Panasonic shower/water heater stopped heating

[kwak250]

I have one of these showers and not used it for around 2 months due to the crazy heat but switched it back on today and not getting hot water

Tried the ELB test and not that.

It was working fine for years and wondered if its an easy fix or just replace with a new one as they are only about 3000 baht and this must be around 8 -10 years old by now.

My wife's mother has the same one that stopped working a few months back so if i can sort mine out i expect hers could be the same problem

Problem is might cost 1000baht in parts and go wrong again in 3 months time.

Edited May 23 by kwak250

[OneMoreFarang]

My water heater, from another brand, is easy to open.

If you can do that and if you know what you are doing, then you could check the electrical connection inside.

Maybe there is an easy to fix problem.

[kwak250]

Yes I opened it up easily enough.

Don't like doing anything with electrics unless it's simple

[London Lowf]

Stating the obvious, but are you getting power to it? Easy the check with a cheap tester.

 

These units are high wattage and so maybe on its own circuit - has it tripped on the fuse/breaker panel?

[scubascuba3]

Just buy a new one, having two that have stopped working is a clue what to do

[bubblegum]

All of these units have a hard reset button inside, find it press it and most of the times it will work again. 

[ezzra]

this is no brainer... Any appliances that has to do with electricity and water while you stand close not worth the

risk of getting electrocuted, so for a peace of mind, get a new one to last for the next 10 years and had

a warranty with it as well...

[retarius]

Take it back to the retailer and demand your money back. I'm sure they will be very helpful....I hope you kept the receipt. 

[kwak250]

7 hours ago, London Lowf said:

Stating the obvious, but are you getting power to it? Easy the check with a cheap tester.

 

These units are high wattage and so maybe on its own circuit - has it tripped on the fuse/breaker panel?

Getting power the green lights on
It just wasn't switched on for a couple of months and with all the rain i turned the power on as normal but it just never heated up the water

 

[kwak250]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

this is no brainer... Any appliances that has to do with electricity and water while you stand close not worth the

risk of getting electrocuted, so for a peace of mind, get a new one to last for the next 10 years and had

a warranty with it as well...

Yes i thought that but we had a shower fitted to another building years ago and after a week it stopped and the electrician said it a faulty switch 2 minutes it was working

[kwak250]

5 hours ago, bubblegum said:

All of these units have a hard reset button inside, find it press it and most of the times it will work again. 

I will have a look thanks

[kwak250]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Just buy a new one, having two that have stopped working is a clue what to do

Yes this is what i thought but could just be a 99 baht switch which is probably all it is
I actually thought get a new one but seems strange that it was working fine for months years then when i stopped using it for a couple of months something has caused it to stop
 

[scubascuba3]

14 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

Yes this is what i thought but could just be a 99 baht switch which is probably all it is
I actually thought get a new one but seems strange that it was working fine for months years then when i stopped using it for a couple of months something has caused it to stop
 

isn't it always strange when something stops working?

[John Drake]

I've had a Panasonic that is still working after 14 years. But downstairs I have a much older heater. I've repaired it once. It only cost 400 baht and that was about four or five years ago. Still going since then. I'd see if there is an easy repair, first. But I repair everything, including fans, light switches, a/c, or pump. I never go new, because new is usually worse.

[kwak250]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

I've had a Panasonic that is still working after 14 years. But downstairs I have a much older heater. I've repaired it once. It only cost 400 baht and that was about four or five years ago. Still going since then. I'd see if there is an easy repair, first. But I repair everything, including fans, light switches, a/c, or pump. I never go new, because new is usually worse.

Yes I am the same .

It's not the cost as much as the fact it's probably an easy fix and a shame to waste money on buying exactly the same unit even if its only 3000 baht.

Time to get someone to have a look.

[kwak250]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

isn't it always strange when something stops working?

Depends what it is ! 

Not always strange .

Anyway thanks for your input

[kwak250]

6 hours ago, retarius said:

Take it back to the retailer and demand your money back. I'm sure they will be very helpful....I hope you kept the receipt. 

You spelt your name wrong 

You missed the D

[transam]

OP, I have same shower, and fitted one at a friend's, so far no problems after many years, but if I did, I would just replace it, probably the element or the stat.

