Hot water heater?

SeaNile

SeaNile

Well-Known Member
Aug 16, 2010
1,522
Chadds Ford, PA
Boat Info
2003 50 Sundancer
Engines
Cummins QSM11
Am I missing something obvious on this one? I can’t seem to get hot water. Dewinterizing my 96 450 DA and I can’t find out how to get the hot water water to work. It was working during the survey just a few weeks ago.

Breaker is on but the heater isn’t drawing any power at all. I looked all over for a second breaker, etc.

All of the valves are on and the heater is getting water.
 
Last edited:
Was the water tank drained?
Were you sure it was filled with water before you turned on the breaker?
You bleed the air out at the faucets? Or the relief valve?

If they run while dry the elements wont last more than a few minutes.
There should be a Main AC breaker and the Water heater breaker. Other AC items work right?
 
Everything else AC works. Wonder if the water wasn’t completely in there and the elements are shot. But I don’t think it’s getting power. I don’t hear anything, don’t see a drop in voltage when the breaker is switched on. I wonder if there is yet another breaker somewhere. Or it’s tied to a GFI?
I’ll keep checking things.
 
Wiring diagram shows dedicated circuit to the water heater, GFI unlikely.
Do you have the Dual 30 Amp shore ties? Or the single 240v 50A model?
Either check both AC meters (dual 30) show 120v or the single shows 240.

If everything looks good the only way to be sure is to turn OFF the breaker
remove the cover from the front of the heater, check to see that you can safely reach the points below
turn breaker ON - best to have someone stay by breaker
with an AC volt meter set to 240 or above check for power at the terminal blocks.
then after the thermostat, and finally at the element terminals
 
Could be a bad breaker, which is easier to get to the water heater or the back of the AC panel?
 
Could also be the thermostat. I replaced the element in mine last spring. Still nothing. Checked for power at the element. Zero. Confirmed there was power before the thermostat. Should have done that first!

The thermostat was no longer made so I tried to MacGyver one out of a similar part. They are all basically the same electrically, just needed to fit it into the retaining bracket. I couldn't get reliable contact with the tank. Given it was the original tank, I caved and put a new tank in.
 
You will need to ohm out the heater element. That will tell you for sure if that’s what it is. I mounted a switch right on the water heater to make sure someone doesn’t inadvertently turn the heater on when it’s not full of water.
 
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Does sound electrical. You will definitely see the amps on the meter when you turn the breaker on. No jump equals no power through the element.
 
Only one breaker............Assuming your boat has 120VAC wiring, the water heater breaker is on line 2, about 1/2 way down on the forward group of breakers. All the breakers are switch duty breakers so that means the main breaker at the top feeds all of line 2 and if everything else is working on line 2 then the main breaker isn't tripped.

I'd check the voltage at the water heater and if you have voltage there check the reset at the water heater after you verify that there isn't an air pocket a the top .
 
Mine had an over heat switch it pops every time
We put a timer on for like 20 min
It’s small on the heater between the element
 
Jaybeaux said:
Thanks. That's the video I ran across, too. I hope to try this coming weekend. Will keep you all posted.
Click to expand...
I stole the video from your post... poor guy was taking cold showers ...you disappeared, so I tried to save the day :)
 
It's got power to the heater so for $34 I bought a new element. The new issue now is the new element has a bit of a flair where the bolts go in therefore making the original bolts not long enough to grab. Bought what I thought was the right length bolts at WM and sure enough they slide right in, slightly too narrow and no bite either.

Heading to Lowes this week and will buy every bolt in sight if need be. This little stuff is frustrating!
 
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