State Select Water Heater Reset Button & How To Reset [Ultimate Guide]

When you don’t get hot water from your heater or see error codes, you may think that getting the help of a qualified technician is the first thing you should do. But that’s not always the right approach.

Sometimes, resetting the water heater can help you get rid of your problem. You don’t need any outside assistance for that and you can also save the costs of the technician.

I’ll explain everything you need to know about resetting your heater in this State Select water heater reset button guide. You’ll learn about the electric heaters first and then, the other ones. So, let’s dive right in!

Where Is The Reset Button On A State Select Water Heater

Firstly, you’ll have to realize that not all types of State Select water heaters have a reset button. If you’re using a gas or tankless water heater, you won’t find a physical reset button in them in most cases. But you’d find a reset button in the electric heaters.

Now, comes the question – where is this reset button in electric heaters? You won’t find it outside the heater. You’ll have to remove the upper thermostat access cover to reset the heater. Here’s a picture of the reset button so that you have a clear idea of what it looks like:

reset button of state select water heater

State Select Water Heater Reset Button & How To Reset [Electric Units]

You’ll use the reset button in the State Select water heaters when the ECO gets tripped. What is the ECO? It’s a safety device that shuts off the operation of the heater when the temperature of the hot water becomes too high.

state select water heater reset button

The ECO gets tripped to protect you from scalding. When that happens and your heater quits working, you have to press the reset button on your heater to use it again.

So, how do you reset the heater and fix the problems? Here are some step-by-step instructions you should follow:

  • Turn off the power to the heater by flipping the circuit breakers.
  • Undo the screws holding the upper thermostat access cover in place and remove the cover.
  • Fold the insulation and remove the white plastic cover to have eyes on the reset button.
  • Press the bright reset button and wait for it to click.
  • When you hear the click, it means the heater has been reset.
  • Attach the plastic cover and unfold the insulation to its original position.
  • Flip the circuit breaker back to the on position so that your heater has power and you can start using it.

Why State Select Water Heater Reset Button Won’t Work?

If you don’t hear the reset button click when you press it, the ECO wasn’t tripped in the first place. It indicates that there’s some other issue in your heater that leads to the no hot water issue or the error codes.

There could be many reasons behind it. Check out our guide on why the State Select water heater is not heating water to learn more about it. Hopefully, you’ll find what’s causing the issue with your heater and fix it soon.

But what if you want to reset the operation of the heater? In that case, you’ll have to follow the old-school method of turning the heater off and on. Follow these steps to do it:

  • Flip the circuit breaker that supplies power to the heater to the “Off” position.
  • Wait for a few minutes.
  • Turn the circuit breaker back on.

What Makes The State Select Water Heater Reset Button Trip

You know the main reason why the reset button trips – when the hot water temperature exceeds a certain level. But if you think about it, that’s not normal. Your heater isn’t designed to produce water at a higher temperature than what you have set the thermostat.

So, more often than not, there’s an underlying issue in your heater that causes the ECO to trip. Especially, if it keeps on tripping again and again. Here are the top reasons why the ECO trips and how you can fix each of them:

1. Faulty Heating Element

When the heating element gets shorted, it’ll keep heating the water even when the desired temperature has been reached. Eventually, the water will go past the thermostat settings and exceed the acceptable limit. In that instance, the ECO will get tripped and keep on tripping even after resetting it.

state select water heater heating element

Now, the issue can be with either the lower or the upper heating element. Generally, the lower heating element goes bad first due to the extra load on it. But it doesn’t mean that’ll always be the case. So, you should inspect them both one by one.

A new heating element can easily cost upwards of $200. So, you shouldn’t just do the replacement without being certain that you actually have a bad heating element. If you have a non-contact circuit tester and a multimeter, you can easily test the heating element. Follow these steps to do it:

  • Shut off the power supply to the water heater.
  • Unscrew the thermostat access panel and fold the insulation to access the thermostat.
  • Make sure that the heater doesn’t have any power by checking the screws of the thermostat with the tester.
  • Disconnect the connection of the power wires to the heating element.
  • Connect the leads of the multimeter to the thermostat screws and note down the readings.
state select water heater heating element  testing

Now, comes the moment of truth. What was the reading? If the resistance was in the range of 5 to 25 Ohms, your heating element is absolutely fine. But if it’s outside that range, it means that the heating element was damaged.

Make sure you inspect both the heating elements using this procedure as one of them can be faulty even if the other one turns out to be fine.

Solution:

If the diagnosis reveals that you have a bad heating element, your only option is to replace it. Once you have your hands on the replacement part, you have two options.

