Tag: Water Heater Heating Element

Is your electric water heater not working?  This is how to repair an electric water heater. When you find that your electric water heater is not working, first try resetting the circuit breaker by pushing it off and then on.  Next, open the upper element cover on the water heater tank and push the red reset button. If pushing the red reset button doesn't get the water heater going again, check for 240-volt power at the upper thermostat terminals 1 and 3 (See wiring diagram below) using a voltage tester or a CAT 3 or CAT 4 multi-meter.  If no electrical power is there, check the junction box where the circuit wiring is connected. Do you have no hot water at all, or does the hot water run out faster than usual?  If the hot water runs out faster than expected, the problem is likely a bad lower heating element or bad lower thermostat.  Although a malfunctioning upper thermostat also could prevent the lower heating element from turning on. More explicit details and photos are below. NOTE: Some text links below go to applicable products on Amazon.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you see water dripping from the water heater tank, it is time for a water heater replacement.  Tanks cannot be repaired, only replaced.  When installing a new water heater, I recommend installing a pan under it to prevent future flooding. An electric water heater should have a plastic pan, while gas or oil-fired water heaters should have a metal pan under them. Several things could cause the electric water heater to stop working.  A tripped or defective circuit breaker or a loose electrical connection will prevent the electric water heater from operating.  A disconnect switch at the water heater location could be off or have gone bad.  The controls on the water heater itself could have tripped to the off position or gone bad.  And lastly, one or more of the electric heating elements in the water heater could have burned out. These symptoms are easy to check and test for; however, it means working with live electricity.  If you lack experience working around live electrical circuits, I suggest calling in a professional electrician. HOW DOES AN ELECTRIC WATER HEATER WORK? The sequence of operation of a standard residential electric water heater with a two heating element tank is as follows:  With a tank full of cold water, the upper heating element turns on first.  When the water temperature rises to the level that satisfies the upper thermostat, the upper heating element will shut off, and power will then go down to the lower heating element thermostat. The upper thermostat has a built-in double throw switch that goes forth and back between the upper and the lower heating elements as determined by the upper water temperature. The lower heating element will stay on until the water temperature reaches the lower thermostat setting and shut off. When you turn on the hot water faucet in your home, hot water comes from the top of the tank, travels...