As global weather patterns continue evolving faster than New Zealand’s infrastructure can adapt, occasional power outages are inevitable. A hot water cylinder not working after a power cut is an all-too-frequent problem – but what should you do if this happens to you?
Of course, if you have a power cut at your NZ home, you can expect everything connected to the power board to go out as well. However, even once the power returns, some NZ residents find that their hot water still isn’t working.
If this has happened to you, a few scenarios could be at play.
Firstly, be patient! If you used up all your remaining hot water during the time the power was out, it’ll take time for your hot water cylinder to heat more water. If, however, a few hours have passed since power came back, and the hot water cylinder still isn’t producing hot water, you may have cause for concern.
It might also be possible that the terms you have with your hot water supplier enable them to pause your supply to control the load on the network.
Alternatively, there might be a fault with your hot water cylinder. If your hot water cylinder is old, a surge in power after the power came back on might have short circuited the heating element, causing it to permanently fail.
If you’re still waiting for your hot water cylinder to produce hot water again once power is restored, take these steps:
Check the residual current device (RSD) at the power board. Depending on what hot water cylinder and heating element model you have, the RCD might have tripped before damage could occur.
Determine whether the power has returned to your hot water cylinder. Even once the rest of your home has power again, a fault might have left your water heater without power supply. You can use a “circuit tester” to check whether your water heater is receiving power.
There are various potential causes of a lack of hot water when power is out, as well as after the power returns. So, if the problem persists and you are unsure what is at fault, please call Matthews Plumbing & Gasfitting Ltd, on 09 416 4084, so that we can diagnose and resolve the issue.
Your hot water cylinder may not work straight away after a power cut because it needs time to reheat. In some areas, the power supplier may temporarily pause the hot water supply. A fault can also occur when power returns, especially in older systems.
Wait a few hours to allow the cylinder to reheat. Then check your switchboard to see whether the safety switch or RCD has tripped. Make sure the cylinder circuit is actually receiving power. If there is still no hot water or you are unsure, call Matthews Plumbing & Gasfitting on 09 416 4084, and we can help.
Your hot water may not work because you used up the remaining hot water, your supplier may pause supply, or an older cylinder may fail after a power surge.
Call a plumber if it’s been a few hours since the power came back and you still don’t have hot water, or if you can’t figure out what’s wrong.
