Your Water Heater Is Not Turning On Or Staying On
In the morning, after exercising or when you simply want to relax. there's nothing quite like a nice hot shower or steamy bath. So it can be quite a crisis when what was to be a soothing session under the hot water turns into a cold shower; and, taking a look at your water heater, you realise it isn't coming on any more. Why won't the hot water cylinder come on any more? Find out what to check yourself before calling in a professional.
THE POTENTIAL CAUSES FOR THIS FAULT:
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Check the electricity supply
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Check the day/night switch
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Check the voltage on the cylinder
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Check the circuit breaker
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Contact a professional
WARNING
Before you do anything to your appliance, make sure you disconnect it from the power supply.
There is a risk of electric shock.
There are two types of faults that can occur with hot water cylinders: hydraulic faults (plumbing related) and electrical faults. The issue here involves the cylinder not coming on, which means It's an electrical fault. We therefore suggest following the steps described below.
Check the electricity supply
The first thing to do is take a look at the electricity supply to the water heater: is there any power at the socket? You can check this using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode (AC). Place the meter's two probes on the socket's live and neutral terminals. You should get a reading of 230 volts. If there is no voltage present, carry out the next set of checks below.
Check the day/night switch
No power reaching the socket where your water heater is plugged in? Have a look at the day/night (jour/nuit in French) switch next to your main fuse box. If it's in the stop/off position (or '0'), it will prevent the electricity current reaching the water heater.
Put it in the AUTO position. The switch, and therefore the water heater, will now be turned on by a control signal (usually sent by EDF). Plug your water heater back in and check to see if it works. If it doesn't, try putting the switch in position '1'. This will force the water heater to operate. If it works with the switch in this position, there must be a problem with the switch control signal. You will therefore need to get in contact with your electricity provider about this, or call in an electrician.
If, on the other hand, your hot water cylinder still won't come on even with the switch in position '1' (forced operation), move on to the next set of steps.
Check the voltage on the cylinder
If you remove the access cover on the bottom of the hot water cylinder, you'll be able to see the wires coming in from the socket. Follow where they go and you'll find a terminal block. Using a multimeter in voltmeter mode, check there is definitely a 230 volt current present. If there is, this may indicate that there's a problem on the thermostat.
Check the circuit breaker
The circuit breaker or fuse dedicated to your hot water cylinder needs to be checked to make sure it hasn't tripped (i.e. it isn't in the '0' or OFF position). If it has tripped, your hot water cylinder will not receive any current. You can try resetting the circuit breaker (or fuse) and checking to see whether the water heater then comes on or not.
Contact a professional
Already checked everything detailed above and the hot water cylinder still won't come on? If this is the case, you will unfortunately be left with no choice but to contact an electrician, who will be able to identify the fault on your water heater for you.