Richmond Water Heater has a reset button on the upper thermostat. It’s a safety device that will pop when it senses high temperature and shuts the heating element.
On the other hand, this button will continuously keep tripping due to bad thermostats, burn-out heating elements, and loose wiring.
In this guide, I will break down everything you need to know about the reset button on your Richmond Water Heater. So, stay in tune with me till the end.
Is There A Reset Button On Richmond Water Heater?
Yes, there is a reset button on your Richmond Electric Water Heater. You can find the reset button on the upper thermostat. Just remove the upper access panel from the unit. Then, remove the insulation, which exposes the reset button in front of your eyes.
It’s actually a built-in safety device. When the internal temperature of your water heater reaches 180°F, this switch cuts off the electric power to the unit. In other words, the reset button will trip to avoid dangerous situations like blowing out the water heater.
What Does Keep Tripping The Richmond Water Heater Reset Button?
Your Richmond Water Heater will keep tripping the reset button because of faulty thermostat, bad heating elements, and loose wire connections. Below, I will explain each culprit and walk you through the troubleshooting steps to fix this issue.
Faulty Thermostat
Every electric water heater, including Richmond Water Heater, has two thermostats pairing with two heating elements. The key function of the thermostat is to monitor the water temperature. When the water reaches your set temperature, it will shut off the heating element.
If the thermostat goes bad, it won’t serve its purpose. As a result, the heating element keeps heating the water until it trips the reset button.
How To Fix:
If the reset button gets tripped because of the thermostat issue, you must replace the upper thermostat.
The following video will help you in changing the upper thermostat:
Safety Tips: You must turn off the electric supply to the unit at the circuit breaker to avoid electric shocks.
Bad Heating Elements
A burn-out heating element, especially the bottom one, is the culprit that causes the reset button to trip. If the bottom heating element is at fault, it will place more load on the upper heating element.
Consequently, the upper heating element keeps heating the water until the temperature reaches 180°F. And this high temperature causes the reset button to pop.
Now, you can ask- how can I understand that the heating elements get burnt out? If you don’t get sufficient hot water, it’s because of the burn-out heating elements.
How To Fix:
Repairing or replacing workflow shouldn’t be done based on guess-work. So, inspect the heating element electrically. What I want to mean is- you should check the resistance levels on the heating elements.
Before starting the inspection, make sure you shut the electric supply to your water heater at the circuit breaker. Then, drain the water heater by attaching a garden hose at the drain valve.
Next, unscrew both the upper and the bottom access panel. Remove the insulation and pull out the heating elements. Now, take a multimeter and measure the resistance level of both heating elements. Ensure you get a reading between 12K to 14K Ohms. Otherwise, you should replace the heating elements.
Loose Wire Connections
Loose wiring to the unit can also be the caveat. Due to loose wire connections, the water heater will produce excessive heat. And the reset button will trip when it senses high temperature.
How To Fix:
I highly recommend you call a certified electrician to inspect the wiring to your water heater. If needed, replace the wiring or the circuit breaker.
Apart from these, sometimes the reset button is itself the culprit. Unfortunately, you need to replace the upper thermostat if the reset button gets defective as it’s a part of the thermostat.
How To Reset Richmond Water Heater?
Follow the below steps to reset your Richmond Electric Water Heater:
- Turn the electric supply off to your water heater at the circuit breaker.
- Remove the upper access panel from the unit by using a flathead screwdriver. Then, remove the insulation.
- Press the red reset button.
- Put the access panel back into its place and flip the circuit breaker up.
- Now, turn on your water heater and I hope it will reset your water heater successfully.
End-Note
Reset button on your Richmond Water Heater is a safety feature. It will pop whenever it senses excessive water temperature. Besides, a thunderstorm or a power surge can also trip the reset button.
If the reset button keeps tripping constantly like once a day or week, there could be a serious issue like the thermostat is at fault or the heating elements get burnt out. Fortunately, I mentioned what troubleshooting steps you should take in this case.
It’s always recommendable to hire a professional if you are not electrically or mechanically inclined to deal with water heater issues.
Read Also:
Richmond Water Heater Troubleshooting
Rheem Tankless Water Heater Troubleshooting Manual
Eric Alvarez 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.
