jgrimes227
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Background: 55 gallon AO Smith water heater with two 4500 Watt heating elements goes belly up (tank starts leaking). It was 18 years old. Additionally, we had lots of very bad water hammer. Installed two 24" x 1" water hammer tubes (home built) with drain on the top, drain at the bottom and controlled by ball valves to be able to drain them and recharge them with air. Also installed pressure regulator to bring down the near 80 lbs psi to 40 lbs. Ok - about this time the tank begins leaking - which didn't seem to be related to anything other than age of the tank.
Purchased a far more efficicient 66 gallon Kenmore with a 3500 watt upper element, same on the bottom but strappable to 5000 which I did. It is on a 30 amp breaker and works fine without tripping. I put the tank in with unions and changed out the old cold water gate valve for a ball valve and retrofitted the plastic tank drain valve with a ball valve and a hose connector to make periodic draining of sediment a piece of cake.
Now the problem: I get the proper temperature water initially, but it runs out like in 3-5 minutes. Even the hot water pipe exiting the tank gets very UN-HOT, even after some minutes. I have checked for AC current to both elements - 220V - OK. I have disconnected the wiring at both elements and checked continuity - fine!! The unions I used to make things easier and to make damned sure no heat got to the plastic back-flow? valve on the hot water outlet. Being as this is a brand new unit and while I am classified as a Harry Homeowner - I have installed these things before and have never burned up an element and up until now was always successful in my efforts.
The only thing I can think of is faulty thermostats out of the factory - but those things are pretty simple devices, not to say they can't be faulty, but I could certainly use someone elses opinion on what I might be missing.
I will be calling Sears in the AM - for warranty check-up but would sure like to know what your take is on my problem.
John
Purchased a far more efficicient 66 gallon Kenmore with a 3500 watt upper element, same on the bottom but strappable to 5000 which I did. It is on a 30 amp breaker and works fine without tripping. I put the tank in with unions and changed out the old cold water gate valve for a ball valve and retrofitted the plastic tank drain valve with a ball valve and a hose connector to make periodic draining of sediment a piece of cake.
Now the problem: I get the proper temperature water initially, but it runs out like in 3-5 minutes. Even the hot water pipe exiting the tank gets very UN-HOT, even after some minutes. I have checked for AC current to both elements - 220V - OK. I have disconnected the wiring at both elements and checked continuity - fine!! The unions I used to make things easier and to make damned sure no heat got to the plastic back-flow? valve on the hot water outlet. Being as this is a brand new unit and while I am classified as a Harry Homeowner - I have installed these things before and have never burned up an element and up until now was always successful in my efforts.
The only thing I can think of is faulty thermostats out of the factory - but those things are pretty simple devices, not to say they can't be faulty, but I could certainly use someone elses opinion on what I might be missing.
I will be calling Sears in the AM - for warranty check-up but would sure like to know what your take is on my problem.
John