I have a hobart ffw setup in my home. It was installed about six months ago and has worked great. Recently it has started popping the breaker typically while sitting idling. Troubleshooting led me to unhook the main tank heater and voila it stays on! I took the element out and it is filled with lime. I am going to try and track down an element tomorrow. Two questions
Can you use a standard element purchased at a hardware store
What is the best way to clean out the tank both now and for future maintenance, I have delime solution and run the regular delime function but I am assuming that doesn't get water to the tank?
Thanks in advance!
Post# 611578 , Reply# 1 7/22/2012 at 14:21 (4,288 days old) by stevet(West Melbourne, FL)
Are you talking about the sump heater or the booster tank element?
Sounds like the booster tank element since you mentioned deliming the machine but not being able to get the solution to work on the element in question.
If it is that element, there is nearly nothing you can do short of a water softener to eliminate or prevent lime from forming on it in the future.
That said, you cannot just go out to a hardware store and try to find an element to fit it.
You have to use the element supplied by Hobart so that it will fit correctly, have the proper output to heat the water and have the proper provisions for connecting the hi limit thermostat on it. The designs have changed so if you provide a picture of it or the part number stamped on it I can let you know what you need to make it right.
I would also strongly recommend that you remove the whole machine and then remove the booster tank from it and delime the tank itself since it is probably filled with lime too. I have seen tanks that look like a block of cement inside so don't be surprised by what you may find.
Another thing you need to be aware of. As I mentioned in your other post, having that machine sit there for extended periods where it just keeps heating the water is not only expensive, but when you keep heating the water especially in the booster tank, the heating process continues to precipitate the lime out of the water causing excessive buildup of scale. It would be much wiser to shut the machine down when not in use and then turn it back on when you want to wash the dishes. This will save money and result in longer life for the machine both inside the booster tank as well as in the sump if it has a heating element as well.
Under some conditions, your water could cause a rapid buildup on the element and if you have to repalce it again, it would have been cheaper to get one of those reasonably priced and easily installed water softeners you see at Lowes or HD or even Walmart. Most now regenertate on demand so they don't waste salt like those that are strictly on a timed cycle.
If you can, post a picture as well as the model number and especially the "ML" number from the data plate.
Thanks
Steve
Post# 611706 , Reply# 2 7/23/2012 at 06:36 (4,287 days old) by mwendig ()
Yes it is the main element in the booster tank. I attached some pictures below. ML #38617 Serial Number 27122374 Code PJ.
I am going to take your suggestion and take the tank out to delime it. I bought the unit used and I did not de lime the tank at that time so I am sure years of use and abuse had it building up. As far as leaving it on we don't leave it on, we typically turn it on and run a few loads then shut it down. It only takes a few minutes to heat up, if anything we will leave it full of water but turn the main power off, eat etc then turn it back on to run the last load through. See the thread FFW power melting too for some other info.
A couple of other updates. I tested the element with a mutli meter setting it to 200 OHMS and got a reading of 10 which I understand to mean that its OK? Is this indeed true? Could the extra lime build up cause it to draw extra power?
*************My core questions:**************
-Where can I get a new element and what will it set me back (I almost hate to ask)
-Do I need a new element or would the lime build up cause it to draw too much?
-How is the tank designed, I see the element takes up a small portion does the larger portion tend to lime up to or does this design keep the deposits right around the element?
-In the other thread you mentioned adjusting the thermostat, where is that located?
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