Hearth Record

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Pro Max electric water heaters

1 report to CPSC, the latest made Dec 27, 2015. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search, on saferproducts.gov

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At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

  • 1report to CPSC
  • Dec 27, 2015the latest report was made
  • Dec 27, 2015the earliest
  • 0with the company’s comments
Brand
Pro Max
Maker
A. O. Smith Water Products CompanyMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product
Electric water heatersCPSC’s product type: Electric Water Heaters (code 119), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath

By month

1 report from January 2015 to December 2015; the most in December 2015, 1.
The numbers, as a table
Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
MonthReports
December 20151

How badly anyone was hurt

  • No one hurt 1 CPSC: Incident, No Injury

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

Source:

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  1. No one hurt

    Made Dec 27, 2015, sent to the company Jan 11, 2016, published by CPSC Feb 4, 2016

    The product, in the report: Electric Water Heater

    This water heater (AO Smith Pro Max: Model: ECT 40 200 - Serial: 1006A011942) - has been malfunctioning for three months, most notably, producing a limited amount of hot water – about 5 gallons. After which the water has zero heat. This behavior began with the upper breaker (on the AO Smith) frequently tripping from some overload. Pressing the red button would restore heating, but this did not last more than a few days. Eventually, the lower element stopped working totally, and only the top element was heating.

    Repairs comprised three visits from licensed plumbers. The diagnosis – after several long conversations with AO Smith technical support – was defective thermostats. Both heating elements were intact, as shown by testing.

    Phase 1 – Both upper and lower thermostats were replaced. This did not work, as the heater again reverted to using only the upper element, and not the lower element. The lower element was intact, but it simply did not heat.

    Phase 2 – Replaced just the upper thermostat, again. During this repair, the plumber smelled “burning” coming from the water heater. He warned me this is dangerous. But it appeared that this repair worked. But it only worked for one day, then again back to about 5 gallons of hot water.

    The Fire – On day 4 after the repair, the AO Smith unit had a complete burn-out of the lower control area (see photos). This occurred during early morning, about 2:30 am, and fortunately our cat awoke [REDACTED] to turn-off the power before the fire spread to the whole house. Of course, this presents a possible disaster to our house and person. People can die from the toxic gasses emitted from such a fire, as well as the fire itself.

    Model
    ECT 40 200
    Serial number
    1006A011942
    Bought
    Feb 19, 2010
    Where
    Chicago, Illinois: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 61, Female
    The reporter’s relation to them
    My Spouse
    As this report names them
    Brand Pro Max, made or sold by A. O. Smith Water Products Company
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Source:

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

Sources

  • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

    Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Source:

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Back to Electric water heaters

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 8, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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