I have already told you a possibility. Unless you have taken the element out yourself to check or have watched closely while it was being replaced to ensure it was installed with the curve pointing down. Unless whoever replaced the element knew that the curve must be pointing down they would have probably copied the way the old one was installed. Meaning if the element was installed wrong originally it would still be wrong now. If you were in Auckland I would have made an offer to you to come round and check the cylinder for free. I am a certifying Plumber and Gasfitter with 8 years experience doing mostly maintenance and repairs. While still working for the same company that I originally started my apprenticeship with. I am considering all of this extra training. (even a possible site visit) Therefore please keep this thread updated and report back with what the problem was when you get it sorted. Even if it was something completely different that was the cause. The only other things I can think of (but extremely unlikely to be the cause) are the wires not being joined to the thermostat terminals correctly causing the terminals to heat up. Or the bracket that holds the thermostat against the side of the cylinder not having enough tension. If either of these were the cause it should have been corrected when the thermostat was replaced. Consideringthe number of times an electrician has already checked the wiring on the cylinder. And replaced thermostats.
lythande1 - I don't like arguing with you but I am certain that an element that is upside down or the wrong way around is the cause of the problems with the OP cylinder. Especially since all of the common things have already been checked, the problem still remains and the OP wants to know if there is anything else that could be causing it. If you are aware of any other possible things that could cause the thermostat to trip then please say. I took exception to you implying that an element cant be incorrectly orientated in a Coopers cylinder. And then saying in a later post that you are aware that an incorrectly orientated element will cause a coopers cylinder to malfunction. This is of no help to the OP. It would have been a lot more fun if you had said "OP, could you check the element orientation so I can see if I am right or aredwood is right."
davea74,
Jan 22, 5:07pm
Fair call.If the element screws in, unless you mark the outside before you screw it in you would have no idea which position it ends up in.
favouriteseller,
Jan 26, 9:25pm
get it fixed !
halfpig7,
Jan 26, 9:44pm
just thought I would pop in a problem with my hot water.At the main box the trip keeps going off for the hot water when reset it will be ok for a few days then oops. Would I need a plumber or electrician!Can anyone advise me re good repairers! Many thanks
favouriteseller,
Jan 26, 9:48pm
the circuit breaker keeps tripping out at the switch board ! then yes, you will need an electrician , a fault which will get worse probably
halfpig7,
Jan 26, 11:08pm
Thank you favouriteseller, I will contact electrician this week. Anyone know of a goodreasonably priced electrician in Christchurch!
rojill,
Jan 27, 3:46am
From all the comments made I think that there is a very strong possibility that either the wrong type of element (straight and folded) has been usedOR that the correct bent element is fitted BUT it is pointing upwards. If a straight element fitted then the therm stat will sense the water temp at the level where the contents of the tank mix, (there will be relatively much cooler water below the themostatresulting it remaining switched on as it registers a cooler water temp The same scenario but even more so for the bent element if it is installed pointing upwards and the thermostat measures the water temp below it ! How can the thermostat switch off when the water temp surrounding it is cooler than the set on/offtemp even if the water temp above the element is well above the trigger temp ! Check the element is the correct type and is installed correctly.
liggy2,
Jan 27, 4:40am
Yes the element is corroded and shorting and needs replacing.
davea74,
Jan 27, 6:00am
Lol, could be a wiring short, element problem, faulty circuit breaker, or anything in the circuit.Quite likely an element, but a sparky needs to check it.
woodhouse_elect,
Jan 27, 8:15am
Aw thankyou - the problem sounds like an element on its way out - most likely split and absorbing water.Boils the water out then shorting out.
jaffa77,
Jan 27, 9:25am
Regarding the problem of the reset on my hot water continually tripping even after the thermostat had been replaced twice . I tried an experiment and turned the thermostat down from approx 63 to 60 and the reset hasn't tripped since. This is interesting as the specs say that the safety cut-out is set at 85 degrees. The thermostat can't be turned up past about 67 degrees which means that even if you turned it up to its max temp it would still be 18 degrees below the temp at which the safety cut-out kicks in.
