Element indicator light is on - General Electric GE SmartWater Household Water Filtration System - GNWH38F

http://waterheatertimer.org/Whirlpool-Energy-Smart-electric.html
Older style or newer?
5 flashes on older unit indicates lower element is bad.... so maybe the control board is bad
Test your old element for continuity
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html

http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html#new
Was tank full of water before power was turned on?
Gene

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Try replacing the lower heater.

What is the problem you afe having with your Jacuzzi Water Heater?
Is this a Jacuzzi Hot Tub?-- Do you have some indicator lights on?-- what color are the lights?--
Is the Circulating pump running water thru the heater element?
Tell me more!-- Let's walk thru the system, and figure it out-- Mack B

Test lower element.
Replace lower element using generic element from hardware store, and clean sediment out of tank.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html

Replace element with lower density or with lower wattage such as 3500 watt
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html#listen

Read troubleshoot guide
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Energy-Smart-troubleshooting-guide.pdf

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

This will be a thermostat or element problem. The red light tells us that you have power to the unit. If you are handy you can test the thermostat and the element with a continuity tester. A voltmeter may also be used. This will tell you where the fault lies.

The reset button or ECO (emergency cut-off) is a safety device.
The ECO trips and cuts off power to entire water heater when it detects temperatures over 150 degrees.
This prevents overheating and eventual explosion of water heater.

You have 1 of 3 problems:
a) Factory-installed insulation and cover have been removed and thermostat is receiving cool air and not reading correct temperature
b) Bad thermostat. Thermostat is sticking in ON position -or- thermostat is misreading temperature.
c) Element is shorted to ground near center of element and not tripping breaker, and the element is heating off 120 circuit that is flowing through ground wire.

Steps you can take:
1) Inspect water heater and see if factory insulation is present behind each cover.
2) Turn off power.
Disconnect ground wire for a couple days and see if problem persists.
If problem stops, then test elements and replace bad one. See below for how to test element.
Caution: Do not touch this water heater with ground wire disconnected unless power is OFF
3) Replace thermostats and see if problem persists.
For around $25, you can buy generic upper-and-lower thermostats at Lowes or hardware store > then replace the thermostat(s) and see if problem persists.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html

Problem should be resolved.

4) If problem continues after steps above
You will need to test water heater parts to track down the exact problem: for example a shorted wire.
You need a inexpensive multimeter from Radio Shack, and the steps are simple, and afterward you will know nearly everything about electric water heater.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-water-heater.html

How to test element:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
Turn off power.
Remove both wires from lower element.
Test across both screws with a continuity tester.


The continuity tester has a battery and when light comes on, it says the circuit is complete.
Test1) Test across both screws on lower element with continuity tester.
If the light comes on then the element is good so far, but element has to pass one more test.
Test2) Test each screw on element to any bare metal part of water heater.
If the light does NOT come on with the second test, then element is good.
Light ON first test. Light OFF second test. Then element is probably good.
This is not 100% fail-proof test without a meter but it is a good indicator.

If you are still having a problem, answer back and we'll give you more details.

If I understand correctly, you have an electric water heater.
The water heater is dual element and has 2 access panels on water heater.
You run out of hot water quickly.
And the reset is stuck down.

First of all, if the reset button is tripped, the water heater will produce NO hot water.
The reset, or ECO (electricity cut off), is designed to cut off all power to water heater.
So if you have some hot water, then ECO reset is fine.
The thermostat may be bad, but the ECO is fine

Next in line:
If your upper element is burned out, then the water heater will not make any hot water.
So if you have some hot water, that tells us the upper element is working.

The three remaining suspects are upper thermostat, lower thermostat, lower element

Let's test the lower element.
Turn off the power.
Remove both wires from lower element.
Test across both screws with a continuity tester.


The continuity tester has a battery and when light comes on, it says the circuit is complete.
Test1) Test across both screws on lower element with continuity tester.
If the light comes on then the element is good so far, but element has to pass one more test.
Test2) Test each screw on element to any bare metal part of water heater.
If the light does NOT come on with the second test, then element is good.
Element has to pass both tests. Light ON first test. Light OFF second test. Then element is probably good. This is not a fail-proof test but it is a good indicator.

I'm betting the lower element is burned out and you need to replace lower element. And you may need to vacuum out the sediment.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html

Now if lower element is good, then the easiest thing is to do is replace both thermostats. After replacing both thermostats, the water heater will probably work. If there is still a problem, then the lower element was not as good as the test showed, and it should be replaced also.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html

If you are still having a problem, answer back and we'll give you more details.

I do not believe there is a separate thermostat. However the installation guide: http://www.eemaxinc.com/assets/files/FLOCO-install.pdf gives some trouble-shooting steps. More detailed trouble-shooting is here: http://www.eemaxinc.com/assets/files/floco-trouble.pdf

If the indicator light is off when the hot water valve is open: check your circuit breaker and the flow rate of water into the water heater (it must be over 1/2 gallon per minute). If those are okay, check the resistance of the element with a multimeter - 20 Ohms or less is good, 10,000 Ohms or so indicates a bad element. The trouble-shooting guide indicates the proper points to test.

If the indicator light is on, then check the flow rate at the shower head or faucet (reduce the flow until the water comes out hot), check that the unit is installed to the correct voltage supply and the resistance of the element.

If those are okay, then check that the printed circuit board is correctly installed and that the inlet filter isn't clogged.

After that, it's call the company for their technical support.

Cindy Wells