How To Repair Electric Water Heaters in MINUTES ~ Step By Step

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How To Repair Electric Water Heaters in MINUTES ~ Step By Step

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Күн бұрын

How to repair electric water heaters in minutes using this step by step troubleshooting guide. Problems such as, no hot water, heater trips circuit breaker, hot water runs out, water only warm, thermostat reset button popped, no power. Easily identify the cause of an electric water heater failure by performing various voltage and resistance tests. AFTER you establish that there is power being supplied to the water heater, ALL remaining tests are done with the POWER OFF to the water heater.
You'll need a phillips & slot screwdriver, as well as a digital or analog multimeter.
** If you have any "simple" questions, please post them in the comments section. I will try my best to reply back as soon as possible. I have lots of people that request "Special Assistance", or send me private YT messages seeking "Special Assistance" in response to one or more of my over 475 videos, even though I would love to assist everyone possible, and usually I do (which many other YT channels do not, that I know for an absolute fact), I am finding it very difficult to keep up with all the requests, due to a lack of time(working & personal life). Answering simple questions, I will always continue to do, but I have adopted a new policy in which I ask any viewer who seeks, "An Advanced Level Of Help" to post (1) link in the video comment section showing that they shared my KZfaq Channel main page with others(posting a link on another website, Twitter, Facebook, etc). By doing so, I will then be glad to assist at a "higher" level. I have no problem helping, but viewers looking for help, should also help me in return by supporting my channel. To take the time to assist someone at a, "higher level" who does not return the favor by sharing my channel, simply does not make sense. Help those who take the time to help you and save you money.**
For a super detailed understanding of how the thermostat operates, watch this video:
• FULLY Understanding Ho...
Excellent video explaining how to inspect your Circuit Breaker Panel:
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BE SURE to read through other viewers questions in the comment section before posting new questions. Doing so will prevent duplication of questions and save time.
DISCLAIMER: If you're not comfortable working with 120V/240VAC electrical wiring, or unaware of the dangers of working with 120V/240V wiring, then DO NOT attempt to work on your unit! Safety first! AC Mains Power has the potential to KILL or injure you. This channel will not be held liable for any bodily injuries, property damage, or deaths resulting from the use or misuse of information contained in this video. The viewer assumes all risks and liabilities if they decide to duplicate what's shown in this video. Certain methods shown in this video, may not be considered "Proper".
Thank You!

Пікірлер: 1 200

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

**ATTENTION: Both thermostats should NEVER be on at the same time. They both cycle on and off. If your thermostat is set at the highest setting, you will not be able to get it to click ON/OFF. In order to test it, you'll need to disconnect power from the heater, remove the wires, then remove the thermostat from the heater. You can use a heat gun to direct heat toward the back of the thermostat as you rotate the dial. Please read through the comment section to see if your question has already been answered. If you post duplicate questions in the video comment area, you will not get a reply. Thanks! **For GREAT deals(Usually cheaper than EBAY) on DMM's and other electronic test equipment, please refer to the links posted below. (Purchase supports my channel) All Items: bit.ly/2cgYr14 Flash Deals: bit.ly/2cb6CZB *Try these money saving coupon codes: Double12 or BFTOOL or aff7off or elec or elec1 or measure or HDWARE2 or WELDTOOL or ask if other codes are available!

@drServitis 6 жыл бұрын

HELP! I replaced the heating elements and the thermostats, and still my water heater is not working. It triggered the breaker in the house breaker box when it first quit working, but it does not trigger the breaker any more, bust still no hot water, even after replacing the elements and the thermostats. Plumber/electrician says there is power going to the hot water heater, and at the same time he wants to replace it with a new one. The elements I removed, especially one of them, had a huge hole in it/cancerous looking. HELP.

@dakingayork6588 6 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore what if there is no power at the top of the water heater but is at the breaker

@danielcharles5430 5 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore what about tanks with one element

@eugenelaky1993 4 жыл бұрын

@@dakingayork6588 then your wire is cut somewhere

@rkhyden1950 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@mmmcakeandpie 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I replaced my thermostat after following this video to troubleshoot and another to replace it and it all cost me $28. Plus I feel like MacGyver and I can fix anything...woo hoo! I am not normally ‘handy’ . This is a big deal for me.

