Whirlpool 40 gallon electric water heater troubleshooting

I like getting my hands dirty with DIY home projects, they are a lot of fun.

Electric Water Heater Troubleshooting and Repair: The Basics

• When I say “water heater," I am referring to a 30-gallon electric water heater, but the same principles described below will apply to a 60- or 90-gallon unit.
• The unit is powered with 240 volts and contains two heating elements and two thermostats.
• Of the two heating elements, only one is used at a time. One is located at the bottom and the other at the top, and when the bottom reaches the set temperature, the heating element shuts off and the top one kicks on. This cycle repeats.
• If you are getting hot water for only a couple of minutes, then you may need to adjust the temperature on the thermostats. However, make sure that you turn off the power to the water heater before you take off the access panels to the thermostats.

I will be going over some basic troubleshooting here, not for gas, not for tankless, but for electric heaters. If you need information on the other types, I am sure you can find an article elsewhere. Here, I cover everything that you need to know about electric water heaters.

Video How-To

How to Replace a Water Heater Hose

Before you go and try to replace a water heater hose, you better have some general plumbing knowledge. If you do not follow the correct steps, you could flood your house in a matter of minutes.

1. So the first thing that you need to do before you start loosening connections is to turn off the water that is going into the water heater.
2. After you turn it off, run a test by turning on a few faucets on the hot water side only to make sure there is no water coming out of them.
3. Now you can begin replacing the part. Begin by removing the leaky hose. Some hoses can be disconnected with a pair of pliers or a wrench, just make sure that you have the right type of hose connections to make this work. Sometimes the hoses are connected by solder; if so, you will have to cut the pipe and detach the hose. If you have soldered fittings, the new hose can be connected by using either a compression fitting or soldering the new hose back on. If you have no experience soldering copper piping, don’t try it, leave it to the pros.
4. Once you have your hose connected, you can reopen the inlet water valve (hot side) to the heater, just make sure that you have a faucet valve that is open somewhere in the house to relieve some of the pressure.

Video How-To: Resetting the Reset Button

How to Check the Heating Elements and Thermostat

Although there are a lot of articles on the web that explain how you can check the heating elements, I have only read one or two that tell you how to do it correctly: the others are all crap.

1. Before you start undoing access panels and all of that, check the breaker box and make sure there isn’t a tripped breaker. If the breaker is good, let’s move to the next step.
2. You'll need to have a multimeter in hand, and it has to be able to check ohms or continuity.
3. Make sure that there is sufficient power going into the water heater; you should have two wires going into the unit that have 120 volts each. If you are not getting a full 240 volts, then there is a problem with the breaker, and it may need to be replaced. (I will not be going over this in this article, it’s a whole other can of worms). If you are not experienced in working with electrical, do not even bother, it’s too dangerous, get a professional or somebody with experience to help you. Okay, if you've got 240 volts to the water heater, we are good there, so let’s get to testing the heating elements and thermostat.
4. Take off the access panels, which are usually secured by a couple of hex-headed screws. Look for the thermostat first and remove any insulation that may be blocking it. Look for a little red button: if it is off, that means that the thermostat is tripped. Pushing the button back in will fix this problem in most cases, but if it just pops back out when you turn the power back on, then the thermostat needs to be replaced.
5. Now to test the thermostat and the water heater element, you need to turn the power off!
6. Remove one of the wires from the thermostat. You can remove all of them if you want, but it is only necessary to remove one. Set your multimeter to ohms, then take one of the probes on your meter and stick it on the first screw, the one without the wire connected. Holding that there, with the other probe go and test each screw and each connection.
7. If your meter is reading .1, that means that the circuit is open: this is good, this means that your thermostat or element is good. If your meter is reading something like .003, it will eventually drop to 0, which means that the circuit is closed, which means that you will have to replace the thermostat or the element. Below is a picture of me testing a thermostat.
8. If the thermostat is bad, just replace it. You already have the power off, so just hook up the new one exactly how the old one was hooked up and set the temperature accordingly. If the heating element is bad, then replacing that is a bit different- I will explain how to do this below.

Here, I am testing a thermostat. Now can anybody tell me if this one is bad or good?

How to Replace the Water Heater Element

So you should have already tested the element as I said to in the paragraph above. Once you confirm that the element is bad, let’s get to work.

