Water Heater Problem in Seri Kembangan
Recently, we received a call from a homeowner in Seri Kembangan who believed her water heater had malfunctioned. She did the right thing by calling the official water heater technician to check the unit. After a full inspection, the technician confirmed that the heater itself was in perfect working condition, no defects, no internal faults.
But the problem turned out to be much more serious than a simple heater issue. The technician explained to the customer that the real cause was electrical wiring and this was something only an experienced wireman could handle. That’s when she contacted us. After arriving on site and carrying out our electrical wiring inspection, we quickly found two major electrical hazards in her home setup that could have endangered the household if left unresolved.
Two Critical Electrical Hazards Found in the House
1. ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) Not Functioning
The first and most dangerous issue we discovered was that the ELCB was not working at all. Regardless of how we tested it, the breaker couldn’t trip. This is extremely dangerous because the main purpose of an ELCB is to detect current leakage and cut off electricity immediately to prevent shocks and fires. If a leakage occurred while someone was using the water heater or any other appliance, the ELCB would fail to protect the user, leaving them vulnerable to serious electrocution risks.
2. Water Heater Wiring Improperly Tapped from a Washing Machine Socket
The second problem we found was with the wiring connection. Instead of pulling a proper dedicated power line from the DB box, the previous wireman had taken a shortcut by looping the water heater supply from the nearest washing machine socket. This is a dangerous practice for several reasons:
- Water heaters consume high power and require their own dedicated line.
- Sharing the line with other appliances such as washing machines can lead to overheating, frequent tripping, and overloading.
- In the worst-case scenario, it can cause fire hazards due to poor load distribution.
This kind of shortcut wiring may save time during installation, but it places the homeowner’s safety at high risk. Proper wiring is not just a technical standard, it’s a life-saving precaution.
Why You Need a Dedicated RCCB for Your Water Heater
After highlighting the problems to the customer, we strongly recommended installing a dedicated RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker) for the water heater. Many homeowners are unaware that while normal RCCBs are typically rated at 300mA, water heaters in bathrooms require an even more sensitive protection.
We suggested a 10mA RCCB dedicated solely for the water heater. Why is this important? Because with a 10mA sensitivity, even the slightest current leakage will immediately trip the RCCB, cutting off electricity before it can harm the user. This extra layer of protection is crucial when dealing with water and electricity in close proximity, such as during showers. It can literally save lives from fatal electric shocks.
At Mr. Electrician, we believe that safety must always come first. Shortcuts and unsafe wiring practices may seem convenient at the moment, but they can lead to devastating accidents in the future. A proper installation with the right safety devices such as ELCB, RCCB, SPD and correct earthing system to make sure your home is protected from electrical hazards.
Professional Wireman Services in KL & Selangor
We provide a complete range of electrical services to keep your home and business safe, efficient, and reliable. Our expertise covers:
- Electrical repair & troubleshooting
- Short circuit repair
- Surge protection (SPD) installation
- Safety inspections & maintenance
- Lighting & ceiling fan installation
- Water heater installation
- EV charger setup
- Solar light installation
- Autogate installation & repair
- Distribution box (DB) upgrades
- Energy-saving electrical solutions
- Earthing system installation
Whether you need a quick electrical repair, detailed inspection or a brand-new installation, we deliver professional workmanship with safety as our top priority.
📞 Call Wireman Alex 012-870 2699
🌐 Visit www.MrElectrician.com.my