@Ilovedoingedits353 4 жыл бұрын

Jennifer Roach I’m jealous

@johnlashbrook662 9 жыл бұрын

Very helpful - just fixed my hot water heater after watching this and 1 other video - replaced everything just to cover my bases - parts cost $40 - Plumber quoted $275. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

@joea5183 6 жыл бұрын

Cheap plumber. My company would have charged about 550

@myothergem 5 жыл бұрын

John Lashbrook did u have a probe?

@bigglilwayne7050 4 жыл бұрын

I wouldve charged an extra 50 bucks just because of you calling it a HOT water heater lol

@bluesman0903 4 жыл бұрын

I searched many videos on this topic, and this is by far the easiest to follow, thank you for posting this, now I know what's wrong with my water heater.

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Great to hear. You're welcome!

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Watch this short video for a detailed understanding of how the thermostat operates: FULLY Understanding How Electric Water Heater Thermostats Work

@braniganbinkley9823 9 жыл бұрын

There are 4 parts total that make an electric heater work -- 2 elements and 2 thermostats. When the water is cold in the tank the top element will come on first, heating the top portion of the tank. Once it satisfies for temp the upper thermostat will transfer power to the lower which will then do most of the heating. Lower element and thermostat are the workhorses of an electric heater and would be the most common parts to go bad. The two causes for the High limit switch (red reset button) to trip are a grounded element or a stuck thermostat. Both of these would cause water in the tank to become overheated. The high limit only measures the temperature of the water. So if u notice your water is overly hot and then notice no hot water check the reset button. If it's tripped u know what to look for. Great video!

@braniganbinkley9823 9 жыл бұрын

You can also test for AC volts on top two screws of the upper thermostat, if getting 240 go to the next two screws below the high limit, if the reading is off that indicates it is faulty--replace upper thermostat if the red button isn't tripped

@EvaBongoria 6 жыл бұрын

hey dude. so if high limit needs to be reset after heating up hot water heater, does that mean its either the lower t stat/element?

@philchristianson5464 5 жыл бұрын

branigan binkley 8jkj

@GuppiAttack 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

@moonstruck2009 5 жыл бұрын

You said you know what to look for? So its the thermostat getting stuck when it gets to hot and trips the reset, then no hot water?

@mississippinative4578 5 жыл бұрын

Good Job. Took me 5 minutes to find the lower heating element shorted to the tank. Saved me a lot of money. Thanks!

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Return the favor by looking over my extensive video playlists for other great videos of interest to you, subscribing, and most importantly sharing my channel with many others. Thank you

@chuck82658 4 жыл бұрын

I've done my own repairs over the years with my limited knowledge and advice from others I've gotten by and every time I've had problems with my hot water heater I've got it done but luckily this time you helped me out turned a couple hr job into 10 minutes THANK YOU!

@aerialwhidbey 3 жыл бұрын

My local Electrician says that it is rare, however one of the dual circuit breakers failed at our home. The measurements according to this video led to some uncertainty. After replacing both upper and lower modules (one had a failed thermostat) and checking the resistance of the heater coils, the only thing left was a problem with input power. By turning off the dual breakers, and removing the two nuts to separate the wires, it was clear that full 240V was not being delivered to the water heater. Otherwise, this video is a standout among other stuff on KZfaq, and much appreciated.

@electronicsNmore 3 жыл бұрын

The problem is usually a bad connection between the circuit breaker and busbar in the panel.

@MyBestSiteEver 10 жыл бұрын

I did get both the thermostat and element replaced. The plumber offered to do it for the ripoff price of $425.00, but thanks to videos like yours that show how easy it is to do yourself I turned him down and got my next-door neighbor (who does my home improvement) to do it for $50.00. It works fine now.

@MyBestSiteEver 10 жыл бұрын

Oh-and BTW, the $425.00 didn't include the price of parts, because I had already bought them.

