plastic button that presses the other contacts?

[@electronicsNmore]

The contact points get worn out due to arcing when the load is connected and disconnected. Thanks for watching!

[@GunClingingPalin]

TYVM brother. Salute.

[@electronicsNmore]

@@GunClingingPalin You're welcome! Also be sure to check out my extensive video playlists for many other videos of interest to you. Thanks for watching

[@kingofkisses2008]

Great job as usual, keep it up.

[@electronicsNmore]

Be sure to share my channel with many others, that's what keeps it going. Thanks!

[@GalaXy808]

Thanks for showing. Very nice video

[@electronicsNmore]

Your welcome!

[@firstreviewer8966]

Thank You, Well Done! FR

[@aterack833]

any idea how to adjust the temperature on the disks and the ones where a tab is formed in the center? trying to make my kettle i just bought not so hot

[@FrankParadiso-j4i]

Can you install a top thermostat on the bottom element? Thanks

[@HeilmanHackatronics]

You may have mentioned it, but what is the current rating of this switch?

[@electronicsNmore]

15 to 20 amps.

[@HeilmanHackatronics]

Thanks, great video btw.

[@electronicsNmore]

Your welcome Matt. Check out my video playlists as well.

[@chaseharris7556]

By the way, love your videos!

[@sagitario12ish]

God bless you for your videos, thanks a lot.

[@electronicsNmore]

Your welcome. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@quixmith]

outstanding video, shared this on my FB. cheers

[@electronicsNmore]

Adrian Smith Thanks Adrian!

[@fishwanda]

I need to buy some time. Calcium was built up on the heating elements but i suspect the thermostat is too. Can i clean it at all?

[@karrinaveen7983]

can you comment on the conductivity and resistance of the materials used?

[@manueljosefelix3361]

Thank you it was very helpful

[@electronicsNmore]

Great to hear! Be sure to check out my extensive video playlists, rate thumbs up, and share my channel with others. Thank You

[@kuldeepblaser]

Thanks a lot...really liked it...:) I am having a trouble with my electric hot well sandwich station...Whenever I try to increase the temperature, it start beeping and one light starts blinking which says ADD MORE WATER...even though it have enough water. So I am bit confuse where is the problem? Will be very Thankful if you can help...:)

[@electronicsNmore]

+Kuldeep Blaser Hi there. I am unfamiliar with that appliance/device. Sounds like a faulty temperature sensor(first) or thermostat(second). Check/replace those first. As a last resort the main control board could be faulty.

[@aterack833]

need more videos like this, explaining theory never works because they fail to explain which part they are talking about (not just for plumbing and heating things)

[@billvance8995]

I have added a lower (only two wire) thermostat to turn on/off a circulating pump which circulates hot water from my outside wood burner into the water heater. Essentially I am using the water tank as a reservoir.When I am not using the wood burner this circuit is taken out of play and electric is restored to the water heater and normal function resumes. My question is I am doubting whether my added thermostat is working. I get 120 volts between the two terminals when the pump is not running, but when the pump comes on I get essentially no voltage between the two terminals. Is this correct??

[@electronicsNmore]

Bill Vance Remove the thermostat and using a continuity setting on your digital multimeter, test between the 2 screws. Try cold, then heat it up with a hair dryer.

[@chaseharris7556]

Hi quick question, I'm trouble shooting a water heater problem at my house and when I check for continuity, I have it when the temperature is all the way up AND all the way down on both thermostats. I also have a resistance reading of 0.00 on the lower element and a reading of 50.00 on the upper element. Any advice? I'm stumped.

[@electronicsNmore]

Not right. remove the wires on each heating element and retest. Also try another DMM to be sure the meter is working properly. If the water inside the tank is below the lowest setting on the thermostat(usually 90 deg F), then the thermostat will be on regardless of the temp setting.

[@EliasDaoud]

Thanks

[@electronicsNmore]

You're welcome! Be sure to rate thumbs up, and look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you. Taking one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites would be greatly appreciated. Thank you kzbin.infoplaylists

[@kevinwilliams7949]

What materials/metals are in the actual thermostats? I know there are silver contact pads but not sure of the other metals.

[@electronicsNmore]

Bi-metal discs are usually made of Iron, chrome, nickel, and/or copper. Thanks for watching! Please share.

