7/5/2022
How do I know if I need a brand new heater module?
Before paying for a new heater module you need to open it up to make sure all the wires are connected correctly. We have had heater modules where only one half of the module was getting hot, and when we opened it up we found a wire inside which was not connected all the way. After we connected it the heater module started working flawlessly. Don’t be afraid to get into the module, or find someone who is handy who can check it for you if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself.
If your heater module does not have any faulty wires after you opened it up and it continues to leak water, or it does not get hot anymore you will need to get a brand-new replacement. You will need to send a $300plus $20 shipping to the John Ellis Water Company to get a replacement heater module. You will have to be very patient (~ 1 - 2 months) to get a new heater module, and you will know your heater module has shipped after your check has been cashed. If your check has not been cashed yet that means the factory has not started building your new heater module. This is the single reason why we always encourage people to get proper prefiltration to protect your John Ellis Water Machine investment from the start so it will last for many years!
How do I fix a leaking heater module that still gets hot?
If your heater module still gets hot but is simply leaking due to really bad corrosion and pitting on the heaters in the heat module there is a good chance you can prevent the leaking following the instructions below.
Step 1: Purchase J-B Weld from Amazon or your local hardware store. JB Weld is a marine-grade epoxy that can be sanded once it has been cured. It is a good option for repairing boat hulls, decks, and other surfaces that are exposed to water.
Step 2: Combine the steel in the black tube with some of the hardener from the red tube and mix it together. You have 15 minutes to apply the mixed two-part epoxy. Use the stick to apply it to the areas on the heater module that are leaking, wipe off excess with the stick, and smooth as best as possible. Allow 4-6 hours for set time, and 15-24 hours for cure time. Do not plug in heater module or use it on the John Ellis Water Machine until cure time has passed and you have checked the heater module to make sure J-B Weld is dry and hardened.
Step 3: If you are going to sand the surface where you have applied the JB-Weld to the heater module be sure to use very fine grit sandpaper (around 400-600 grit) so that you don’t damage the weld. Here are the final images of what J-B Weld looks like after applying to the John Ellis Water Machine heater module successfully. Just to give you a comparison no sanding was done in the images below.
Step 4: Reattach the heater module to the John Ellis Living Water Machine, and let it run the heater module with the JB-Weld for 2 hours. Do not drink any of the water in the first two hours water is being made with the fixed heater module. After two hours check for any leaks around the heater module, and if you don’t have leaks, you will be good for making more John Ellis Water. If you want this do-it-yourself (DIY) fix to last for years make sure you check in with us on pre-filters to remove corrosive chemicals out of your source water.