Hi, Our hot water isn't very hot at the moment - noticed today. Certainly not as hot as it normally is. Would describe it as 'luke warm'. Flow seems to be normal - am wondering if I should be calling a plumber or a sparky? Any thoughts appreciated.
cabrio1,
Jul 20, 6:21am
I recon your elements burned out or on the way out. Happened to ours recently. Might be already gone and hot water is now running out. Have you checked the circuit breaker on the fuse board. Cost me $120 I think to buy a new element, fitted it myself with a tool borrowed from local plumbers shop.
nzvanfan,
Jul 20, 6:25am
Cheers - circuit breaker is fine so I'm thinking it's the element as well. Had you noticed anything else prior to it going?
cabrio1,
Jul 20, 6:31am
Circuit breaker popped once but reset. Water just got warm then eventually stopped getting warm altogether. Pulled the element and it was shot, surprised it worked at all. How long has it been in there?
bill1451,
Jul 20, 6:34am
If its not the element it will be your thermostat.
tsjcf,
Jul 20, 6:38am
Generally you will have two circuit breakers to check one in the meter board and one in your switch board then check the switch in the HW cupboard is on this leaves the thermostat and the element check the thermostat by turning it up and down to see if you can hear it closing this leaves the element to check really need a multimeter for that. The other thing to check is your ripple relay is on in the meter board.
nzvanfan,
Jul 20, 6:42am
Think it was installed late 2006. Normally hear it boiling away quite loudly but can't recall hearing that today. Will give a sparky a call in the morning I think.
ryanm2,
Jul 20, 6:47am
If you have a multi meter (even a $10 jobby) you can diagnose yourself. It could be a number of things - element, t/stat, local isolator, mcb (faulty), faulty relay or even your power co playing with you. If you are with Meridian your chances are quite high the problem is at their end.
vivac,
Jul 20, 6:57am
First thing you need to do is grab the hot pipe coming out of the top of the cylinder. If it is hot but only getting cold at the the tap its the ajax valve and that's a plumber job. If its not hot the next port of call is the thermostat, turn it right down then up, does it click in and out, no clicks thermostat gone, if it does click in and out check the temp is set correctly. Last port of call is the element, clamp the wire from the thermostat and check the current being drawn, 13A for a 3Kw element, 8.5 for a 2Kw. Any less will show a partially blown or blown element.
nzvanfan,
Jul 20, 7:02am
Can hear it trying to boil now - sounds quite weak compared to what I'd normally hear. Will dig out the multi meter in the morning from the shed and see what I can tell. Can't get to the hot pipe at the top with any great ease but the pipes down the side I can reach feel a bit warm where I'd expect them to be warm - can't recall what they have felt like in the past. Am starting to suspect it's a partially blown / soon to be blown element based on the advice you've provided.
aredwood,
Nov 17, 10:58pm
If you have a tempering valve then it is probably that. Turn hot tap on. Feel pipe between cylinder outlet and tempering valve. If that pipe is hot yet water from tap is only warm. Then tempering valve has failed. Call a plumber to replace. If the tempering valve has been threaded directly into side of cylinder almost guaranteed to be stuffed. Get plumber to replace the tempering valve and make sure he installs a section of copper pipe between the tempering valve and the cylinder outlet. The plumbing regs don't allow tempering valves to be threaded directly into cylinder outlets anymore.
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