Why Does My Hot Water Heater Keep Tripping? 5 Surprising Reasons!

Are you wondering why does my hot water heater keep tripping? The primary reasons for this issue include a malfunctioning thermostat, a faulty heating element, and a faulty reset button.

Water heater breakers might trip for apparently no apparent cause at times. The breakers can trip at any time and then be reset, allowing you to use the water heater till it trips once more. They can also trip, and you probably wouldn’t be able to reset them. Circuit breakers trip for a purpose, and it might be a serious situation that has to be addressed right away. 

why does my hot water heater keep tripping

Even if they just trip once in a while, something is triggering it. It’s essential to figure out the solution to avoid causing damage to your property or creating an electrical fire. In this article, we have discussed everything in detail about why hot water breakers keep tripping and the remedies to fix this problem. Let’s begin!

 

Reasons Why Water Heater Keep Tripping

Tripping the water heater breaker reduces the working efficiency of your water heater. If you want to take a hot shower in winter, you must troubleshoot this issue. Stop wondering why does my hot water heater keep tripping. A few troubleshooting techniques might assist you in locating the problem. The most prevalent reasons and solutions are shown below.

 

#1. Bad thermostat

There are two thermostats on electric water heaters: one on top and one on the bottom. A feature of the top thermostat is the reset button. The heater features an upper and lower heating element, so you have two thermostats. Every component does have its separate thermostat that communicates with the others to ensure that just one heating element gets switched on at once. When the water in your tank reaches the temperature you selected, the thermostat switches off the heating element.

If any one of those thermostats fails, it may become locked On and refuse to switch off the element it controls, causing the restart button on your water heater to trip. A qualified plumber can determine which thermostat is defective and repair it.

 

#2. Faulty heating element

The heating element in your water heater is responsible for heating the water. A short might occur in your heating element. This may occur if the element’s metal shell fractures and the active wires become subjected to water. If your heating element has a gap, the energy will keep flowing long after your thermostat has turned off. As a result, until the tank’s water temperature hits 180°F, the heating element will keep raising it. To keep your water from becoming much warmer. Your water isn’t as hot as it used to be, which is a classic symptom that the heating element has burned out. To fix the water heater heating element, you need to call a professional to repair or replace it. Well, you should replace water heater before it fails.

 

#3. Bad reset button

If the reset button on your water heater keeps tripping, there might be an issue with the button. If your water temperature surpasses 180°F, your water heater’s reset button will turn off the electricity. However, the reset button’s switch might wear out over time, making it difficult to monitor the water temperature precisely. Even though the water temperature is low, the controller may stop electricity to the water heater if this occurs. As explained previously, your hot water breaker includes two thermostats, one of which contains the reset button. If your reset button is the issue, a skilled plumber would most probably replace the top thermostat as a whole.

 

#4. Bad breaker and wrong wirings

Your issue may be electrical. It might be a severe safety danger if you have unsecured wiring. However, your water heater is well-equipped to fend away electrical hazards. Excessive heat is created whenever a cable is slack. Your reset button will trip due to the heat produced by the loose wire. If your home has an aluminum wire and your water heater has copper wiring, you may have additional wiring concerns. 

A unique lug connection is needed where the cables intersect in this situation. The two different metals’ link might lead to the water heater’s breaker tripping if the suitable lug connector is not in position. It’s also conceivable that the reset button on your home’s breaker has tripped due to wear and use. Have an electrician examine your breaker panel and wiring when a plumber cannot locate any problems with your water heater’s operation. 

 

#5. Leakage of water

If the water heater leaks due to a faulty seal for such a thermostat, it may contact electrical parts, tripping the breaker. This is extremely risky and might result in severe electrocution. If the water heater breaker hasn’t already been tripped, turn it off right away and fix the plumbing problem.

 

It’s A Wrap!

We hope that reading this article is just fun for you, and after reading it, you all will understand why does my hot water heater keep tripping. Above, we have explained five main reasons that lead to this problem. By fixing these causes, we hope that you all will get rid of this issue. Thank you, friends, for being with us!

Read related articles; know how to fix gas water heater and when to replace water heater.

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