Likely one of two reasons, either there is an electrical grounding fault or to save energy.
Unlike solar panels which heat up the whole of the hot water tank, the water heater typically heats up only a top layer of the hot water tank.
This is done on purpose so that a small quantity of the water, enough for a shower, can be heated up significantly faster and save energy.
When you use the hot water, this extracts the hot water from the top of the water tank and fresh cold water flows in from the bottom.
If you continuously check the hot water temperature, you cause mixing of the cold and hot water layers in the tank and the thermostat won’t switch off the heating element and instead continue heating until the whole tank is heated throughout.
I once turned on the heater and the boiler was empty so when water entered the tank the element got destroyed. We had to replace the entire unit
Nothing should happen if everything is installed properly. And if there is some fault and risk of electrocution then they should obviously fix the fault, not merely put up a sign.
I personally avoid taking shower while the heater switch is on as an extra precaution, but I would bet that the reason they put that sign is to scare people into turning off the heater in order to reduce electricity consumption.
Probably nothing. It’s just a safety precaution in case there is a short circuit somewhere, so you don’t get electrocuted while taking a shower.
When I was a kid a family friend died from electrocution because it was on(and there was obviously some problem?) turn off the water heater whole showering became equivalent to put on a jacket before you go out
I tried a smart element once… it was overheating the water so much that you could make tea from the tab… had to go back to my old one
*Most likely* nothing, unless something is seriously fucked up, but it’s pointless anyway. If water is already hot, better turn it off to save energy. If it’s not, why take cold shower?
And it’s not relevant yet anyway. It’s still sunny. We never had to turn this on yet.
In case that the heater is broken and leaking electricity when you enter the shower you Died
could be tank heater which heats up about 15 – 50L of water ( depends on size) which is connected to your hot & cold combined taps. places with low water pressure or simple gravity tank might have this as a precaution to overheating of the tank elements.
which location/ country is this in ? this could provide context. if its an old installation, they might have this precaution. * besides encouraging users to be mindful of energy usage.
The real question is how do you run off the LISGHT?
Sounds right to me 😂
Unless the heating element and the installation in general is from the 1980s absolutely nothing will happen if you shower with the heater on. It will, however, waste some electricity.
We run a rental company and can confirm this is just ass covering. The chance of mishap is so miniscule it’s ignorable. This assumes nothing out of the ordinary ofc. So I guess maybe just listen to the sign just in case.
I had destroyed the heating element twice that way
14 comments
Likely one of two reasons, either there is an electrical grounding fault or to save energy.
Unlike solar panels which heat up the whole of the hot water tank, the water heater typically heats up only a top layer of the hot water tank.
This is done on purpose so that a small quantity of the water, enough for a shower, can be heated up significantly faster and save energy.
When you use the hot water, this extracts the hot water from the top of the water tank and fresh cold water flows in from the bottom.
If you continuously check the hot water temperature, you cause mixing of the cold and hot water layers in the tank and the thermostat won’t switch off the heating element and instead continue heating until the whole tank is heated throughout.
I once turned on the heater and the boiler was empty so when water entered the tank the element got destroyed. We had to replace the entire unit
Nothing should happen if everything is installed properly. And if there is some fault and risk of electrocution then they should obviously fix the fault, not merely put up a sign.
I personally avoid taking shower while the heater switch is on as an extra precaution, but I would bet that the reason they put that sign is to scare people into turning off the heater in order to reduce electricity consumption.
Probably nothing. It’s just a safety precaution in case there is a short circuit somewhere, so you don’t get electrocuted while taking a shower.
When I was a kid a family friend died from electrocution because it was on(and there was obviously some problem?) turn off the water heater whole showering became equivalent to put on a jacket before you go out
I tried a smart element once… it was overheating the water so much that you could make tea from the tab… had to go back to my old one
*Most likely* nothing, unless something is seriously fucked up, but it’s pointless anyway. If water is already hot, better turn it off to save energy. If it’s not, why take cold shower?
And it’s not relevant yet anyway. It’s still sunny. We never had to turn this on yet.
In case that the heater is broken and leaking electricity when you enter the shower you Died
could be tank heater which heats up about 15 – 50L of water ( depends on size) which is connected to your hot & cold combined taps. places with low water pressure or simple gravity tank might have this as a precaution to overheating of the tank elements.
which location/ country is this in ? this could provide context. if its an old installation, they might have this precaution. * besides encouraging users to be mindful of energy usage.
The real question is how do you run off the LISGHT?
Sounds right to me 😂
Unless the heating element and the installation in general is from the 1980s absolutely nothing will happen if you shower with the heater on. It will, however, waste some electricity.
We run a rental company and can confirm this is just ass covering. The chance of mishap is so miniscule it’s ignorable. This assumes nothing out of the ordinary ofc. So I guess maybe just listen to the sign just in case.
I had destroyed the heating element twice that way