Eemax is well-known for their tankless—also known as on-demand—water heaters. But while tankless water heaters are fantastic for their convenience and energy savings, it’s pretty inconvenient when they stop heating correctly.
Unfortunately, Eemax water heaters are not exempt from heating problems. Fortunately, though, you don’t have to call a technician just yet—there are some things you can do yourself to fix your heater.
One of the first things you can try is a reset. You can perform this reset in a couple of ways: One method is to find the reset button hidden on the high-limit thermostat. You can also unplug the heater or turn the breaker off, depending on how you’ve installed it.
This post will detail how to conduct a reset and what else you can try if the reset doesn’t work.
Eemax Water Heater Reset Button Location
Tankless heaters generally come with a reset button on the inside. You’ll find reset buttons on the high-limit thermostat, which regulates the maximum temperature to which your device will heat water.
To check whether there’s a reset button in your Eemax water heater, open it up and locate the high-limit thermostat. It should be on the heating element, which looks like a silver cylinder. Press the button on the thermostat.
But don’t fret if there isn’t a reset button or it doesn’t work—there’s another method you can try.
Is There Another Way to Reset My Eemax Water Heater?
Yes! There are a couple of additional methods for resetting your water heater. Which one you should use depends on how your heater is installed.
If your water heater is plugged into a GFI—or a ground fault interrupter—unplug it from the device. Otherwise, shut the breaker off to temporarily remove the power supply.
Ultimately, you want to cut the power off to the heater for around 30 seconds, giving it a chance to reset.
How to Troubleshoot an Eemax Water Heater
While we always hope that a reset—whether a simple press of a button or just cutting the power for a bit—will fix our machines. But you may encounter the unfortunate reality that resets don’t always work.
Heating problems can originate from components other than the thermostat, so resetting it may not help. Resets in general also don’t work on physical faults like fried wiring.
So what else can you inspect if a reset didn’t do the job?
Water Inlet Filter and Pipes
Do you have a hard water supply where you live? If so, then sediment buildup in the water inlet filter and pipes can interfere with the flow of water. If your device doesn’t meet the minimum flow rate, it may shut off as a precaution.
You can clear sediments (i.e., water scale) from your pipes and filter using a vinegar-based solution. You’ll need washer hoses, a couple of gallons of household white distilled vinegar, and a submersible pump. For the pump, you may need an adapter.
To flush your heater—also called descaling—follow these steps:
Shut off power to the device by unplugging it from your GFI or flipping the breaker
Attach washer hoses to the service valves underneath the heater.
Pull the handles on the sides of the valves. This sets it into a position that cuts off the water supply and allows you to infuse a cleaning solution.
Drain any remaining water through the washer hoses into a drain.
Put a submersible pump into a bucket.
Grab the washer hose connected to the cold water inlet side of your heater and attach it to the submersible pump. This will allow the pump to pump vinegar into the system. Use an adapter if the hose doesn’t fit on its own.
Take the remaining hose attached to the outlet side of the heater and place the free end into the bucket. This is where vinegar and flushed sediments will drain.
Fill the bucket several inches deep with vinegar.
Plug in and start the pump. Let it run for 30 minutes.
Temperature Sensor
There are a couple of potential problems you may find with your temperature sensor.
First, it may need to be relocated to get a more accurate water temperature reading. If it’s too far from the cold water inlet, it will underestimate how hot the water is, allowing it to overheat. Too close and it will overestimate, keeping it lukewarm.
The temperature sensor itself, just like any other component, can also be faulty. In this case, you’ll need to replace it.
Tankless hot water heaters typically have a resettable thermostat, so be sure to check your Eemax heater for a reset button. If you aren’t getting a continuous flow or it isn’t hot enough, unplug it or flip the circuit breaker switch for about 30 seconds.
If a manual reset doesn’t work, try flushing the system and checking the location and functionality of the temperature sensor.