1. Shut off the power to the water heater and turn off its water.
2. Lots of people recommend draining the water heater before changing out the element, and this can be done by hooking a garden hose up to the drain valve and siphoning the end of the hose to create a vacuum. Then you wait 30 minutes to an hour for it to drain. You might also check to make sure it is drained completely by opening up some hot water valves throughout the house. You can do all this, or you can listen to me and save yourself an hour and skip the draining: Just grab a few towels and lay them around the water heater. When you are pulling the element out, some water will come out, but it is not pressurized, so if you swap the elements out quickly, you will barely get any water on the floor or carpet (that’s what the towels are for, more than enough to soak up the little bit of water that will come out).
3. Unhook the couple of wires on the old element. You will need the appropriate size lug wrench to loosen the element. Have the new heating element on hand: these elements come with a rubber o-ring on them so you will not need to use any Teflon tape.
4. Unscrew the old element and pull it out (if you didn't drain, some water is going to be pouring out so make the swap quick), then tighten down on the new element. Hook up the wires as they were before. Put back any insulation you may have removed and put the access panel back into place.
5. Turn the breaker on to the water heater and turn on the water and you are done.

Video How-To: Tank Element Replacement

How Do I Know When I Need to Replace My Water Heater?

Is your water heater leaking?

The first sign of your water heater going bad is when it starts to leak water, usually from the bottom of the unit. The leak usually starts as a pinhole and gets worse over time. This is just normal wear and tear, a common problem for water heaters that are anywhere from 10 to 15 years old.

The easiest way to tell if your water heater is leaking is that you will probably start to see some rust marks or water stains coming down from the unit.

Now it may be that you simply have a leaky hose. If so, then you will just need to replace the hose itself.

Is your water heater not heating?

If the unit is acting up and not heating right, then there is either a problem with one of the breakers, one of the heating elements, or one of the thermometers that are behind the unit's panel. Those are the main parts that are inside, and it is common that they fail every once in a while. You'll find solutions below.

Where and what kind of water heater should I buy?

If you do need to replace the unit, there are many places that you can go (especially online) to find cheap water heaters. Before you buy a new unit, determine how much water you use. If you have a big house or use a washing machine and dishwasher, and if you often have two showers running at the same time, you will probably need at least a 50 gallon water heater.

Please leave any comments in the section below.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

© 2008 Handyman Pro

Lloyd on February 03, 2020:

Have a ao smith signature series propane water heater and I have to reset it almost everyday, any solutions?

Nora on September 29, 2019:

Had 30gal water heater 5mths got the way u run water out of sink very little&the hot wayer heater will make a hissy noise ehats the problem

Scoobz on August 01, 2019:

After it was undrr water. The bottom melted

L Cooper on July 18, 2019:

We are on our second hot water heater in as month and we are having the same problem which is we have hot water for a few seconds then it turns cool. We are loosing what little patience that we have left. We are a retired couple on a fixed income and we need answers desperately. I would really appreciate you feedback on this. Thanking you in advance. L Cooper.

AKPlumb on July 08, 2019:

Thanks for sharing this informative article! We go through these steps and many more when called for a hot water heater servicing. These tips are great and the videos are helpful but if you need more informative plumbing content check out https:www.plumberfortlee.com

Eve on May 22, 2019:

I won't recommend ''Best" brand like water tank... second one since Feb 2018 leaks in my house

Cylinder guy on March 05, 2019:

Great article but would be great to complement is with more information from www.hotwatercylinders.nz We dont recommend you dont play with the thermostat to avoid getting sick after bacteria grows in lukewarm watter.

S Harmon on February 22, 2019:

I just want to know how to turn my thermostat up higher. I have a State Scout 30 gal.

Jojn on December 31, 2018:

I just changed the two heating elements turn the breaker on and I don't hear it warming up

Collene a Copeland on September 05, 2018:

I need to kno if u can change out the wire and the plug on hit water heatet

Jackie on March 10, 2018:

We have changed the elements dip stick and thermostats and our water is still not hot, what else could it be??

Liz Jenkin on March 02, 2018:

Please do not post do-it-yourself videos then say for the first step "if you're not experienced with electrical, then call a professional". People who are experienced with testing continuity, etc. don't need your video. Can't stand stuff like this.

Joe on February 28, 2018:

You have it backwards how your water heater elements work. When the top element satisfies its self then the bottom one comes on.

Darrell. Mallery on February 22, 2018:

I have a Raheem hot water heater. Electric.. 40 gal. It is 3 years old ..the power ind. light is on the upper element & lower element only come on for about 5 min.then trip off .no hot water..the elements check

Marjorie Rodd on February 18, 2018:

Your videos and explanations are excellent. Unfortunately I did not see info on my issue. I had a plumbing issue yesterday with all plumbing backed up. Did not know it hot water heater was involved- t seemed to be running constantly-- so I shut the electric off at the wall ( not the breaker). Turned out to be my septic but even after all night of the switch being on I have only luke warm water. I let the shower run 5 min but it does not change. I tried the reset button but it did not seem "out" and it did not move. All I did was flip the switch off for about 6 hours...never turned the water off, seems like I should be able to just flip it on. Any ideas? thank you!

