Hot Water Tank Not Heating: Recommendations?-gctid802104

[vinomaker]

Last fall before I winterized the boat my hot water heater was working fine. When I re-filled it and turned it on the other day it is not working.

It is a Seaward S-1800 which is an 18 gallon tank. It is 16 years old so maybe it is time to replace it anyway. Could it just need a new heating element?

It is not heating water in the tank using the breaker panel. Tomorrow I am launching and testing all systems. I am sure hot water will be produced from the engine flow through.

North Harbor Diesel will take a look at it sometime soon to diagnose. If I do have to replace it are there recommendations from the Bayliner gang?



Thanks,

Jerome

[canoel]

Could be the heating element, or the thermostat. Use a meter and check for power at the element.

16 years old, may be time for a new one. Ours is original 1987, and still works fine, so maybe a new element will fix you up.

[boatworkfl]

Checking for power to the heater element first, if power is to the heater element then

drain it and install a new heater element, do not turn on the power unless the tank is full or it will almost instantly kill the element.

[mmichellich]

If you are not going to keep the boat more than 16 years, replace it with the same brand, nothing fancy. Check dimensions carefully.

[igiftmon]

If the water heater has a breaker on it, like mine, it could be something as simple as resetting the tripped breakerr, and I'm not talking about the circuit breaker at the electrical panel. I thought I needed a new heating element as I measured power to the element, then noticed the breaker.

Hope that helps,

BJ

OMEGA

5788

[smitty477]

"If the water heater has a breaker on it, like mine, it could be something as simple as resetting the tripped breakerr, and I'm not talking about the circuit breaker at the electrical panel. I thought I needed a new heating element as I measured power to the element, then noticed the breaker."

Yes - +1 - it is a pushbutton breaker on the heaters thermostat likely under a metal plate where the 125 volts enter. Please disconnect the 125 volts to the boat before you play in there with that breaker. The pushbutton is typically red, plastic ,and about 1/16" in diameter - just push it back in.

[vinomaker]

"smitty477" post=802135 wrote:
"If the water heater has a breaker on it, like mine, it could be something as simple as resetting the tripped breakerr, and I'm not talking about the circuit breaker at the electrical panel. I thought I needed a new heating element as I measured power to the element, then noticed the breaker."

Yes - +1 - it is a pushbutton breaker on the heaters thermostat likely under a metal plate where the 125 volts enter. Please disconnect the 125 volts to the boat before you play in there with that breaker. The pushbutton is typically red, plastic ,and about 1/16" in diameter - just push it back in.

I removed the metal cover protecting the wiring on the water heater and under all the wiring I spotted the reset button. Once pushed, I flipped the breaker on the panel and we are back in business.

Thanks to everyone for your quick responses and solution.

Jerome

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