Repair bathroom water-heater in Puerto Plata

[windeguy]

But there only 12000 pesos and yes the quality of Dominican water heaters makes Chinese products look good.
I got one with the threads on the connection holes miss-threaded and I wasted a couple hours trying to get it to work before I took it back. Only then the ferretería told me "yeah that brand has that problem".
I said "So why do you still sell them ?

I have lost count of how many crap water heaters I changed that make "Chinese products look good" .

Until I got one for the main house that was a US brand made in Mexico at JDL in Puerto Plata.

I never considered going with propane. Only my wife cares about hot water at all.

 

[monfongo]

I have a 20 yr. old Bradford White and the only thing i have done to it is clean the heating element, not cheap but worth it.

 

[Notengo]

Most of my showers in DR are prepared with stove heated water into a half filled Tropical bucket. There’s always something with electric heaters.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Hard water is a tank killer. Elements corrode and the anodes dissolve much too quickly in hard water. Electricity spikes and low voltage will kill the heating elements very quickly. An on demand water heater with propane is preferable imo.

 

[JD Jones]

I'm different. I buy a cheap-ass electric water heater, run the input water through a cheap filter with disposable cartridges and live with that.

If and when the water heater buys the farm (6 years so far), I'll go to the hardware store and buy another cheap-ass water heater and swap them out.
I've done this twice in 17 years. I can live with that.

 

[london777]

What are the symptoms, what does it do? Those are really not complicated devices, so wonder why after two plumbers the issue would not be solved?

No water comes out of the faucets or the showerhead. This would suggest blocked pipes, but in that case why would the supply fail from 100% to 0% overnight? Also, the plumber who did inspect things derided that suggestion. It is an electric heater. The timer switch is fairly new and seems to be functioning OK.

 

[JD Jones]

No water comes out of the faucets or the showerhead. This would suggest blocked pipes, but in that case why would the supply fail from 100% to 0% overnight? Also, the plumber who did inspect things derided that suggestion. It is an electric heater. The timer switch is fairly new and seems to be functioning OK.

Closed valve somewhere is the first thing I would look for.

 

[Notengo]

No water comes out of the faucets or the showerhead. This would suggest blocked pipes, but in that case why would the supply fail from 100% to 0% overnight? Also, the plumber who did inspect things derided that suggestion. It is an electric heater. The timer switch is fairly new and seems to be functioning OK.

So it is a water supply problem. No hot+cold water = no flow in a main water supply, no hot water = no flow before or after the heater. Usually there is a valve at the outlet or inlet.

Do not run a heater without water supply, simple ones will burn up, those with pressure detection will not turn on.
Unless it is a fancy heater with build in pump or safety valve, most are free flow and will let water through whether the heater functions or not.

 

[monfongo]

Check your shower head and aerator on your faucet, both can be cleaned with vinegar.

 

[chico bill]

Check your shower head and aerator on your faucet, both can be cleaned with vinegar.

A 50% mixture of muratic acid and water does a better job