You can either do it yourself or hire a qualified technician to do it for you. The first method is free but the second one will leave you a hefty bill. Don’t know how to replace the heating element? Don’t worry, I got your back. Follow these steps to do it completely by yourself:

  1. Shut off the power supply to the heater by flipping the circuit breakers. Drain the tank at least a little below the level of the heating element you want to replace. You won’t have to drain the tank all the way if you’re planning to replace the upper heating element.
  2. Remove the access cover, fold the insulation, and take off the plastic cover. Make sure the power to the heater is off by checking it with the circuit breaker. 
  3. Disconnect the power wires from the heating element. Pull out the old heating element, and clean the tank threads before inserting the new heating element.
  4. Apply some dishwashing liquid to the gasket so that you can tighten the new heating element without damaging it. Install the new heating element and tighten it. Make sure it remains secure in its place.
  5. Turn on the cold water supply to the heater. If there’s no leak, you did a great job and you can reassemble the heater to complete a perfect heating element installation.
  6. If there is a leak, then you can tighten the heating element. If you can’t tighten it further and the leak continues, you have to reinstall it. Make sure the gasket isn’t cracked. Once the leak stops, you can put the heater back together.

That’s all you have to do to replace the heating element. It’s easy and you can save hundreds by doing it yourself. However, if you feel uncomfortable doing it, you can hire a technician.

Remember that peace of mind is also important. So, there’s nothing wrong with getting a professional to do the job for you if that’s what you prefer.

2. Defective Thermostat

One of the most likely reasons why the ECO keeps on tripping is due to a faulty thermostat. It’s not hard to figure out why it happens if you take a second to think about it.

state select water heater thermostat

The thermostat regulates the temperature of the water and signals the heating element to stop heating the water when the desired temperature is reached. But a faulty thermostat won’t send that signal even when the water is at the desired temperature.

So, the heating element will continue to heat the water and the water will be extremely hot. At one point, the hot water will trigger the ECO and trip it.

Solution:

If you have a faulty thermostat, you’ll have to replace it. But how do you know for sure if you have a bad thermostat? Lucky for you, we have a guide for that as well to make life easier for you.

Check out our post on replacing State Select water heater thermostats to learn all about diagnosing and replacing the thermostat. Just go to the section on electric heaters and you’ll find everything you need there. Hopefully, replacing it will keep the ECO from tripping and you’ll get hot water again.

3. Damaged Reset Button

Yes, last but not least – you may not hear the reset button click because the button itself is faulty. The reset button is a part of the thermostat in electric heaters but it can often malfunction by itself.

If you have done the tests on the heating element and the thermostat and they turn out to have been fine, dollars to doughnuts that the reset button is faulty. Unfortunately, there are no known tests to be more certain about whether the button is faulty or not.

Solution:

You’d have to replace the entire upper thermostat as reset buttons aren’t sold on their own. You already know how to replace the thermostat. Just follow the steps and get it done.

Hopefully, you have been able to reset your heater successfully and get hot water by now. Because otherwise, you have a unique situation that’s not common. If the problem still remains, consult a qualified technician to diagnose and fix the issue.

State Select Gas Water Heater Reset Button [How To Reset]

Okay, now we can turn our attention to the gas units. If you look at the gas control thermostat, you won’t find any reset button. But you’d often find a resettable thermal switch that works similarly to the ECO in electric units.

state select water heater gas heater

Instead of turning off the power supply, the thermal switch shuts off the gas supply when there is poor combustion. The switch is resettable.

You can easily reset the heater and get hot water from it again when you press the middle of the switch. But before you do that, make sure you solve the issue that caused the combustion problems in the first place.

state select water heater thermal switch

So, that explains the function of the reset button in gas water heaters. But what if you want to reset the heater itself? Don’t worry, I’ve an old-school method for that as well. And it’s really simple.

You’ll have to turn off the pilot light and relight it to reset the heater. Turn the gas control knob to the off position and wait for a few minutes. After that, simply relight the heater.

If you’re unable to light your pilot or there are other issues with it, check out our guide on State Select pilot light troubleshooting to fix those issues. But if all goes well and you can successfully relight the pilot, that means your heater has been reset.

State Select Tankless Water Heater Reset Button [How To Reset]

If you’re using a State Select tankless water heater, it could either be gas or electric. Regardless of which type of heater you use, you won’t likely find a reset button in any of them.

You’ll have to turn the heater off and back on to reset it. Doing that should be a simple process depending on the model of your heater. Many of them have power buttons that you can turn off and on. Otherwise, you can just use the circuit breaker to reset the heater.

FAQs:

Why does the status light not come in my State Select water heater?

If the status light is off, it means there is no pilot light in your heater. If you light the pilot, the status light should start blinking and indicate the normal operation of the heater.

What do if an error code comes up in my State Select water heater?

The first thing you should do is reset the heater in case the error code came up due to a temporary glitch. If the code remains, look up what caused the code and take corrective actions as needed.

How long do State Select electric water heaters last?

State Select water heaters are quite reliable and they last about 8-10 years on average. But if you take good care of your unit and maintain it well, it can last for many more years.

What is the highest temperature I can set on State Select water heaters?

The highest temperature you’d be able to set is no more than 160°F in most State Select water heaters. But keep in mind that you’re at a serious risk of scalding if you set the temperature so high.

Conclusion

How to use the State Select water heater reset button? Now, you know all about it. Not just for the electrical units but all types of modes. Hopefully, your issue will be resolved after resetting your water heater.

If doing that doesn’t solve your problem, diagnose and fix the three main reasons I’ve discussed that cause the ECO to trip. You can either do it yourself or consult a qualified technician.

Good Luck!

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