Lenora R Walton on December 03, 2017:

Thanks for sharing this informative article.I have analyze these kind of issues with my water heater.This article was very helpful for repairing water heater.Visit here for more advanced plumber in NJ

http://plumbingheatingcoolingnj.com/

Judy on November 16, 2017:

We bought a new 40 gal Electric Richmond water heater from Menards. We had an electrician to install it. He had it done, by the directions, but we waited 4 hours, and no hot water. He came back and said it throws breakers. The breaker worked fine with the old water heater, What could be our problem with this new one?

Ben on November 06, 2017:

My electric water heater keeps blowing the breaker. I think it’s due to the fact that I lost use of my sump pump and believe water got to bottom of tank. The water is cleared away now but water heater won’t come back on. Cold showers. What do I need to look at to fix it.

Moses Samlal on October 03, 2017:

Which is more energy efficient a 30gal tank Bradford white or an equivalent tankless water heater

Ron Adams on September 13, 2017:

We changed out the Hot Water heater and have hot water every where but the kitchen no valves have been turned off.

Do you have an answer?

Pamela Greene on August 16, 2017:

I See a lot of questions but no answers to anything. Is this site not helpful?????

Deeded Fulcher on June 25, 2017:

Why would the cold water be getting hot?1

Coltrane Phillips on June 21, 2017:

My water heater is over heating the water. It's coming out scalding hot. I flushed the tank and cleaned all the mineral deposit out of it and also turned the thermostat down. I adjusted the top one and when I went to adjust the bottom temp there was a blue flash. Obviously something failed. I just don't know where to start. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tony battite on June 11, 2017:

I have a brand new electric Rheem performance platinum. The code it shows is a108 with means lower element relay stuck on and it says replace control panel. I've done that three times and a lower temp sensor and that has not cured the problem. If anyone can tell me what to do because it's going to take forever for them to send a plumber thanks

Thomas Emm on June 05, 2017:

Okay my hot water heater is an smaller electric water heater and I have been without hot water since Saturday however when I grab either one of the supply lines they are BOTH hot what could cause this problem

John Peckham on March 27, 2017:

I get an alert warning on my Kenmore digital electric water heater indicating that I should check electrical connections on the lower thermostat and replace the lower thermistor. Is it worth checking the connections myself before calling in a service repairman to replace the thermistor? The unit is only 15 months old but just past the 1 yr. warranty.

Lisa White on January 18, 2017:

Very low hot water pressure. I flushed the tank and the pressure came back. After a few showers and some laundry, the pressure was low again. Any help?

Bill johnston on January 04, 2017:

My brother changed his water heater element today,

Same problems as I've seen here

It was a good thing my nephew was here, he works for the water company, took him an hour to figure it out

The sediment from the tank washed into to lines ,

The screens in the faucets were automatically clogged

Clean those screens in your faucets and everything will be fine

Water now comes out

Nicole on December 18, 2016:

No water running to kitchen at all,, on north wall and it's 7 degrees out -9 with wind chill....bathroom getting cold water for everything...hot water heater on north wall.. Are things just froze ??? TY Nicole

D. Edwards on December 07, 2016:

Will turning off the breaker switch to the hot water heater cause it to blow up? I just had someone from maintainence tell me this. I've been turning off the breakers to my water tank for the last twenty years, in order to save money on the electric bill, and trust me it does save money! I turn it on when I need hot water once a day for about one hour, then I shut it off so it doesn't constantly keep going through the cycle of heating and it's not being used. Maintainence told me that the "flow" valve is sweating/leaking because of me shutting off electric to the tank. That makes absolutely no sense to me, but I'm not an electrician. I'm thinking, if there's no electric going to the tank, how the heck can it blow up or leak or anything really. Please educate me, I hate being ignorant. Thanking you in advance.

TonyB on May 14, 2016:

If this were my site, I'd turn off the comments. lots of really dumb comments from these "Experts".

Bob on April 17, 2016:

Have an AO Smith 50 gallon hot water heater , replaced both thermostats and elements and checked voltage 240 volts and amperage was 19 but still not heating water after several hours . Any answers ?

Sal on April 01, 2016:

There was no water in the tank when i turned it on and it spit out fire, now the water heater is no working at all and i still have power, what could be the problem and solution

Corey on February 26, 2016:

How do i replace the User interface display on my AOS/Whirlpool Heat pump water heater?

alanbanish on November 21, 2015:

ome electrical is going haywire, first problem was a dim light in the fridge, a few days later noticed fridge wasn't cooling anymore, change to a different plug with with a heavy duty extension cord, now its working fine, second problem, water heater stopped working, after tripping all breakers multiple times, suddenly water heater began working again, worked fpr 2 days, now its no longer working again, no breakers have tripped, could a rodent chewing on wires cause something like this to happen? my water heater is 5 years old, and pryor to this Ive never had any issues with it at all, the only prior electrical issue was two kitchen 110 volt outlets stopped working, overhead light continued to work, no breakers tripped, and the outlets don't have the little reset button, thanks for any help

Cara on August 18, 2015:

Water h oozing smelly liquid from top couplings smells like a leaking battery and the circuit breaker tripped

Tim g on July 21, 2015:

I have a 50 gallon Rheem hot water tank that is not getting electric to the elements the electric is on and coming in the top of the top element panel but not making it past the reset button I push the reset button I heard it click but still no power is going through

Binegars on June 30, 2015:

Had an electric hot water heater catch fire without tripping the breaker.