[@logan3456]

I'm planning to build an solar food dehydrator and I'd to put in small cpu fan to cool if the heat gets to high.Which cook what I'm drying So what is the lowest voltage I could use,like use small solar panel Fun idea I think thank you

[@bgregg55]

Those stats can become intermittent. Sometimes acting normally & sometimes allowing the water to heat up much hotter & even tripping the hi-limit switch. Just replaced my bottom stat with exactly that behavior.

[@ianbutler1983]

Well done, thanks.

[@electronicsNmore]

+Ian Butler Thanks Ian!

[@TheChipmunk2008]

Upper thermostat you mention... do US water heaters have 2 elements and the upper one switches between them or something? When electric water heating was common in the UK, you'd often get tanks with 2 elements or a long/short element if it came in from the top. I believe though they had a MANUAL changeover so you could select manually whether to heat the entire tank or not. I am guessing the upper one comes on first, then when it has, the lower kicks on as the upper stat switches over to it, thus providing a smaller amount of hot water quickly? Or am I way off the mark?

[@electronicsNmore]

Yes. The upper thermostat allows power to flow to the lower thermostat when the upper thermostat turns off the upper element.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

Thanks! Sensible way of wiring it :)

[@bryanbyrd9770]

Thanks for your high quality videos. I replaced an upper element following your analysis tips, and it needed it--corroded, bent, and the two sides touching. In testing it, got no continuity or ohms. Had no power to the lower element, which was confusing. After replacing the upper element, I checked the voltage on the lower, and I get no voltage across the screws, but going from a screw to the tank, I get 120V on each screw. Is that proper until the upper element finishes, as you state above? and suddenly 240V appears on the lower element? Is the lower element just used to keep the water warm, or why don't they work together? Many thanks.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

Bryan Byrd I'm not the poster (obviously!) but given the way the thermostat seems to work, that would be correct, the 120v is from one leg of the supply and is present on both terminals of the lower element because the top one is switched in so the second phase isn't connected to the lower at all. I am guessing here, but I'd imagine the elements don't work together to reduce the electrical load of the heater.

[@joeynebulous816]

In the UK, most dual element tanks are in economy 7 meter homes (or ex eco 7 homes). The bottom element is usually powered on when the economy 7 period starts (sometimes called restricted) and powers off automatically when the water is up to temp or when the economy 7 period ends. The middle element is used as a booster - this is connected to a constant unrestricted supply that the user can turn on and off at will. Economy 7 is used at night in all electric homes for cheaper electric, storage heating is commonly used with eco 7) The tanks that have a single element near the top are generally used as a backup in case the boiler breaks down. The user can still have hot water, even if it's more expensive to heat some of the tank

[@arkrainflood]

i have one that is defective, thermo switch never closes. what element has broken?

[@tlotlangsetlhoka3589]

Hello i got plumbers to install a new geyser for me and when i set the thermo start to hotter it still takes 3 hours to heat water to hot but not boiling hot. what could be wrong?

[@electronicsNmore]

Maybe the wrong input voltage. If it operates at 240V and you're supply 120v, then that's the problem.

[@catchthis714]

My electric water heater line sprung a leak and water ran down my unit,I've let it dry out for a week are the thermostat capable of drying out with in that week waiting period?

[@electronicsNmore]

remove the (2) screws and open up the small panel to check. You can remove the thermostat and shake it hard to see if any water comes out. Of course the power would be turned off first.

[@catchthis714]

@@electronicsNmore ok,thanks for the feed back.

[@x_DEUS_VULT_x]

👍

[@scriptvtr]

What is the difference in temperature between when the thermostat turns ON the heating element and when the thermostat turns OFF the element? For example, if the thermostat is set for 125F at what temperature will the element come on and at what temperature will it turn off?

[@electronicsNmore]

Once the thermostat triggers(turning off the heating element), it will stay powered off until the temp drops low enough to reset the bi-metal disc, which is probably around 5 degrees.

[@CSSIandAssociate]

Thanks as always have you replaced the anode before? If so do they come easy and when do you think is a good time to start checking?

[@electronicsNmore]

Only once did I remove the anode. It takes a very long time to corrode, unless your water is not so good. They certainly do a good job at preventing the tank from getting corroded.

[@CSSIandAssociate]

Excellent thanks...