@joea5183 6 жыл бұрын

Insurance costs plumbers a shitload of $! Water cannot only cause major damage, but mold as well. You can usually talk them down about 15-20%. But a plumbers overhead is quite large. Tools, truck, insurance.. you are not just paying for his time, you are paying for his tools, his knowledge and his warranty. Dont get it twisted, it's not a RIP off.

@emmasdad5426 5 жыл бұрын

Should have just don’t it yourself or had your neighbor do it from the get go! Why did you even call a plumber? Did he tell you what was wrong? Did you find out the problem from this video and then call a plumber? Your story is very confusing. Did he show up and you just wanted him to replace everything for 400 bucks? I’ve wasted way too much time digesting your comment

@bigglilwayne7050 4 жыл бұрын

Why not get good ol Handyman Dan to do it from the get-go since he already does all of your home improvement needs as it is?

@TheDownrigger 10 жыл бұрын

This is a handy video. As a journeyman plumber I see a couple things that have been overlooked. First of all it is a common joke in the trade that it is a cold water heater, not a hot water heater as it does not heat hot water. I am not nay saying you it's just a joke. However a couple people that wrote you complaining of only warm water may have a different problem. Sometimes if the elements and t-stats check out and you may have a problem with your dip tube. This is a tube that moves the cold water entering the tank to the bottom of the tank. Since heat rises if this tube rots out you may get tempered water. A tank full of hot water will be cooled continuously by hot and cold mixing at the top of the tank if this part is compromised. Everything else is pretty spot on. Most important check for the power. If you don't have it you have a loose wire nut or a breaker problem. Call sparky the electrician. Second ohm both elements. If they good change the stats. Alot of time you may have a stat that is sticking causing the elements to overheat which in turn trips the reset button on the upper stat. If a customer complains of getting a few minutes of hot water and then warm it is most likely but not always a dip tube. also the guy who replaced his t&p and it still dripped. This may be from having too much pressure. A pressure regulating valve may need to be installed on the main water service or you may want to install a thermal expansion tank on the inlet side above the heater.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks For Watching, I have very rarely or ever seen the plastic dip tube which sends the cold water to the bottom of the tank deteriorate. In all my experiences repairing water heaters, when the water is hot for a short period of time, then becomes warm, it is usually due to the lower element is not turning on.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

My TANKLESS Water Heater Troubleshooting video is here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mJljeKui37qxkps.html

@chazmasterman 8 жыл бұрын

+electronicsNmore @electronicsNmore Hello, Thought I would ask a question. My tenant has a electric 30 gallon water tank. cimarron by Reheem. model > cL81V -30d 5 year war. I am guessing it is over 7 years old. The problem is it seems to only heat enough water for about 1 to 2 mins before it runs out of hot then all cold. I am guessing about only 2 to 4 gallons of hot water. Any input? Any reply would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time. Charles.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

Hi there. It sounds like the lower element is faulty, or a faulty thermostat. You need to do a few tests. Thanks

@chazmasterman 8 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore Yes that sounds correct. (As in would be my guess.) And am in process. Also viewing a few more of your video's as well. Ty very Much. And I did sub. :) Was just wondering If you maybe you knew by chance or not that these parts are replaceable on this model? Or just replace the tank?. I will say this something you may or not know. I recently discovered on another tank issue. A customer had a similar issue. cold water can back flow into hot tank if shut offs are incorrect. Again TY!

@pacloward 8 жыл бұрын

+electronicsNmore tanks a lot

@downtourth 8 жыл бұрын

Hey buddy, shouldn't I get a 240 volt reading on the bottom element if the heater is heating up?

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

The only time the power was on, was to verify that power was being supplied to the heater. All other tests are done with NO power! I'm pretty sure I stated that in the video. Thanks for watching!

@derekdwaine5496 4 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore I’m getting 280 volts at the top of my water heater

@richardadams4904 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for this video. I done everything you showed on here twice but everything checked out fine on the heater except it still kept kicking the breaker within 15 minutes. Thus I figured out it must be a weak breaker. After following your advice I feel there isn't anything on the water heater that I can't diagnose now. Thanks again!