We replaced the whole unit and it is doing the same thing. What could be our problem? Unit is a whirlpool 30 gal. Only 1 month old.

Puzzled - Resolved on October 17, 2014:

Problem was NOT the water heater. A check valve in the submersible pump line was draining the water heater faster than the element could heat it, then kicking back on refilling the water heater with cold water. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

Puzzled on October 14, 2014:

I have a 20 gal apartment water heater 1500 W 120 V that reads 120 V across the element terminals, and using an ammeter that goes around the wire measure 12 A on both the white and black wires (both sides of the element). The tank is clean inside (no limestone) and yet the water is not getting hot. We have replaced both the element, and the thermostat, and still the water does not get hot. This seems to defy logic. Does anyone have any idea what I could check next?

caerleongold on September 15, 2014:

Hi Aubrey,

You might find this blog post useful: http://www.cylinderguy.co.nz/Blog/TabId/5624/PostI...

I was having a whole bunch of trouble with my own water heater (we call it a hot water cylinder where I come from). However, I was able to determine from that linked blog post that I needed to drain my heater fully ... doing so and then refilling seemed to fix the problem.

Let me know how you get on,

Aubrey on August 24, 2014:

replaced t/stat and element but no water from hot tap any idea of what could be the cause

Lonnie on February 15, 2014:

Could you tell me why my hot water won't work when it's on by its self but if I turn on a cold faucet in another sink or the tub then water will flow out of the faucet.

steve on February 06, 2014:

what is the amperage draw if it is 240 volt with 4500 watt element

bob on February 02, 2014:

I replaced thermostat and elements have power to elements but its not heating the water....any answers?

David from Malta on January 27, 2014:

I have just bought a 50 litre electric water heater.The installation has been correctly done, however I noticed that the water stored in the tank doesn't hold hot from morning till late evening as other heaters I had did before. Could you please explain what's wrong with it. Could it be its insulating stuff not thick enough or defective or is it something to do with its electrical system? Thanks.

Mikey101a on January 17, 2014:

I have a soot problem with my hot water coming from my electric water heater. I have flushed the tank out several times on several occasions just to have the soot return after the water gets hot again in my tank through all faucets and showers. How can I fix this ongoing issue once and for all?

DawnShu on January 07, 2014:

Hi. We lost complete power yesterday due to the very cold weather. It was off for 5 hrs. During that time we had no water while it was off and when it came back on. We now have cold water in the kitchen sink and bathtub but no water running out of the hot water faucet at all. We also have neither hot nor cold water running in the bathroom sink. We took off the panels and checked the red breaker button. It hadn't tripped but we pushed it in just in case. Nothing. Could the lines be frozen since the house got down to 49º inside? I don't know what to do and cannot afford a plumber. Any help would be greatly appreciated. By the way it is an electric water heater manufactured 2007

Bea on December 24, 2013:

I have an electric water heater. The issue is the 2 hot water faucets are spitting air everyonce in a while. I was not sure if this was due to the water heater or not. I have checked for leaks inside and out and have not found any.

Thank you

George on December 23, 2013:

My sister says when she is filling up her bathtub she can get an electrical shock by touching the water. It is just a tingling of electricity, rather than a real shock. She is only touching the water and not any pipes. She has an electric hot water heater. What could cause this to happen?

Joe on December 06, 2013:

I have no water upstairs and no hot water downstairs. I followed some of the lines that were easily accessible and the downstairs cold comes right off the main. No water whatsoever comes out of the faucets downstairs when opening the hot valves. I cracked the drain on the hot water heater because there are no leaks anywhere that I oculd see. Hardly any water came out of the drain. This can't be good... Does this mean the heater is so clogged it's done for?

Justin on November 12, 2013:

I have a new water heater.. Both elements are good.. Setting @ 130 degrees... I have 120 on each leg... Water is luke warm only.. When i turn on the hot water in the bathroom i can feel bursts of cold water in it... Just bought this house and replaced the water heater... You can feel warm/hot water feeding back into the cold water supply at the heater.. Electric.. Any ideas?

