Water Heater Help

[creekmonkey]

This may be an easy answer, but I’m not very experienced with plumbing. I have a water heater that keeps tripping the breaker. It’s at a family cabin that is used only a few times a year. I’ve replaced the breaker but it still trips. It’s trips it whether there is water in it or not. Any ideas?

[lebrunc]

If your breaker keeps tripping it’s more than likely a short in your wiring or the tank. Check all your connections for loose or broken wires. If nothing is visible there you might want to trace the circuit, if possible, and look for bare or abraded wires which might be causing the short. What kind of shape is your heating element/tank in? Whatever you do make sure the breaker is off before you start playing with the wires or else you’re in for a shocking experience.

[Selgas]

Seems to me like the cable feeding the water heater may be too light and is overheating when the load is switched on through it – I would suspect this to be the case if it has done this ever since it was first installed.
If it is happening after a considerable period from initial installation I would check the cable for rodent attack spots as it is likely if the residence is not regularly used then perhaps a mouse or something has chewed the cable causing a short in the wiring.
If the thermostat in the water heater has “blown” or go to open circuit then this would cause a circuit breaker to trip as well, have this tested first before doing anything else.

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Selgas Services Ltd
Craftsman Gasfitters, Plumbers, Electrical Service Technicians

[GarySlusser]

And stop turning on the power when there’s no water in the/a heater! That may have fried your wiring (inside the heater’s skin).

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Author]

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