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Be sure to share my channel with others. Thank you!

@AIRWOLF222bMW3 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. I was just about to buy a water heater to replace one I thought was bad. Took my phone with me to the water heater and watched your video and followed it step by step. Only to learn I didn't need a water heater at all. Just replacement parts. Thanks again. You saved me a couple hundred bucks!

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Please return the favor by sharing my channel with others, rating thumbs up, watching my video playlists, and subscribing. Thanks

@thisnailgurl...8398 5 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU! I JUST FIXED MY WATER HEATER MYSELF AND SAVED MYSELF ALOT OF MONEY. COULDN'T HAVE REPLACED MY THERMOSTAT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Please return the favor by sharing my KZfaq channel with others, rating thumbs up, watching my other videos, and subscribing. Thank you

@heartlessangel1460 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome vid! Step by step gets 2 the issue! Found that the lower thermostat was bad on mine!

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Please share my channel with others. Thank you

@RedneckMechanics 10 жыл бұрын

youtube is the best. I had a problem with my water heater and now im gonna go ahead and test it out with the new knowledge i got from this video

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Great! Hope you discover the problem fairly easily. Thanks For Watching!

@RedneckMechanics 10 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore i dont know if you have an idea. I checked the water heater. Its a 40 gallon with 2 elements. The power wire was completely dicked. The breaker is a double 15 amp and looked dicked too. I put a double 20 amp new breaker and a new 12/3 wire. Every thing is hooked up now. i put a ground, and one wire in one side of the breaker and another wire on the other side of the breaker. Hooked up the ground to the water heater and hooked up the 2 wires. ( is it possible that i hooked it wrong?) When i put one probe on a screw of the element and the other probe on a ground, i have power on the 2 screws of the 2 elements. My test meter is set on 240 volt and looks just like yours and the needle is in the middle of the gauge so that tells me i got power to both screws of both elements at the same time? In the video you say its not supposed to happen i think? does it tells you something?

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

OK. You did good by replacing with a double pole 20A circuit breaker. The 12-3 was not necessary. You could have used 12-2 wire. (2) 12 gauge wires with a bare ground wire. In your case (using 12-3)you had a black, white, red, and bare or green wire. The black and red connect to each screw on each circuit breaker. The bare or green wire goes to the ground bar in the circuit box(screws into the steel box), or neutral bar. The white wire is left unused. The black and red connect to the wire on top of your heater. The bare/green wire connects to the ground screw. Measure the voltage across both screws on the heating element/elements. Look for 240V. If you test only from each screw, you will get 120V from each. If one leg is faulty, you cannot tell by testing from each screw to ground. So measure between the heating element screws.

@RedneckMechanics 10 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore when i put the 2 probes on the 2 screws of the element,i got no reading, but when i put one probe on one screw and i put the other probe on ground, the needle moves to the middle of the gauge (the test meter is set on 240) on the 2 elements, both screws had power when i touch one screw and a ground.(I must be dumb, im a mechanic not an electrician) Should i get 240 when i put the 2 probes on the 2 bolts of the element? I dont understand, because to me, it looks like there is lots of power on these screws of the elements, i touched it with a finger and oh boy, these screws had lots of electricity, so in my head, an element that has electricity is supposed to be hot, but no hot water yet. Also the water heater doesnt make ANY noise when i turn the power on, and my thermostats doesnt click like yours does in the video when i turn them to adjust the temperature, even with the power on so i dont know what that means either, to me it should do even a tiny noise so i know its on or something. It doesnt click or do anything when i push the reset button too. i dont really know what to do from there. To me , looks like i have 120 volts on each element bolts.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

You might be OK. If the thermostat is the problem, even though 240V is supplied to the water heater, you will only get 120V from either element screw to ground. You are only getting 1/2 the power, only 1 leg(120v). When the thermostat clicks off power to the element, you will only have 120v, and no reading between both screws. I suspect a bad thermostat. One wire on the heating element goes up into the insulation toward the top of the water heater. The other wire goes to the thermostat. You need to check the voltage between the screw on the element which does not go to the thermostat, and the upper left thermostat screw. You should see 240V. Under that upper left screw is the switched thermostat screw which is connected to the element. If the upper left screw and the other element screw gives 240V, and adjusting the thermostat does not turn on the heater, change out the thermostat.