Jayeffel on October 19, 2013:

I think in the third sentence under changing the heating elements you mean syphoning, not ciphering.

ben on October 10, 2013:

I have a new whirlpool 40 gallon water heater. The water seemed fine but somewhat cooler than our old one for about 2-3 weeks then noticed the water temperature fluxuating rapidly. I adjusted the temperature warmer, replaced the upper and lower thermostats, but it still takes a long time to get hot water to all the faucets then fluxuates every couple minutes from warm to cool to very hot or vice versa. I'm baffled any ideas?

chela on October 08, 2013:

i have speed-o- matic water tank keeps burnnig elements power stays on all time

karlitto on October 05, 2013:

Just bought a house and turned on valve to the water heater, I could hear the water flowing in. I turn on the breaker and there is no noise or indication that the water heater is working. It was winterized. Is there something I need to do to get it to work. Am I wrong in thinking there should be a noise when it is switched on so you can tell it is working.

tams on September 02, 2013:

we had power surges, now our electric water heater is not working. We tried to find a reset button or something. Replaced the circuit box to the whole house. What can we do?!?!

water htg expert on August 22, 2013:

This site is a great place to get wrong ing o. Remember when a part goes bad there is usually a reason. If a water heater goes for twice it's warranty then you have done well. Dumping money and time into is a waist. Replace it and enjoy hot water.

Billfox45 on June 27, 2013:

I installed a 90 gallon electric water heater 6.5 yrs. ago. Yesterday, I noticed streaks of water coming from the top of the water heater and mainly from the screws that fasten the top crown. It is not a great amount of water, but it is a good trickle. Please don't tell me it is defective...any ideas????

candace on May 13, 2013:

I have a 30 gallon electric water heater. i have been getting great hot water about a week ago my hot water was gone my upper element was bad so i changed it. still no hot water i replaced the lower element as well and both thermostats. its like my tank heats up for 1 shower and then runs cold. i have to shut the breaker and then heat the reset button on my hot water heater for it to heat back up. i adjusted the tempature on my top thermostat but it still does the same please help.

noah786 on March 26, 2013:

hi, my hot water is getting scalding hot then goes cold. I pressed the reset buttton and turned the temp down on hwh. This worked for about 1 day then water got over hot again, 150 deg, and hwh shut off. I reset hwh and now water is 150 deg. What should I do.

Don on March 26, 2013:

when draining a tank you say to cipher the end of the hose to create a vacuum. If decipher is to de code, then cipher means to code. how do I code the end of a hose? also you forgot to instruct folks to turn off the power to the tank when you close the water valve to the tank.

john on January 05, 2013:

i put in 2 new elements and still dont have hot water

NancyT on January 04, 2013:

My water heater is two years old new house etc water is draining from the pressure release valve Is this normal should I do something.

jlb3873 on December 30, 2012:

The reset button on my water heater won't reset. When you push it in it just comes right back out. It won't stay in at all. I have no hot water. The tank only has one heating element and we replaced that first. Does that mean we need to replace the thermostat or could that mean something else?

wez on December 08, 2012:

Recently replaced an 80 gal electric water heater. The water presure on the hot side is restricted. If I have the shower on up stairs and turn the hot water on down stairs it stops the hot water flow the the upstairs shower. Have any ideas what's going on.

cleo on June 30, 2012:

we replaced bottom element had hot water for a while now none again what could be the problem it was trippig the red button before we changed it and it is doing it again

rjs on June 28, 2012:

I was working on a elec water heater that appeared to be working fine according to my multi-meter. Replaced top therm and element any way because the owner said they had no hot water. The water heater did not have a shut-off valve on the water supply so every time I had to shut the water off to the whole house. Every thing ohmed out and I even had 17 amps on each leg. Today I showed up and they had gotten some one to install a shut-off valve at the tank. I made sure the tank was full and turned on the breaker. Everything still checked out fine until I went to turn off the shut-off valve. That was when I heard the water flow to the tank get cut off and then the element started making a cooking sound, It was heating the water!!!! Opened the valve back up and I heard water starting to go into the tank, no water should have moved passed that valve. After all no one was running water in the house. I did that 3 or 4 times and decided there must be a water leak in the house on the hot water side. After speaking to the people in the house one of the grand-daughters told me the floor in the bathroom has been warm to her bare feet. BOOM, there it was, a leak in the concrete foundation. The water was moving so fast thru the water heater it never had a chance to heat up. I told them the smartest thing I could come up with, keep the breaker turned off and the valve closed and call a real plumber. Some one that does not do this for a living will only make a bad situation worse, and take maybe more than a week. As where a real plumber can do it in a day or two. I knew better than to say I will do it.

:( on April 24, 2012:

i have an electric hot water heater and the hot water pressure valve keeps popping what do i need to do to fix it

Curious? on April 23, 2012:

I have two bathrooms in my house. Only one shower gets hot water, but both bathrooms get hot water in the sink? What could the problem be?

