OPERATION & SERVICE
ELEMENT SENSORS
Electronic Control Models covered in this manual monitor all heating elements using Element Sensors. Each Element Sensor monitors 3 heating elements. There will be one Element Sensor for each Bank of heating elements. See Figure 2 on page 9 and the illustration on page 30. Water heaters equipped with 3 heating elements will have 1 Element Sensor, water heaters equipped with 6 elements will have 2 Element Sensors and water heaters equipped with 9 elements will have 3 Element Sensors.
Element Sensor Construction
Element Sensors consists of 3 individual current sensors, a 10 conductor plug and 9 wires that connect between the individual current sensors and the plug. Each current sensor monitors one heating element. Current sensors are enclosed in a black plastic housing that has a hole in the middle. One power wire to each heating element is routed through the hole in one of the current sensors. See the images below.
Element Sensor | 10 Conductor Plug |
Three Current
Sensors
Element Sensor Functions
Working with the Element Sensors the electronic control system provides valuable operational and diagnostic information to aid in servicing:
The electronic control system displays animated Status Icons on the UIM to indicate which heating elements are being energized and which heating elements are not being energized. The Status Icons are also capable of indicating when a heating element that should be energized is not drawing current/amps. See the Status Icons Table on page 50.
The electronic control system displays a “No Current Detected” Alert message on the UIM (see pages 47 - 49) if the control system does not sense current (amperage) from a heating element when expected. IE: a call for heat is active, all contactor coils have been energized and the control system is not sensing current from one or more heating elements.
During Alert conditions the control system allows the water heater to continue heating (other elements may still be working) but prompts the user to have the water heater serviced.
Servicing should only be performed by a Qualified Service Agent
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