@doug29681 7 жыл бұрын

Very great video man. If someone doesn't understand your instructions then they should hire someone to repair their water heater. Remember people you are very close to high voltage and it may kill you.

@ornellh 5 жыл бұрын

Your explanation was great. I now understand only one element gets power at a time. TIP If your tank has hard water build up in the bottom, you can make a small shovel by forming the end of a curtain rod (the adjustable rectangle old school kind) that will fit through the bottom element hole and clean it out a small scoop at a time. When you get all you can reach turn on the water to flush it around. you can get most of it out and start clean with your new elements. We have hard water, my heater is 18 yrs old have done it 3x now. I just had a flex connector for hot at the top fail and take out my top thermostat, they don't like water! . Now replaced with braid covered plastic. Instructions say check for leaks every 6 months sounds like a good idea to me!

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and thanks for the tip! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below, and most importantly share my channel with many others. kzfaq.infoplaylists

@Twister051 10 жыл бұрын

Issues posting so I'll try again here: "Yes, I totally understand that after verifying power is getting to the hot water heater that you flip the CB off. However, what I was not understanding (until now) is that with the power OFF, how was there any power on the water heater to move the multimeter needle when checking the reset switch, heating element terminals, etc? The answer, of course, is that in the later tests the multimeter is not checking POWER going through the hot water heater but is instead checking the 'circuit' of the switches, terminals, etc themselves and the power to move the needle in those later tests is coming from the batteries in the multimeter. I bet that lack of clarification in your video is why you keep getting asked by posters about "is the power removed after the first step or not?" OK, gotta go watch your tutorial so now I can test those switches and elements!"

@bridgettewalker3958 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent video! Thanks for the detailed info.

@electronicsNmore 6 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked my video! Be sure to check out my extensive video playlists for other great videos of interest to you, rate thumbs up, and share my videos. Thank You

@mikedonaldson3784 5 жыл бұрын

Bridgette Walker

@mikedonaldson3784 5 жыл бұрын

@TheKev7133 10 жыл бұрын

I've replace a water heater last year and while doing so also burnt out the top rod because I didn't wait for the water to completely fill the tank. This year I got a call from my electric company telling me I was using (3) times my normal rate of electricity. I see the high current drawn from that cheap replacement rod when I got home. Thank you for the video because now, I can troubleshoot to see what is real broken.

@kieyotiemcdermott7195 7 жыл бұрын

VERY HELPFUL! I had replaced both upper and lower thermostats on an old water heater and STILL had no hot water. After running these tests I found the new upper had malfunctioned (I'll explain why momentarily). This is a very simple and easy to follow guide, thank you. I will add my own personal note: MAKE SURE your water heater has refilled and you have burped the tank (let the air bleed out a faucet) before you turn power back on. Otherwise, you'll be replacing that upper thermostat again. Again, Thank you electronicsNmore I will be sure to add you to my list of places to research when I have an issue!

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Glad my video was able to help you. Be sure to rate thumbs up, share my channel with others, and check out my extensive video playlists! Thanks

@kieyotiemcdermott7195 7 жыл бұрын

I will.

@Refus777 8 жыл бұрын

Your Cautionary Notes in RED with WHITE lettering is a wonderful addition to your video! You saved me a ton of trouble just by commenting on the timing of the thermostats. I could not get a voltage reading on the lower Thermostat when the upper read 238 Volts. I thought I had an open wire between the upper and lower Therms. I profusely THANK YOU for the Cautionary Notes, You made my day SIR!! My wife thinks I'm pretty cool right now! May be an interesting evening afterall!!

@ariues 10 жыл бұрын

These illustrations on the water heater got me feeling that if I point at it it's gonna explode haha. God bless you

@jegmusic08 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks guy, found out that the breaker was loose. All working fine now. You all are great. God bless

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

I ran into that many times in the past when repairing HWH's, that is why I knew.