Azzy on April 18, 2012:

recently moved in to a property which has an electrical boiler. we used to have some instance the trip switch going off. as well less warm water due to continues use of the shower. according to the above details let me know if the heating elemnt would have been gone off due to over heating with out insufficient water in the tank.

Angie on April 16, 2012:

Our hot water heater is located in a bedroom closet and I am scared to death that one day it will explode and cause a huge mess. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Will it always leak a little before exploding or will it just explode with no warning? Should I buy one of those water detector things? What is the best way for me to prevent a hot water heater explosion? Thanks!

Amanda on April 14, 2012:

I have a 60 gal elect hot water heater... Both t-stats, both elements and all wires have been changed and it was still popping the circuit breaker so that has been changed as well and it stays on but now the t-stats don't change from upper to lower and OHMS seem to be sufficient please help getting frustrated

shirleyjd1 on April 02, 2012:

Had a horrible leak at the shut off water value that flood under my moblie home i turn off main curcit breaker so no one would get electrocuted and got it fixed turned on the breakers again- now i have no hot water just cold can you tell me why-thanks

scott e jansen on March 31, 2012:

I've got an 30 gal water heater that works very well, my problem is some times it leaks, it can go for a month sometimes 2 with out a leak, and then sometimes it will leak for days. the amount is very small and the point of the leak must be some where at the bottom but is not visible. What I have done to stop the leak is to release some of the water in the tank, again the leak will reappear but next day or next month its a crap shoot. can you help?

beginner on March 30, 2012:

Thanks for the information that only one element heats at a time,pulling my hair out was starting to hurt!

Adam on March 27, 2012:

My hot water heater is making a "chirp" noise every couple of minutes. I have checked for leaks but i see no signs of water. My hot water is still working great as well. Any ideas???

Richard Blazie on March 22, 2012:

I have a new electric water heater (50 gal). When the system is operating it first trips the red reset button. I reset the button and after a period of time the circuit breaker pops as well as the red reset. I assume the probe is faulty but I do not understand why the circuit breaker would also pop? Can you provide an answer?

Rev. Ronald C. Moss on March 19, 2012:

I have a dual element elec. water heater that the thermostat button keeps tripping, but not immediately after it's reset. I only trips after a lot of hot water is used like taking a shower, or running the clothes or dish washers. Lately the water temp. started getting scalding hot without having the thermostat setting changed, whereas previously the hot water would need little cool water added to be comfortable. Now I barely turn on the hot, and turn the cold wide open, it is almost unbareably hot. What causes this? I bought new elements about a year ago but never installed them because at the time the water didn't get too hot and after changing the temp. setting higher it solved the problem, except once before that the temp. went sky high with out adjusting, but settled down on it's own. Now it is high temp agaain with the stat kicking of only when a fair amount of hot water is used. the temperature setting does respond to adjustment but not to the extreme it's done on it's own.

Time Bandit on March 14, 2012:

To clarify for some people out there. The upper element goes on first then the thermostat switches power to bottom when the set temp is reached. Both heater elements are never on at the same time.

Chris K on March 14, 2012:

One thing to add is that when you pull out an element without draining the tank. It is best to turn off any faucets using hot water to allow vacuum to be created within the tank. This is like holding a bottle of water upside down with the lid off the bottle will suck air in to allow the heavier liquid out. If you punch a hole in the overturn bottle the liquid will dump out more quickly.

Robert on March 11, 2012:

hello i had all my water lines replaced and my water tank worked before the job was done and now after the new water lines are installed no hot water can you help me thanks Robert

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

watts divided by volts =amps

4500/240 =18.75 amps

volts divided by ohms = amps

240v / 18 ohms = 13.3 amps

Amps, Volts, Watts, Ohms

ohm ... watt amp volts?

I

can never remember the difference between watts and amps so I am making this page so that when I forget I can just read it again. (No Lie ;o)

Watts = Volts x Amps

Watts is a unit of power having the dimensions (energy per unit time):

M L2 / T2 divided by T = M L 2 / T 3

Note: A kilowatt-hour is a 1000 watts times one hour = an energy unit.

Volt is a unit of force (F=ma):

ML / T2

So that Amps have the dimensions:

L / T

Now, this is a velocity? What is going on here? This begs some explanation.

I was unable to find an explanation on the web after two hours of searching. There are too many documents on the web with the same "overview" type information. So I did what I usually do & figured it out myself.