If it were an expensive item, I might look into it, but they are cheap, good unit, pointless paying a bloke to fix it and come out at the same price as a new one...🤗

[lopburi3]

You do have the top control turned on (the temp control also turns it off at full ccw).  Green light stays on even when heating temp is turned off.

[kwak250]

1 hour ago, transam said:

OP, I have same shower, and fitted one at a friend's, so far no problems after many years, but if I did, I would just replace it, probably the element or the stat.

If it were an expensive item, I might look into it, but they are cheap, good unit, pointless paying a bloke to fix it and come out at the same price as a new one...🤗

Yes only reason I was going to see is the wife's mother has the same problem and not going to buy her a new one but if it was an easy fix I would have gone round and done it.

 

[kwak250]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

You do have the top control turned on (the temp control also turns it off at full ccw).  Green light stays on even when heating temp is turned off.

Yes green light stays on .

Only goes off when I turn the bottom control off or press the ECB test

[alanrchase]

Check the filter in the water inlet. If there isn't enough water flow the heater will not switch on. Also check she shower head as if that is getting blocked it will start restricting water flow. There is a little magnetic switch in the inlet for the water flow which can fail and there is also an overheat sensor on the heater which can fail. Both are easily replaceable. 

[kwak250]

9 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

Check the filter in the water inlet. If there isn't enough water flow the heater will not switch on. Also check she shower head as if that is getting blocked it will start restricting water flow. There is a little magnetic switch in the inlet for the water flow which can fail and there is also an overheat sensor on the heater which can fail. Both are easily replaceable. 

I checked the water inlet filter .
Will take the shower head off and look at the magnetic switch

[Wrwest]

15 hours ago, kwak250 said:

I have one of these showers and not used it for around 2 months due to the crazy heat but switched it back on today and not getting hot water

Tried the ELB test and not that.

It was working fine for years and wondered if its an easy fix or just replace with a new one as they are only about 3000 baht and this must be around 8 -10 years old by now.

My wife's mother has the same one that stopped working a few months back so if i can sort mine out i expect hers could be the same problem

Problem is might cost 1000baht in parts and go wrong again in 3 months time.

I have not read through all the replies so, apologies if you have it fixed. OK, you did the test (and I assume reset the circuit breaker on the lower left of the water heater pictured). Next I would go and reset the house circuit breaker covering the bath. After that, I would turn off the house bath circuit and take (if here in Chiang Mai) to Amorn for testing and repair. Well, those are the steps I would take in order and I wish you luck.

[kwak250]

Thanks everyone managed to sort it out.

Thanks to alanrchase i found out the problem.

Something stupid that i had done when it was very hot i fitted a new shower head & shower hoses.

Now with that information what do think i managed to do?

The wife called me a kwai hahaha

i was on the way to powerbuy today to buy a new one

This would have been embarrassing.
So what had i done?
All back working now

 

Edited May 24 by kwak250

[kwak250]

34 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

Check the filter in the water inlet. If there isn't enough water flow the heater will not switch on. Also check she shower head as if that is getting blocked it will start restricting water flow. There is a little magnetic switch in the inlet for the water flow which can fail and there is also an overheat sensor on the heater which can fail. Both are easily replaceable. 

Your post helped me work it out many thanks
Something stupid i had done but checking your suggestions made me see my error
Can you guess?

[rwill]

14 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

Your post helped me work it out many thanks
Something stupid i had done but checking your suggestions made me see my error
Can you guess?

put the hoses back on backwards

[kwak250]

10 minutes ago, rwill said:

put the hoses back on backwards

You got it !

If it was being used for a warm shower I would have noticed

Been using it for a couple of months as a normal cold shower.

Luckily somchai didn't come to check it.

Saying that he probably would have wanted me to fit a new one and say he will throw this one in the bin.

Edited May 24 by kwak250

[steven100]

time to buy a new one for 2500 baht

 

[ignis]

Panasonic shower unit, mine looks the same, will be 21 years old next month,  as is the  Panasonic Aircon units both upstairs and downstairs it is one of the electric items that has lasted