Elkay ezH2O Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide

This article contains some of the most common Q&A’s pertaining to Elkay ezH2O troubleshooting and maintaining commercial water cooler and bottle filler units. The seamless design of Elkay ezH2O makes them easy to install, keep clean, and properly maintained, with a little bit of attention and care. Learn how to properly clean your units as per Elkay’s recommendations, plus how to replace the Watersentry filter in your Elkay water coolers as well as reset the filter status for your units both in this quick Q&A style Elkay troubleshooting and maintenance guide.

How often should I clean my Elkay water cooler unit?

Elkay recommends continuous cleaning in maintaining your Elkay units. How often depends greatly on a number of factors, including how much traffic your fountain gets, where your unit is located, and water quality.

How should I maintain my Elkay water cooler units?

Elkay recommends using a soft cloth (we think microfiber would work well) along with mild dishwashing soap to spray and wipe down the unit. We recommend paying extra attention to the bubbler, push buttons, and other areas of the cooler that are often touched by users.

How do I change the filter on my Elkay ezH2O cooler?

1. When the filter status turns red, or when you know that the filter is due to be replaced then proceed in changing the filter.
2. Remove the bottom access panel from the lower portion of the water cooler (the panel below the push buttons).
3. Unplug the unit.
4. Unscrew the old filter.
5. Replace it with the new Elkay WaterSentry Plus filter.  (Note: there is no need to turn off the water when replacing your Elkay ezH2O water filter.)
6. If you have the filter status LED light on the top portion of your cooler, (this will exist on all newer versions of Elkay ezH2O combination water cooler bottle filler units) then you need to reset your filter status to green.

How do I reset my Elkay ezH2O bottle filler filter status?

*The directions below are for units with an LED bottle filler counter.

1. Remove the top cover of your ezH2O unit.
2. Press the black reset button located in the top right side, holding for about two seconds before releasing.
3. Different messages will flash across the LED interface. When the following message shows on the screen: ‘RST FLTR’ (shown in the image below), press the black reset button in the top right side of the inside of the unit again.
4. At this point, the filter status light should change back to green when correctly reset.
5. Replace the top cover and your filter status reset is complete.

How do I clean the ezH2O flexible fill mat?

1. Remove the four screws that sure the flexible fill mat.
2. Remove the top section of the mat, and spray the fill mat with a mild dishwashing soap and wipe down with a microfiber (or equivalent) towel, making sure to also wipe down underneath the mat, and the top section of the mat that you removed earlier.
3. Then simply reassembly and replace the top section of the mat.

How do I clean the strainer?

To clean the strainer, unscrew the solenoid valve cap. Remove the screen and rinse thoroughly with water. Insert screen back onto solenoid valve and make sure o-ring is placed properly.  

Elkay Water Fountain Troubleshooting Bubbler Water Stream and Flow

Elkay Water Cooler Troubleshooting No Water Flow

No Water Flow in EZ, HTV, or electric eye operated water cooler models:

1. No power to outlet. Check plug and outlet.
2. Wire disconnected from solenoid valve. Reconnect correct wire to solenoid valve.
3. Power cord to water cooler open. You will know this is the cause of no water flow is compressor and fn are not working and everything is connected and plugged in). Replace the power cord.
4. Water shut off valve is closed. Open water shut off valve.
5. Defective regulator valve. Replace the water cooler regulator.
6. Water line inside of water cooler is kinked. Find and unkink water line.
7. Water is freezing in the evaporator. If water cooler was manufactured prior to 2001 and water is also very cold, the evaporator may need to be replaced.

Elkay Water Cooler Troubleshooting Water Stream from Bubbler is Too Low

Below is a numbered list of the most popular potential causes of low flow bubbler stream along with corrective actions to take to troubleshoot them.