The true "dimension" of amperage is, of course, 1 / T , i.e. "x" number of electrons pass through a wire in so many seconds. The extra L we need to make power (ML2T -3) is the length of the wire which is left out of the calculation because it is held "constant" for the pupose of teaching. So if you screw in a 100 watt bulb the little filament in the bulb is a constant as is the length of your household wiring. Now if you increase the length of the filament ( - + - ) you increase the wattage of the bulb (like screwing in another 100 watter) ... but ... if you put two filaments together ( = ) you get less resistance instead of more wattage. And less resistance means lower wattage.

The complete equation for watts is:

Watts = Volts x Amps x k(one unit length of wire)

If you have a current running in some wire, it has some length ... get it? ... but since this is true in any case whatsoever, why put it in the equation? So, if I double this "any" length, does the power consumption go up to double? Yes, even if there is no light bulb on it ... but the amps and volts remain the same? Yes, the voltage will remain the same ... if you're talking about the power company. They will ramp up their power output to match demand. If too many people put too much "extra lengths" in the circuit ... and they can't ramp up ... you get a "brown out" which is, lowered voltage.

Note 6/27/02:

There is a mistake here in what follows (pointed out by "Wimms" on my D-Board in June 2002). I can't remember what I was thinking at the time but there is no drain on the system if it adds another "branch". There will be an extra drain on the system if it extends its length to a place where energy is being tapped. It would lose energy to an unused branch only do to leakage which is minor and not a logical part of the problem. Also, I don't know if maintaining an alternating current voltage consumes energy which would make the error correct again for the wrong reason. I will find out when I get back from vacation.). Certainly, a direct current would not, as would be the case with a simple unused battery (which just leaks away).

Incorrect:

If the power company adds a line to its system (say, to a new subdivision) they must increase their power output to maintain the 115 volt standard even if no one is yet in the subdivision using power ... because ... the extra wiring is resistance of and unto itself, i.e. it gets "hot", like ... warm. The power company's system is a big electric heater even in its "wait state", i.e. waiting for some customer to use it.

If everyone flushes the toilet at the same time, the water pressure goes down ... unless the water utility "pushes" it harder. They can't reasonably do this (they would need a variable height water tower), but the electric company can.

So when you turn on your lamp (add a length of wire), the voltage goes down but the power company puts it right back up to 115V, see?.

So the real, true, actual formula for watts is in fact:

Watts = Amps x Volts x Length

provided that we alter the variable length measurement to reflect a "constant crossection", i.e. a .1 mm filament 2 cm long = 1/8 inch filament very much shorter. But nobody cares about these things except the professionals and people like me who demand that "dimensions cancel out" on both sides of an equation. ;o)

Ohms = Volts / Amps

Ohm is a measure of resistance to electrical conduction.

It is also the way in which prisoners in medieval dungeons resisted their captors. What they did was to find the resonant frequency of their dungeon and hum it. When one guy got tired of humming another prisoner picked it up. The jailers couldn't tell where it was coming from so they were subjected to this constant drone "Ohmmmmm ... ohmmmm ... ohmmmm ...". That's why

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

This is a 4500 watt 230 volt screw type high density element.

This is the most common residential element.

4500/230 =19.5 amps

4500/240 =18.75 amps

230v/20amps =11 ohms

ohms = volts divided by amps) ... so a 4400 Watt @ 220v=

Blaquwraithe on March 04, 2012:

I = V / R (Current = Voltage Divided by Resistance)

230volts / 13 ohms = 17.69 amps

230v X 18 Amps = 4,140 Watts

--------------------------------------

230v / 18 ohms = 12.77 amps

230v X 13 amps = 2990 Watts.

I think you can see how accurate the 13-18 ohms method gets. not very!

Eric on March 02, 2012:

I have just replaced both elements. how long does it take for a 30 gal. water heater to heat back up?

Tara1226 on March 02, 2012:

This morning I woke up to my electricity off. When I powered it on, I noticed that my water heater breaker was in the off possition. When I turned it back on, I heard the sound of steam coming from the top of the heater....then POP! There was a spark at the top of the heater! The breaker for the heater turned back off. There is a small puddle of water by one of the pipes where the spark came from. I don't know anything about water heaters, so I just left it alone. Now, 3 hours later, I have hot water!(keep in mind that the breaker is in the off possition!) Also, my daughter told me that there wasn't any hot water last night. Im assuming the water heater went out, hours before the electricity went out. My questions are, 1. How can I possibly have hot water with the breaker off? 2. Is it possible that the pressure is building up (I'm fearing an explosion) 3. Do I need to pay a pro to come out and replace it or is it easy to install ourselves?

Debbie on February 28, 2012:

What temperature should hot water heater be set on? I got both eelements be set on I got them turned up all the wau

Constance on February 26, 2012:

I have the same problem as Kim..we changed our bottom element and now it doesn't have power but the the top one does. Greatly appreciate any help you can give.

Bluenoser2 on February 25, 2012:

Blaquewraithe,

To measure the amperage, don't you need one of those meters with probes that clamp around the wiring? I'm guessing that most home handy people aren't so equipped.

