No hot water after breaker pops

[Jmharmon79]

I my water heater pop a breaker and now there is no hot water. I have reset the buttons outside and reset the on/off switch and still nothing. There is water in there and I made sure there was no air. Any other suggestions ? It was fine until the breaker popped.

[BB_TX]

Does it work on propane?

I assume you are saying it tripped the 120 vac breaker at your main breaker panel. Correct? Did you try resetting it? And did it immediately trip again, or refuse to reset?

On a side note, it is a myth that you should eliminate all air from the water heater. The water heater should maintain an air pocket to absorb pressure changes as the water heats and cools.

[Jmharmon79]

Yes the main breaker panel above the toilet in the bathroom that has all the breakers for the RV. It stays in place after I did a reset. Ive done everything to get it back on everything I know to do.

[BB_TX]

If the breaker resets and doesn’t trip again then you don’t currently have a short. Can’t say why it tripped before. With the breaker reset you should be getting 120 vac to the WH circuit. Assuming the breaker is good.

But now troubleshooting with a voltmeter begins to find the point of failure.

[Daryles]

The Suburban Water heater service manual is in the files section. It has a wiring diagram.

[jsb5717]

Are you sure you still have 120v to the rest of the coach? Did it happen to also pop the breaker at shore power?

If the breaker popped it popped for a reason. Something shorted or overloaded the circuit but is no longer doing so...assuming you still have 120v to the breaker. Is it possible that the element went bad, popped the breaker, and is now bad? Perhaps a new element or an inspection of the connections to the element.

[Playhouse]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

Does it work on propane?

I've got the same question. Is it even getting a spark when you set it to propane?

[jkxtreme]

If it works on propane but not electric, the element has likely failed.

[RRman]

I had frequent breaker tripping but the Water Heater would continue to heat using the Electric power.
I had to replace the little Rocker On Off switch on my WH TWICE. Not really rated for the load it carries - another typical cheapskate product.
OR, as in my case eventually the WIRE Connector for the neutral wire melted in the Electrical "box" on the side of the Water Heater. And started a "fire" melting the Styrofoam surrounding the WH.
After that I rebuilt the entire WH Circuit with a inside on the wall above the WH 20 AMP Residential Rocker Switch bypassing the old "Box" and going directly to the Element through the Thermostat.
Of course if ever the WH was empty (winterized - after a season...) the Element if on is fried