Geyser not working: Common electric water heater problems and their solutions

If you have recently purchased a new geyser (or an electric water heater) then there are many best practices to ensure that the device works perfectly well. However, the electric geyser might still develop problems and it could be a real problem if it stops working during a cold winter.

ALSO READ: Types of water heaters to choose from for your homes

With a geyser, however, some of the problems are all too common and thus basic enough to be fixed by yourself. For such problems, you only need to know the troubleshooting mechanism while other problems might require you to contact the service centre and get it fixed.

Common geyser and electric water heater problems

Whether it is a simple or a complex problem, here is a look at some of the common problems with an electric water heater and the reasons behind the geyser not working. Here are some common problems:

1. Geyser does not turn on

2. Geyser turns on but does not heat the water

3. Geyser takes a long time to heat water

4. Issue with water heater temperature display

5. Issue with warming up the water

6. Burning smell from the water heater

7. Discoloured water from the water heater

8. Geyser makes weird noises

1. Geyser does not turn on

One of the most common issues faced by consumers with geysers is when the electric geyser does not turn on. Most geysers turn on as soon as you turn on the power outlet socket, but some models might have an additional power button on the geyser itself.

This button is usually located on the water tank, and you will need to turn that button on as well to get the geyser started. While simple, people do tend to overlook this at times. Even if both the switches are turned on and still the geyser does not turn on then it could be because of a short circuit in the electric system and could have caused the MCB to trip and shut the power supply to the geyser. Other probable causes include the water heater power outlet being faulty or an electrical fault with your geyser.

2. Geyser turns on but does not heat the waters

Another common problem with a geyser is when the power supply is fine but still the water heater is unable to heat the water. This could be caused by low-voltage, and if you regularly face voltage issues, install a regulator. If the voltage of your home’s electrical system is right, then the heating element might have failed. For this, you will need to call a technician to open the geyser and fix the issue.

3. Geyser takes a long time to heat water

Is your geyser taking a longer time to heat water? This could be because of the limescale formed around the heating element. With the deposition of minerals and salts from hard water, the rate at which heat gets transferred from the heating element to the water is reduced and your geyser might take longer than usual to heat the water.

Another cause for this issue could be that one of the two heating elements has stopped working and the heating element’s failure could be due to the formation of limescale.

4. Issue with water heater temperature display

If the water heater temperature display on your geyser is not working, it could be that the display system has failed. While the display alone is not expensive, they might be connected to a PCB and in such a case, you may be required to replace the whole PCB, which could be costly. This is better done with the help of a technician or an authorised service provider.

5. Issue with warming up the water

Are you facing an issue where your geyser is warming up the water beyond or lower than the set temperature? This could be because of an issue with your geyser’s thermostat.

ALSO READ: 5 safety tips for immersion rod water heaters

A thermostat is a device that turns on the heating element whenever the temperature of the water inside falls below the desired temperature and turns it off when the water is at the desired temperature. A faulty thermostat won’t be able to measure the temperature and turn on/off the heating element. You will need to get the thermostat replaced to fix this problem.

6. Burning smell from the water heater

If there is a burning smell coming from the water heater then the first thing you need to do is switch off the power outlet. This burning smell could be because of a failed or burning element inside the geyser.

There is a possibility of an electrical wire, or a PCB component being burned during the process of heating water. This can be fixed by getting your geyser inspected and replacing the failed component.

7. Discoloured water from the water heater

The common cause for discoloured water coming from the water heater is if the internal components of the water heater such as the water tank, heating element, or any other metal part are getting corroded. Other causes include sediments collected inside the geyser or the formation of sulphate bacteria inside the geyser tank.

8. Geyser makes weird noises

As geysers get older, they tend to begin making weird noises. One of the common causes is when you leave the water tank and heating element unserviced for a long duration and allow the limescale to form inside.

These scales start to break over time because of the heat generated and the process could result in a weird noise. As soon as you start hearing weird noises coming from your geyser, you should immediately get it inspected.

Most of the problems with a geyser or an electric water heater are interconnected. The easiest way to avoid these problems is to ensure that you service the appliance at regular intervals and give special care especially if your device is connected to hard water.

By cleaning the water heater from the inside and ensuring the electrical components are not damaged, you can not only avoid some of these problems but also extend the life of this appliance.