brand new electric hot water tank water only getting luke warm

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goldensaint

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I recently in the past few days bought a new hot water tank, I went from a 38 gallon to a 40 gallon tank. On the past tank we replaced pretty much everything and it just stayed cold. So with this new hot water tank it is a ge 40 gallon tank. No other choice at our Home town Home Depot. Hooked it up listened to it fill with cold when it got done flipped the hot water heater switch and I don't hear a thing. Wires are not crossed. However I'm getting a cold water leak coming out of my knob in the tub. Took the knobs off replaced them with new ones still leaking, but now its leaking through the faucet in the tub, no matter what I do I cannot seem to get this leak to stop. Its a t-bar in the back of the wall attached to the tub. I'm not sure if its my electrical or if its the leak. Checking electrical first thing tomorrow morning. I have a breaker box, but also an additional breaker attached directly to the hot water tank as well. The tank is set at 135 degrees and have left it sit for hours and still no hot water its just luke warm and then goes back to cold. The pipes are not getting warm into the tank as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm not a plumber just a regular guy trying to warm up my families water and this is just getting frustrating.
 

Reach4

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The leak out of your tub faucet is unrelated to the water heater problem.

Did you wire the water heater with 240 volts? I would presume so, but thought it could be worth bringing up.
 

Jadnashua

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Circuit breakers do occasionally fail...you need to see if the WH is actually getting the proper voltage. A new WH could also be bad, but if the old one had the same symptoms, I'd suspect the power going into the WH.
 

Gary Swart

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Are you sure it's a HOT water heater? Most of us heat cold water. Sorry about this, just poking a bit of fun.
 

hj

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quote; Are you sure it's a HOT water heater?

When the water temperature is 120 and the thermostat is set for 135, then it IS a 'hot water' heater. In fact if goes from "cold water heater", to " warm water heater" to "Hot water heater" before it shuts off. The lack of hot water with the OLD heater is an indication of a cracked hot water pipe under the floor which is draining the water as fast as the heater tries to make it. Replacing the heater was a waste of money, although it was probably time to do it.
 

Terry

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quote; The lack of hot water with the OLD heater is an indication of a cracked hot water pipe under the floor which is draining the water as fast as the heater tries to make it. Replacing the heater was a waste of money, although it was probably time to do it.

I had a similar thing happen a few weeks ago. I had to repipe the hot above the concrete slab.
It doesn't take much of a leak to prevent the water heater from coming up to full temperature. You can check the water meter and see how big the leak is. The one I was working on, there was "no" sign of a leak, but the meter was moving.
 

hj

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I was in the supply house a couple of years ago when a plumber returned a "defective" water heater because it did not heat the water, which was why he replaced the old heater. I told him the problem was an underfloor hot water leak and he basically told me I was crazy, and insisted that they give him a new water heater. They did, but told him they would not give him a credit on the returned one until the manufacturer examined it, (which was a requirement on any heater less than a year old), and gave them the credit.
 
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