@unclemony5939 4 жыл бұрын

Hello, this video was made with lots of love for the people of the world, by this great man. Thanks so much.

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Ash! Please share.

@elego49 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Your instructional video was exactly what I needed to fix my water heater. A multi-meter (exactly like yours) and two thermostats later, I can shower with warm water again!

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

Glad I was able to help you. Be sure to share my channel with others and rate thumbs up. Thank You

@Bradnick930 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the knowledge. After viewing this I replaced both elements and thermostats in the water heater in my rental house. You saved me at least $200.00.

@Bob_Adkins 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tutorial. You may want to mention that some tanks have higher wattage elements, and only 1 at a time will show 240V when tested. If your element has only 12-13 Ohms, it's a beast, producing 4000-4500W. Think about it, if both 4500W elements came on, there would be drama in the wiring or at least a tripped breaker. The upper element is the master, it comes on first. So if the bottom appears dead, just turn the top element all the way down and re-test. It should then show 240V.

@raphaelpolicarpio7991 9 жыл бұрын

First time homeowner and my first time to fix my water heater too! Thanks to your very informative video!

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Your welcome! Please share my videos, and rate Thumbs Up. Thanks

@normking 7 жыл бұрын

The problem was the lower heating element. Your video helped me figure it out and saved me a bunch of money, THANKS. Norm

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Be sure to share my channel with others, check out my video playlists, and rate thumbs up. Thanks

@FORTRAN4ever 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. At 2:10, the presenter, although he did show how to check to identify if the reset switch was not faulty, he should have mentioned to check to see if the reset switch was disengaged. After finding out there was no continuity between either two sets of screws, I noticed the button popped out a little so I pushed it back. After the switch was engaged, I found I had continuity. After supplying power from the circuit breaker I had hot water! I wonder how many folks have replaced a water heater that had a simple problem that could be easily fixed. Thanks for the video!

@electronicsNmore 3 жыл бұрын

To me that was a given, I mentioned the reset switch, and most people when working on(or testing) a heater thermostat will see "push to reset". Thanks for watching

@richardmartin2843 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Exactly what I was looking for, and my troubleshooting only took a couple of minutes longer than in the video. My problem ended up being the top thermostat is NFG. You saved me a lot of trouble. Again, thanks - great instruction video

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

+Richard Martin Glad my video helped. Be sure to rate Thumbs Up, and share my videos with others. Thank You!

@michaelwalling8281 10 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. Right to the point and concise. Thanks for not cluttering it up with obvious redundant safety advice.

@bigjoshazmohave5473 7 жыл бұрын

Nice video, learned a couple of things. Ran into a problem today that wasn't covered in the video. Maybe it's something obvious I am just simply over looking. A water heater I was working on had power to the elements, thermostats. everything ohmed appropriately and had power. but still no hot water. Replaced both elements, replaced thermostats upper and lower (twice in case they were bad also). still now hot water. checked breaker to make sure the full voltage was going through. Yes it did. Out of frustration I replaced that also. As a maintenance worker at an apartment complex I will admit I don't know everything but this had me and my boss stumped. I havent had an issue like this in 6 years and he hasnt seen this in his 20 there. The only thing out of the ordinary was that Both elements were getting power at the same time

@KimsGardensandHome 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks, we used your video to help make repairs on our water heater. Got hot water again. I shared your video. Thanks. You speak clearly and show easily what you are doing. Great tutorial.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Glad I was able to help. Please rate Thumbs Up. Thank You

@KimsGardensandHome 9 жыл бұрын

Yes, I did. Thanks.

@josecunha731 8 жыл бұрын

...excellent, descriptive and very useful video. Thanks so much. Had to drain my water heater to raise it onto a small platform (apparently plumbers in Miami believe water flows uphill :-( ) after the a burst line flooded my garage, in spite of the heater being in a pan. After draining and refilling, water not heating as before, suspect a bad element but didn't want to fiddle with until I armed myself with a little knowledge. Thanks again, great video.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

+Jose Cunha Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video.

