# Drained water heater...now no hot water!



## joemontana16 (Jan 14, 2010)

Yup. Drained the water heater and five hours later I don't have hot water...just air then nothing. I turned power back on (electric), turned cold inlet back to open, closed the drain valve and vent valve...my wife thinks I'm crazy...what did I do?


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## kenmac (Feb 26, 2009)

did you turn off the power b-4 you drained it ? If you didn't you possibly burn out the elements. Turn on the fixtures and let all the air bleed out. you could have stirred up all the junk and stopped up 1 of the fixtures. try the tub


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

You also need to be sure that the heater is totally full of cold water before turning power back on.Open water inlet,turn on hot taps till water flows then turn power on.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

so you turned the power on then the cold water feed..shouldn't of touched the power till you had flow out of the faucets..if the heaters aren't submerged in water they will burn out when the water hits them:whistling2: so the cold water is dropping in from the top and hitting the elements


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## joemontana16 (Jan 14, 2010)

I think the inlet valve is failing. The valve spins and does not stop...I think its stuck closed.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

if you have no water out of the drain connection valve its empty..but those heaters are shot if the power is still up after 5 hours


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## kenmac (Feb 26, 2009)

joemontana16 said:


> I think the inlet valve is failing. The valve spins and does not stop...I think its stuck closed.


 

If it's a gate. it's possible that it broke


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## joemontana16 (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks for the help guys. I think I got extremely lucky. It's a Thanksgiving miracle! No, really...I turned the power off and waited a few hours for the elements to cool. Then I played around with the inlet valve and got it to open...hot water!!!


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

Glad it worked out for you.Might have taken some life out of the elements.Remember to replace that valve next time you need to work on the heater.Have a good Thanksgiving.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

daveb1 said:


> You also need to be sure that the heater is totally full of cold water before turning power back on.Open water inlet,turn on *hot* taps till water flows before turning power on.


Worth repeating.


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