I suspect that my first theromostat may have developped a fault. The second one may well have been fine if it had been set to 60 instead of 63. And I certainly didn't need a new element. So far the bills total $700 and I still have one more to come in so all up this will be about $900. I am not a happy camper. No wonder neither the plumber nor the 2 electricians could not find a fault - simply because there wasn't one. I am still debating what to do next in terms of seeking redress for this as I think that I have incurred a lot of unneccessary expenditure due to the product supplied not working as spec'd. I am also wondering about asking for another thermostat - one that you can turn right up to the max temp on the dial without the safety cut-out tripping the reset. I want to sell my house quite soon and really don't want to sell it with a dodgy hot water system.
aredwood,
Jan 27, 11:42am
Have you actually checked the element orientation as metioned by myself and rojill! I only rarely come accross hot water faults that turn out to be a faulty thermostat. Therefore I don't believe that you have managed to get 3 faulty thermostats in a row.
davea74,
Jan 27, 5:40pm
Most likely yes, but needs checking by a sparky as suggested.
lythande1,
Jan 27, 7:33pm
neither. I had asked husband about this, he's the plumber. As you say, the Coopers, but still, after 3 years! Anyway, I've read her latest post and I'm not the actual plumber.
jaffa77,
Jan 28, 8:46am
I have no idea how I might check the orientation of the element. Even if it was wrong, it's weird that it should have worked fine for 3 years.
woodhouse_elect,
Jan 29, 8:30am
It was a split element:test, drain (off to wholesalers while draining for correct element), replace and test.All done in 2hrs and just over $200.
woodhouse_elect,
Jan 29, 8:34am
For jaffa77 the only way to check the orientation of the element is to remove it and look at it as it comes out (requires isolating cylinder and running off all hot water).The only ones I have worked on that have that issue have 4 bolts holding the boss on, the element should be side to side not up and down.
aredwood,
Jan 30, 9:22am
Empty water out of cylinder, disconnect wiring to element, Undo large brass ring on element boss, wriggle element until it pops out, Check it is pointing the same way as the bottom element in the cutaway picture on page 1http://www.hjcooper.co.nz/brochures/downloads/hjcooper_premi um_mains.pdf When reinstalling put a little Vineoleo (sp!) grease on the black gasket and the threads to make re installation easier. (same grease used on taps) or Plumbers graphite grease. Watch element terminals when re tightening brass ring to ensure element doesn't accidentally rotate while tightening.
Recommend you get a plumber or electrician to do the above.
jaffa77,
Jan 30, 10:14am
If I decide to follow up the suggestion of checking the element orientation I will certainly get an electrician or plumber to do it. Right now I am over the whole thing - $700 in actual costs with another bill yet to come is a lot of money and this doesn't include the time I had to take off work when the tradies were here which I didn't get paid for.
jaffa77,
Jan 30, 10:18am
I found this comment in another thread titled something like 'Cooper main pressure thermostat':
"We do housing company work, and have replaced so many Coopers that they no longer use their cylinders. We believe that the safety cutout was to close to the maximun temp setting, so it would trip out and require maunal resetting. The first few Coopers paid us for, then obviously realised a major problem and stopped warrenty claims."
The fact that my reset has not tripped since I turned the temperature down a couple of degrees seems to match the description above.
halfpig7,
Feb 3, 10:21am
Thank you davea74, we contacted Woodhouse Electricals and the following day the problem was solved and a new part fitted.Would use again without a doubt.
210sback,
Feb 4, 8:28am
ok why would an element fault cause the thermostat trip on over temp!thermostat reset does nothing except over temperature cut out,just change the thermostat for one without a reset.if the element has a fault the circuit breaker will pick it up.
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