Rheem
Electrical Short / Overcurrent
Heater trips the circuit breaker when it tries to start
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Shorted blower motor, Shorted igniter, Damaged wiring insulation, Incorrect breaker size
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety First: Turn off the breaker and lock it out if possible. Do not repeatedly reset a tripping breaker.
- Visual inspection: Look for burnt wires, melted insulation, or signs of arcing inside the electrical compartment.
- Isolate components: Disconnect suspect loads (blower, igniter) one at a time and attempt to power the unit. If the breaker no longer trips with a component disconnected, that component may be shorted.
- Check breaker size: Verify the breaker rating matches Rheem's installation requirements. Oversized breakers are unsafe; undersized breakers will nuisance trip.
- Replace faulty component: Replace any motor, igniter, or wiring harness that tests shorted to ground.
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Repair Difficulty
Hard
4/5
Required Part
Blower Motor or Igniter
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