Bad heating element is the number one culprit that prevents your EcoSmart Water Heater from getting hot.
Apart from this, too high flow rate, crossed wires, the unit is getting voltage less than 240V, and mixing too much cold water are also responsible for this issue: EcoSmart Water Heater Not Getting Hot.
Throughout this guideline, I will take you through every troubleshooting step to fix this water heater issue.
Without further ado, let’s dive in and discover the solution.
Table of Contents
EcoSmart Water Heater Not Getting Hot [5 Easy Solutions]
This chapter will walk you through 5 troubleshooting steps to fix the ‘water heater not getting hot’ issue.
1. Defective Heating Elements
Your EcoSmart Tankless Water Heater won’t get hot on the freezy day of winter if the heating elements are bad.
The heating elements are responsible for heating the water. If this part is at fault, it will never heat the water.
And without testing the heating element electrically, you can’t verify whether the element is in good condition or not.
In the ‘How To Fix’ section below, I will walk you through the steps to inspect the element.
How To Fix:
First off, locate the heating elements on your EcoSmart Water Heater.
In this case, take the front cover out of the unit. You can find two red wires attached to the top of the heating element.
You should turn on a hot water faucet to verify if the element is working or not. I highly suggest you run the shower or sink.
This will cause both elements to draw voltage and you can check those elements electrically.
Once the water is running though the unit, the LED display will illuminate and it will show the temperature setting on the unit.
Now, get a digital voltmeter or multimeter and follow the below steps:
- Place one probe on one screw and the other probe on the other screw located on the top of the heating element.
- Check the voltage reading. The reading should be between 220V to 240V. Keep in mind; you must have running water through the unit for the elements to activate and draw electric power.
Next, perform the conductivity test:
- Turn the breaker off.
- Set your multimeter to Ohms
- Place one probe on one screw and the other one on the other screw located on the top of the element.
- A healthy heating element should give a reading between 6 to 10 Ohms. If the reading goes out of the range, I bet the heating element goes bad. In other words, you must replace it to get the unit to heat water.
The following tutorial will help you in replacing the heating element:
2. Too High Flow Rate
If the flow rate somehow exceeds the physical heating capacity of your water heater, the unit won’t get hot or heat the water sufficiently.
Regarding this, you should reduce the flow rate. The EcoSmart itself recommends you to install an EcoSmart Flow Regulator to adjust the flow rate.
When choosing a flow meter, ensure you select the right one according to the following screenshot:
3. Crossed Wires
It’s a common problem with the new installation. If your installer wires the water heater incorrectly, the unit won’t get hot or heat the water.
How To Fix:
It will be better to have an electrician to check the electrical wiring. A problem with the circuit breaker can also prevent the unit from getting hot. So, tell the service guy to inspect the circuit breaker as well.
4. Voltage Less Than 240V
The computer chips in your water heater are specially programmed for the expectation that the incoming line voltage is 240V.
When you get less than 240V on your water heater, it will affect the reading on the digital display of the unit. As a result, it will cause the unit to read slightly higher than the actual output temperature.
To fix this issue, it’s recommended to increase the temperature setting on your water heater if you want to get hot water.
5. Mixing Too Much Cold Water
Mixing too much cold water can also cause the water heater to not get hot enough.
Fortunately, you don’t need to mix as much cold water with your tankless unit compared to when you use a conventional water heater.
Turns out, the water faucets you use may have anti-scald features that mix cold water. Such water faucets can usually be adjusted to reduce the amount of cold water mixed.
In short, it’s not a big problem at all. Just adjust your water faucets and get the warm heater.
FAQs
How do I reset my ECO water heater?
Resetting your EcoSmart Water Heater is simple. Just go with the following steps and reset the unit:
- Turn on the water heater so that the LED display comes on.
- Press and hold down the round knob for 3 or 5 seconds and release the reset button.
- At this point, the digital display should give a code that reads CE3.
- Continue to run the water for 3 or 4 minutes and check for hot waters.
Why is my EcoSmart electric hot tankless water heater not heating up?
The following culprits are to blame if your EcoSmart electric water heater is not heating up:
- The unit gets no power or you wire the unit incorrectly
- Low flow rate
- Internal Part Failure
I have already covered a guide on EcoSmart Tankless Water Heater Not Heating. Check that article to fix those issues and get the unit ready to heat the water.
Why does my tankless water heater take so long to get hot?
A lot of factors will affect it if your water heater takes so long to get hot. And the distance between the unit and the outlet is one of them.
For example, if the length of the pipe is so long, the water should travel a long way. It means more cold water will need to be discharged to get hot water.
How long should it take to get hot water from a tankless water heater?
It will take at least 15 seconds to get hot water from a tankless water heater. However, you need to wait until the hot water comes at your faucet or shower head just like you do with your tanked unit.
End-Note
EcoSmart Water Heater not getting hot is a serious issue that will suffer you a lot if you don’t fix this issue.
Luckily, I mentioned all the culprits that prevent the unit from getting hot. Plus, I discussed the way you can solve those behind this issue.
So, follow our guideline and get your EcoSmart Water Heater Ready to heat the water.
Eric Alvarez is the head of content on LilDutchUncle.Com. He is an HVAC guy based in El Paso, Texas, United States. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University Of Texas at El Paso. Years of experience in the HVAC field have taught him many lessons, not the least of which is that the value of quality and knowledge far exceeds any promised initial savings. He has a good standing reputation for superior skills in heating, air conditioning, hot water tanks, and indoor air quality systems.