[@h37kwh]

hi . I am having a problem. I have checked the resistance of both elements, and on both thermostats, I have 240 volts coming in the top and have power to all terminals. From what I have seen on here, there should only be power to one element at a time. but yet when I touch the ring of the element and either pole of the element I am getting 120 volts. All parts are new. Please help

[@electronicsNmore]

You need to measure voltage ACROSS both terminals. You cannot test the voltage between one screw and ground.

[@senglockwong707]

hi I need your help.my with reset and test buttons on the heater itself.but I can't reset it is keep pressing but no respond.can pls tell me what should I do?thank in advance.

[@electronicsNmore]

If the water inside the heater isn't hot, then the upper thermostat with the button needs to be replaced.

[@whoshotya415]

My lower thermostate keeps burning out I have replaced the top and bottom thermostate. Both my elements has continuity. Do you know what may be causing it to burn out. (Lower thermostate)

[@electronicsNmore]

Larry De Vaughn The only way a thermostat will "Burn Out" is by using a heating element which is rated much higher current than the thermostat can handle. I doubt it though, because usually the circuit breaker would trip. I don't think your thermostat is the problem. You are missing something, or not testing the heater correctly. Refer to my other video. Link is in the video description area. Thanks.

[@stephenheaton8889]

Would a thermostat and a element be safe option for a parts washer?

[@electronicsNmore]

Better off with a crock pot.

[@stephenheaton8889]

@@electronicsNmore please explain. Thanks for the response

[@electronicsNmore]

@@stephenheaton8889 Nothing to explain. You were looking to make a parts cleaner using a thermostat and heating element, you're better off just using a crock pot.

[@stephenheaton8889]

@@electronicsNmore I have a large parts cleaner 20 gallon. Want to heat it

[@ronaldoshakir31]

Great info... THANKS...

[@electronicsNmore]

Thanks! Be sure to share my videos with others

[@shivamgupta-xy9rn]

Does such a thermostat comes with 100-500 deg celsius temp range and can hold upto 1000Watt load?

[@electronicsNmore]

Try a Google search with the words, "Bimetal disc thermostat celsius".

[@themangyanprojectstudio8657]

Hi. thanks for a great video.Hope you can help me with my problem.I'm using kinghatcher electronic thermostat.I set it to 35 degree celsius.My digital thermometer is reading over 40 already.The thermostat is supposedly switching off right?and when the temperature is below 35, it should switching back on right?but it's not. Is my thermometer not working as it should?

[@electronicsNmore]

+Leween Aguiflor Hello there. Sounds like a faulty thermostat. Replace the thermostat. Thanks For Watching!

[@michaelpmccullough]

Thanks so much.

[@electronicsNmore]

Your welcome!

[@senglockwong707]

thank you will check it out.

[@drewbush6535]

So I can use an ohm and adjust thermos that it should go on and off

[@electronicsNmore]

Hi Drew. You can use either a continuity alarm setting or low resistance range to test the thermostat. Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists for other great videos of interest to you and most importantly share. Thanks!

[@francesco2802]

thumbs up it is....Thank-you...

[@randydugger3221]

mine as soon as power is applied kicks the breaker, I've checked wiring is ok

[@electronicsNmore]

Faulty element or shorted wire.

[@markmaue4861]

Randy Dugger check for continuity between the steel tank and your element, if there is then your element is grounded or in contact with the steel tank.

[@AgentOffice]

Both can't turn on?

[@electronicsNmore]

They cycle. Upper and lower heating elements won't be on the same time.

[@geojor]

thanks...

[@electronicsNmore]

You're welcome. Glad you enjoy my videos. Please share my channel with others. Thank You!

[@randydugger3221]

any help would be much appreciated

[@BillNunamaker-gu1wc]

Greatb

[@kennymangal2124]

thumbs up

[@electronicsNmore]

Thanks Kenny

[@Webedunn]

It’s not a “hot water heater” if the water was already hot, why heat it?😂 I’m just busting your b-lls.

[@Freefallpilot65]

If the water's hot why do you have to heat it? It's a water heater not a hot water heater

[@electronicsNmore]

Some people aren't smart enough to realize that when the water temperature is set for 120 and then it drops to 110 which is still hot, the heater has to turn on the heating element to heat the already hot water to a hotter temperature. Is there anything else you'd like to know?

[@dineshth6711]

Thank you, sir

[@electronicsNmore]

Most welcome