1. If your water cooler is newly installed, then the water pressure in your building might simply be lower than factory test conditions. Remove the sealant and use Teflon tape or a compression fitting.
2. If newly installed, you may also need to adjust the press bar adjustment screw. This is for EHF, WC, HAC, and EMABF Elkay water coolers. Refer to your unit’s manual for press bar adjustment screw directions and information.
3. The solenoid may also be the cause of low water stream. This occurs when the solenoid will not open up all the way. The models this is applicable to are EZ, HTV, and electronic eye models. If this is the case, the solenoid needs to be replaced.
4. The strainer screen might also cause low bubbler water stream. Clean or replace the strainer screen in this instance.
5. If a new water filter is added and the stream becomes low, that filter may cause the water flow to lessen. If this occurs, then you will need to replace the filter.

Other low water flow causes and corrective actions:

If your regulator screw is turned as far clockwise as possible and your flow is still too low, the following causes may be the culprit:

• Water shut off valve is not completely open. Open it completely.
• Regulator valve is defective or blocked by debris. Replace the regulator.
• A flexible water line is kinked. Remove insulation to find and remove kink.

Elkay Water Fountain Troubleshooting Water Stream from Bubbler is Too High

Below is a numbered list of the most popular potential causes of high flow bubbler stream along with corrective actions to take to troubleshoot them.

1. For newly installed water coolers, the water pressure in your facility may be higher than factory test conditions. If this is the case, then refer to your unit’s manual to learn how to adjust the regulator screw. You will move the screw counter-clockwise until your bubbler stream reaches the desired lowered height.
2. The shut-off valve may not be open all the way, causing back pressure. Open the shut-off valve all the way.
3. Bubbler stream waterway is partially restricted causing back pressure or less space to flow through the bubbler causing back pressure. Clean or replace bubbler.

Elkay Water Cooler Troubleshooting Water Stream from Bubbler Continuous Flow

The troubleshooting causes and corrective actions below pertain to EZ, HTV, or electric eye operated Elkay water cooler models.

1. Water continues to run even after the power cord is unplugged. This means that the solenoid or solenoid diaphragm is defective. Replace the solenoid. You will know the solenoid is the issue is you unplug the power cord and the water flow does not immediately stop.
2. If the continuous flow immediately stops when the power cord is unplugged, then there are two reasons you may be experiencing continuous flow:

Either the press bar is sticking and holding the microswitch down and you need to replace the press bar or it needs to be adjusted, or the micro switch behind the press bar is defective and needs to be replaced.

Find all of the repair parts needed to service your Elkay ezH2O water cooler units in our Elkay repair parts section. If you don’t see the repair part needed to repair your unit, remember that we do not list all of the thousands of Elkay repair parts we carry, many of which are in stock. Give us a call to order any parts you do not see online at 800-442-6622. Phone hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM EST.

Hopefully, this article helps you identify the cause of issue for your water cooler, along with how to fix it and get your Elkay unit back in proper working order. We highly recommend frequently cleaning your unit to keep it sanitary for users to and avoid early wear of your units. Subscribe to our newsletter in the black box below to find out about more Elkay water fountain troubleshooting guides we make in the future, as well as other water cooler manufacturer information, tips, and resources to make maintaining, troubleshooting, and purchasing water cooler units and repair parts easier.

Here are links to related troubleshooting articles and resources:

• How to Replace an Elkay ezH2O Bottle Filler Filter and Reset Filter Light
• Retrofit Bottle Filler Guide for Elkay Water Fountains
• Water Cooler Filter Comparison Chart
• Oasis Water Cooler Troubleshooting 
• Photographic Parts Breakdowns (Shown/Linked below)

Elkay EZS8L Parts Breakdown (photographic)
This parts breakdown applies to both Elkay EZS8L and EZS8S water cooler units. 
View the Elkay EZS8L Parts Breakdown

Elkay LZS8L Parts Breakdown (photographic)
This parts breakdown applies to both Elkay LZS8L and LZS8S water cooler units. 
View the Elkay LZS8L Parts Breakdown

For one on one support for your water cooler units, give us a call to speak to one of our product experts.

Toll-Free: 800-442-6622

Pittsburgh: 412-781-9100