Need help ASAP Please

[DIY Rookie]

Trying to help my son and I am definitely no electrician. He lost his power and after it came back on he has no hot water. It is an electric water tank. It runs on 240 but he's only getting a 130 volts from that line now. Anyone have any idea what could have happened?

Side not we just installed a new electric water heater and still no hot water. Really appreciate any help.

Also it's a fuse panel not a breaker panel.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Do you have a multi-meter? check the main panel to make sure you have 240v line to line. then test breaker lugs, with breaker on, for 240v.

BTW its 240v not 220v

 

[Davegvg]

Check the breaker box-

220 is 2- 110's and a neutral. Often fed with 2 separate breakers

 

[Super Mech]

Check both breakers for the heater. Then check if you 110v on both legs coming into the main panel. Sounds like one leg is still out.

 

[DIY Rookie]

Sorry guys I forgot to say it's a fuse box and not a breaker box

 

[DIY Rookie]

Check both breakers for the heater. Then check if you 110v on both legs coming into the main panel. Sounds like one leg is still out.

There are 2 black wires and a silver type color wire

 

[alfredeneuman]

Check the breaker box-

220 is 2- 110's and a neutral. Often fed with 2 separate breakers

240 is 2- 120's and no neutral. Always fed with a 2 pole breaker
Fixed it for you

 

[loganb]

Check the fuses...if necessary swap from a working circuit

Sent from The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Bert_]

You've got a bad fuse

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Sorry guys I forgot to say it's a fuse box and not a breaker box

thats a critical piece of missing info in the OP

Do you have a continuity or ohm meter? remove each fuse and test continuity on each fuse

 

[Wrench97]

How are you measuring the 130v from each leg(wire) to ground or across the 2 legs?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Check the breaker box-

240 is 2- 120's and a neutral. Fed with a 2 pole breaker

fixed it for you

Check both breakers for the heater. Then check if you 120v on both legs coming into the main panel. Sounds like one leg is still out.

It should be one breaker feeding the water heater and the heating elements dont care about 120v. The proper way to troubleshoot this is by metering line to line not line to neutral

.

How are you measuring the 130v from each leg(wire) to ground or across the 2 legs?

how does one get 130v on a 240/120v split service? how does one get 130v testing from leg to leg?

youre just confusing the OP who has no electrical experience...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

(delete)

 

[Wrench97]

.

how does one get 130v on a 240/120v split service? how does one get 130v testing from leg to leg?

youre just confusing the OP who has no electrical experience...

Don't know ask the OP he's the one that got the 130v measurement.

Did you even read his post?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Don't know ask the OP he's the one that got the 130v measurement.

Did you even read his post?

yes i read the post.

you asked him if he was getting the 130v "across the 2 legs".

that is impossible to do. you cannot get 130v from 2 ungrounded conductors in a split phase service

 

[Wrench97]

yes i read the post.

you asked him if he was getting the 130v "across the 2 legs".

that is impossible to do. you cannot get 130v from 2 ungrounded conductors in a split phase service

So I guess asking where he got the 130v reading from is pointless in your world since it isn't possible?

 

[brewchief]

yes i read the post.

you asked him if he was getting the 130v "across the 2 legs".

that is impossible to do. you cannot get 130v from 2 ungrounded conductors in a split phase service

I can think of a couple ways one might see 130v.
One way would be a super cheap inaccurate meter thats off by a good margin. I think you can get meters like that from horrible frieght. This of course would have to be measured from hot to ground.
Second would be a fuse on one leg that has failed(or possibly the fuse holder) and it is still making just enough of a connection to pass a few volts through.

A few years ago we had a gentleman come to us wanting to buy a "good" water heater as the 3 he had gotten from the box stores were all junk, turns out he was measuring to ground with it hooked up and seeing 120v on each leg, he actually had a blown fuse the whole time.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[CJ7VFR]

You've got a bad fuse

Check this first as Bert said. It is the most logical first step versus doing all the other things people are saying to do.

All that may have happened is that one of the two fuses blew out and a simple check of both fuses will let you know in seconds if this is your problem.

Always start with the easy things first.

Jim

 

[Broken_Hammer]

I agree with CJ. Check the fuse. (I need to get my posts up)

 

[nadogail]

If you have no idea of what your problem is; you can call your electric utility and see if they will check it for you.

 

[Davegvg]

240 is 2- 120's and no neutral. Always fed with a 2 pole breaker
Fixed it for you

Thanks, I wonder where 120V lights in the 240V oven get their neutral from?


UD

 

[The Cobbler]

Thanks, I wonder where 120V lights in the 240V oven get their neutral from?


UD

stoves & driers have neutrals to provide 120v to run lights and controls .

so the way I read this, the OP lost hot water & replaced the heater before doing any diagnostics?

 

[alfredeneuman]

Thanks, I wonder where 120V lights in the 240V oven get their neutral from?

Straight 240 as in water heaters (the subject of the thread) don't use a neutral.
Ovens may have a neutral (but that doesn't apply to this thread)

 

[The Cobbler]

You've got a bad fuse

or bad connection

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thanks, I wonder where 120V lights in the 240V oven get their neutral from?


UD

an oven w/ 120v controls and lights would get a 4-wire branch circuit connection.

but what does that have to do with a 240v water heater which has no 120v controls?

 

[Davegvg]

an oven w/ 120v controls and lights would get a 4-wire branch circuit connection.

but what does that have to do with a 240v water heater which has no 120v controls?

I'm not the one talking about 120 V controls.

The question was (If 240 has no neutral) where does the neutral come from in that example.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm not the one talking about 120 V controls.

The question was (If 240 has no neutral) where does the neutral come from in that example.

Huh? Youre the one that asked about them in post #21

Your question has no bearing on the subject and only muddies the waters.

 

[Davegvg]

Huh? Youre the one that asked about them in post #21

Your question has no bearing on the subject and only muddies the waters.

Never said anything about "120V controls" but should probably have taken it off line vs talk to alfred about his statement which seems to conflict with yours.

I'll start my own thread.