Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater Bypass [2 Easy Methods]

Whirlpool Energy Smart Water heater bypass requires good attention. When you are facing issues with the thermostat, or your heater not working properly, a temporary bypass can be a solution for the time being.

However, conducting a thermostat bypass of your Whirlpool Energy Smart Water heater is not an easy task. Have no fear, our experts are here! Follow these simple steps to bypass your Smart Water heater in no time. So, stick right here!

Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater Bypass [2 Easy Ways]

You can either bypass your smart control panel or the smart thermostat itself. Observe the following segments to safely conduct a bypass.

1. Bypassing the Thermostat Control Panel

Now, it is comparatively easy to bypass the Thermostat Control Panel. For those who don’t know, your Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater comes with a smart control panel.

You can control the temperature from that state-of-the-art WIFI Touch Control panel. However, in some cases, your heater might stop working. 

Bypassing the control panel will allow you to start the heater manually. But, remember, this solution is temporary. 

If the heater is working fine after the bypass, you might need to inspect the thermostat. Anyways, follow the said steps to successfully bypass the control panel.

Solution:

• First, pull off the breaker to turn off your Whirlpool Smart heater. 
• Then, pull out the control panel. It is fastened with 3 or 4 clips depending upon the model. 
• You can now see a bunch of wiring with indicating letters.
• Locate the connectors marked ‘R’ and ‘W’.
• Now, take a nose plier and a 22 gauge wire. You can also pick similar size wires depending on your availability.
• Take the wire and push the ends inside the ‘R’ and ‘W’ sockets. You can also lose the wires and make a group and reconnect.
• The bypass is now complete. Heat to the power panel and turn on the heater.
• It normally takes a couple of minutes before the heater turns on.

Note: Read also how to fix Whirlpool Energy Smart water heater startup failure and error codes.

2. Bypassing the Smart Thermostat Using a Non-Smart Thermostat

You can also replace the smart thermostat with a dual-element thermostat. Follow the said steps to bypass the thermostat itself.

Solution:

• Turn off the heater.
• Remove the thermostat panel. You will see insulation wallpaper. Cut through it to expose the thermostat.
• Now, carefully follow the wiring. They should be reconnected with the replacement thermostat the way they are now.
• One drawback is that the wires are standard rather than solid copper. So, make sure that you cap those up before connecting to avoid fire and other accidents.
• Leave the black and red wires in the same place. Those are hard to pull off for the insulation. Cut off the orange wire. Make sure that you have capped off the opening.
• Reconnect the rest of the wires as it is. Make sure that the wires are properly connected with the terminals.

Precautions

You need to follow a number of steps before conducting any sort of repair work on your Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater. These are: 

• Make sure that the heater is turned off.
• Do NOT start the repair work when the heater is still hot.
• Wait for 2 to 3 minutes before rebooting the heater.
• Make sure that the water connections are connected properly. 
• Keep the heating unit away from the reach of children.

FAQ:

How do you unlock a Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater?

You can unlock the user interface of the panel by touching and holding on to the lock button for 5 seconds. It will unlock the control interface of your Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater.

How can you reset the Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater?

Turn off the heater and replace the lower element of the thermostat. Then, wait for at least 10 minutes before turning it back on. Make sure that the connections are connected properly and the fuse is intact.

Why is your Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater not working?

It might be a thermostat issue. Check the thermostat properly by bypassing the control panel. Replace it if necessary.

How long does a Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater last?

A Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater normally lasts for 8 to 12 years depending upon its usage.

How can you know if the heating element of your heater is burnt out?

You can check the readings using a multimeter. The heating element doesn’t have any resistance. So, an unusual spike in resistance indicates that the component is burned out. 

Final Words

Now you can successfully conduct a Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater bypass all by yourself. Make sure that you follow all the necessary precautions listed in the above segment.

Also, reach out for other Whirlpool Energy Smart Water Heater problems. Our experts are always here for your assistance. Lastly, share your thoughts in the comments.