Blaquewraithe on February 21, 2012:

Stacking?? and dip tubes.

The hot water in a water heater tends to form layers with differing temperatures. When short uses occur frequently the heater can turn on and off and cause the water at the top of the heater to keep getting hotter and hotter each time. It’s called “stacking”. It’s because hot water, like hot air, rises. It can get hot enough to cause the temperature / pressure safety valve to open and release hot water from the heater, even with the thermostat setting on low.

Blaquewraithe on February 21, 2012:

L Burke,1st off checking to ground is not a diagnostic technique you can trust for anything but safety! Of course you will show continuity to ground if a bad elements sitting in water! Checking to ground is only good to see if you will be shocked! Its not a diagnostic technique that tells you anything but that! since you will need to drain the water to really if the readings due to an actual short or its due to being immersed in water! Sure ,MAYBE IF you know what a good elements ohms reading is, you MIGHT get lucky if the waters reading isn't close enough to fool you using such methodology which is in no way accepted protocol for a sytematic diagnostic , My point which went over your head apparently , is, You dont need to ohm out a suspected element if it has voltage!! Simply check for amperage!! if it has voltage! This is foolproof as opposed to your "should be,might be, hope it is, Voltage with any amperage is much easier, faster and far more accurate! so you can monkey around ohming out an open element that reads continuity due to the water inside the tank completing the circuit! Why use a questionable method that takes longer? simply see if you have voltage! and if so simply check for an amp draw! thats real world not magazine mechanic diagnostics, I have 34 years and an Associates degree in Electo Mechanical Technologies

dave on February 20, 2012:

Installed a new speedflow unvented under sink electric water heater 2 months ago and the water smells like steriliser flluid, drained it down and flushed it through but still smells really strong, is this normal?

Lburk on February 20, 2012:

BLAQUEWRAITH You are incorrect insofar as you cannot ohm an element with water in the tank. I teach plumbing for a living, and I have only 35 years in the trade for a little background.

If an element is good it will ohm out to about 13 to 16 ohms. If an element is bad, in other words if it was dry fired and burned apart you will get either a “000 or an OL” on your meter (depending upon the brand or type of meter) because there is no resistance. You may get the same reading if there is an internal open in the element. You can always run a test to ground as well to see if you have a short to ground. You see the heating element itself, the same stuff you see on an electric space heater, but much more of it as in a 100 feet tightly wrapped, is covered in an electrical insulating material and the it is covered with a Chromalloy alloy sheathing.

Your point of testing with an AMP meter is correct though as long as you are testing just the element to see if it is bad. No AMP's, the element is no good. Some try to ohm out at the lead-in but this is testing everything and you'll show an AMP draw if one element is good and it's energized. But keep in mind you will have to switch each element on individually in order to test them. They run non-simultaneously, one element at a time, which brings me to the point that the original author of this hub is mistaken on.

The first element to come on in an electric water heater is the upper. The reason for this is to prevent what is called “stacking” which means all of the heat will rise, and the bottom element would never shut off. Therefore, the top is heated first, once the top is heated, that element kicks off then the bottom kicks on to heat the bottom of the tank, and then maintain the heat unless the hot heater is depleted or it has sat so long that the top has cooled below set point which means the process starts all over.

Why does the bottom element stay on? Because that's where the cold water comes into the tank, at the bottom, if you don’t use all of the hot water in the tank - only the bottom element is needed to maintain a tank of hot water.

Not meaning to pick on anyone here just trying to make things right.

Don on February 18, 2012:

last week a plumber put an expansion valve on our electric water heater. It then stopped heating the water. If I reset the thermostat, it produces hot water ONCE, then cold water again. I'm resetting it several times a day.

matt on February 18, 2012:

low volume of hot water. i have checked voltage at thermostats and ohms at elements everthing seem ok i replaced lower thermostat everthing worked fine for about a day then hot water runs out quick again. can anyone help.

jackie on February 16, 2012:

drained and refilled our electric hot water heater yesterday...now the water is not heating at all. it was heating properly before the drain. anyone know what could be wrong here?

harleyrider222 on February 14, 2012:

hi, electricity is my friend.. if the element is bad, there would be 0 ohms, or infinate ohms across the elements terminals

georgie on February 12, 2012:

I replaced my heating element yesterday. The water heater worked fine but when we got up this morning it wasn't working. The thermostat has no reset button I also changed the circuit breaker in case it was a bad breaker. Could I need a new thermostat?

EC on February 11, 2012:

I have a 40gal electric heater. When using the water i can only get hot to luke warm water for 2 or 3 minutes. Do i need to replace the whole thing?

What is the most common problem with electric water heaters?

Why am I not getting hot water from my electric water heater?