Imagine this: It’s Monday morning and rather cold. You’ve pressed the snooze button six times, and you probably would have pressed it a seventh time if your husband hadn’t threatened to suffocate you while you slept.
Instead, you groan, pull the covers aside, and go to the restroom. As someone who has been through countless such cold mornings, the importance of a reliable water heater cannot be overstated.
After turning on the shower, you wait for the wonderful steam to burst the curtain before entering. Then, after you soap up, your wonderful, hot shower abruptly turns into what amounts to sleet. I’ve encountered this exact situation in my home, which prompted me to dive deeper into understanding water heater mechanisms.
Honeywell Water Heater Reset Button
Begin by addressing the gas valve, which is crucial for the operation of your Honeywell water heater. A humorous yet effective approach might threaten the valve with maintenance, hoping it complies verbally and the reset button reverts to its normal one-blink mode.
While this is unlikely to have a real effect, it’s a light-hearted way to start troubleshooting.
Even though we won’t be meddling with the pipes, turn off the gas to be safe. In addition, set the black dial to Off. You won’t be shocked if you touch wires because this isn’t linked to household current.
Remove the ivory-colored plastic face of the gas valve from the unit’s back. I once found myself in a similar situation where the gas valve on my water heater malfunctioned due to a stuck reset button. After carefully following the necessary steps, I discovered that sometimes the reset button can get stuck due to sediment buildup or thermal expansion.
Read also: How to Remove Sulfur Smell From Hot Water Heater
In such cases, gently cleaning the area around the button with a soft brush can solve the issue. The following are the requirements:
- First, remove a black wire from the white plastic rectangle to reset the water heater. Then, to separate it, pull on the wire below the object.
- To unhook the red and white wires, straighten the black clamps on each cable. If necessary, use the screwdriver from underneath to pry them free. On the wires, the clips remain. You can plug them back in the proper direction using the gas valve’s “red” and “white.” Note that if they, for some weird reason, don’t match the real wire colors.
- Remove a screw from the gas valve’s bottom.
- Two plastic clips at the top of the cover attach it. To release the clips, firmly press down on the plastic cover before them. Depending on your level of resolve and finger strength, you might need the screwdriver to depress the tabs. Be kind to it since it’s only plastic. This new valve displays the tabs on the back.
- To remove the cover, pull it straight out. Although it technically can flip up if you push hard enough, you risk breaking it.
Where Is The Reset Button On A Honeywell Water Heater
The reset button on a Honeywell water heater is specifically designed to function when the heating chamber overheats, a safety feature that prevents damage to the unit.
In my experience, the reset button can sometimes trip even when the water heater isn’t overheating, often due to a faulty thermostat or a bad gas valve. An expert technician once said, “It’s essential to regularly inspect and maintain the gas valve to prevent false triggers.”
In such cases, the pilot light may go out, and the system won’t indicate the usual four flashes reserved for different issues. This reset mechanism is crucial for maintaining the heater’s safety and operational integrity.
When you install a tankless water heater from Honeywell, you’ll find that, unlike traditional tank water heaters with a storage tank, these models don’t store hot water but instead heat it on demand.
This makes the reset button’s role even more critical. It helps quickly resolve issues without heating and storing hot water again, ensuring the system remains energy efficient.
Honeywell Water Heater Troubleshooting
An innovative Honeywell Water Heater thermostat/valve continuously monitors water temperature and turns the gas on and off as needed without requiring a battery.
Thermopile technology, which transforms thermal energy into electrical energy, is used. Multiple thermocouples are linked in series to provide around 350 mV of energy. What a clever thing!
If the water heater reset button is not functioning, it may be due to a faulty gas valve or a tripped circuit breaker. Experts often find that sediment buildup inside the tank can cause these components to fail. Regular maintenance, such as flushing the tank and inspecting the gas valve for any signs of wear, can help prevent such issues.
How Long For Hot Water Heater To Heat After Reset
Let’s discuss the typical recovery period for a water heater and what constitutes a “rapid” recovery. This will help you determine whether yours takes much longer than normal.
For instance, the typical recovery period for an 80-gallon tank entering the water at 62 degrees is as follows:
- 60-70 minutes (for a gas tank water heater)
- 120 minutes (for an electric tank water heater)
You’ll observe that gas water heaters heat water considerably more quickly. Gas water heaters employ burners, which heat water more quickly than electric water heater heating coils because they reach higher temperatures faster.
However, they are only fast averages for comparison. Next, we’ll discuss several important factors that influence the recovery time of your water heater. As a result, your recovery rate may be greater or lower than the national average.
Read also: What Causes Too Much Pressure in Hot Water Heaters?
Common Issues and Solutions for Honeywell Water Heaters
| Issue | Possible Cause | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Reset Button Won’t Reset | Faulty Thermostat, Bad Gas Valve | Inspect and replace faulty parts |
| Water Not Heating Properly | Sediment Buildup, Pilot Light Issue | Clean the area around the button and replace the the valve if necessary |
| Clean the area around the button and replace the valve if necessary | Blocked Vent, Dirty Thermocouple | Clean vent and thermocouple |
| Gas Valve Malfunction | Thermal Expansion, Stuck Reset Button | The pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit |
Bottom Line
The gas valve will never function again if it has previously identified a “water too hot” occurrence unless you know how to reset it. Repairing the Honeywell water heater reset button on strike may save delays and hundreds of dollars in plumber costs.
Make careful to address the issue that led to the overheating first; typically, this entails draining the tank (recommended as periodic maintenance anyway).