@ericgolpe 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for the video! This helped me grab a "tune-up" kit at the local DIY shop for about $40 and replace some bad elements, along with the thermostat and reset switches all in one go. The upper element was so corroded that it literally erupted into pieces taking it out quickly, but I just left the pieces inside (as per other posts on the net.. Likely will now have some more time to budget and replace it with a new, more efficient heater).

@marissaawesome2422 7 жыл бұрын

My god I could kiss you for posting this video. I had problems with my Well 6 days ago then hot water tank went squirrely on me. U saved the day and money. Thank you

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear that! Kiss not necessary, just be sure to get out and vote for Trump to help stop a criminal that belongs in prison from ending up in the White House. :-)

@jayadheekonda6118 7 жыл бұрын

Marissa A

@jimhill9099 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your clear, slow, guidance. I think my heater passed all these tests, BUT i think i pushed the reset button(why would the button fault?) ...Also when removing the top cover and insulation behind, i noticed the insulation was very warm, is that an indicator of something?...I guess i have to wait for the heater(only 6 years old, its a 30 gallon for the in-law suite) to stop heating again and perform the test again without pushing the reset button.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Behind the metal cover should be warm. That is normal. If the RESET button triggered, then clearly the temp rose too high causing it to open the circuit. When that happens it is usually a faulty thermostat. Thanks For Watching! Be sure to share and rate Thumbs Up.

@TheRebelmanone 10 жыл бұрын

Nice Job, appreciate your help, the link popup explaining the lower thermostat, and explaining the operation of the NO/NC contacts of upper thermostat mainly explains the entire circuit along with the information in this video.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Your welcome! Thanks for watching

@polewalker 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. I did the first step and found out it was a loose connection. 20 minutes I got the hot water tank back on.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Good to hear! Be sure to share my channel with others, and rate Thumbs Up. Thank you!

@polewalker 9 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore I have already did that. And you're on my favorites list

@MrClenieralley Жыл бұрын

Thanks, pretty good video. It is cute that you use an analog meter, but I am old, I grew up using them, they are cute, but use a digital meter. There is a lot to know about using an analog meter properly because the internal resistance is 100Kohms vs 10-100Mohms. Especially for demo purposes for homeowners. 😁

@sajewelrygirl 10 жыл бұрын

Wondering if our hot water heater thermostat is faulty. A couple of days ago while taking a shower the hot water was extremely hot to the point I had to turn it to almost cold to get it warm. It was then that I suspected that our hot water heater may go out soon. Here I am two ldays later without hot water. This morning, I drained the hot water heater and the water is clear and clean. I am wondering if I should just go ahead and replace the thermostat and both the elements since they are about 8 years old and we have extrememly hard water here in Texas. I will have to go buy one of those voltage meters too I suppose. Love your video and I hope my husband, teen son and I (mom) can get this done tonight! I hate dealing with electricity really scares me. But, watching this and taking notes to make sure we do it right. Thanks!

@MichaelPetry72 7 жыл бұрын

used this video to diagnose identify and replace my thermostat on my hot water tank thank you

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! Be sure to rate thumbs up and share my channel with others.

@surferjesse1964 9 жыл бұрын

I have checked everything while following the video and everything checked good. My multi-tester has one Ohm setting (no low). Two months and my problem still exists. Hot water tepid on occasion and super hot on others. Like a runaway thermostat. Reset button has popped. I did replace upper thermostat and now I feel that it was not the problem as I still have a wide range of temperatures....mostly good, but at times it is extreme. I love your video as it is easy to follow, I have hearing loss and found it difficult near the end. But still very much grateful! I hope you can help thank you.....

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Try replacing the lower thermostat and check all wiring/circuit breaker supplying the heater.

@rlal6972 Жыл бұрын

Best explanation I’ve found so far! Thanks a lot!!

@electronicsNmore Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@royhamilton679 9 жыл бұрын

Great video. I just replaced both elements in my water heater, but I still don't have hot water for very long. Sounds like I need to have the thermostats checked.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Yes. Check the thermostats.

@arlenewolf5260 4 жыл бұрын

Hi your video was amazing. It makes diagnosing easy. I have the confidence to do this now. How often does this happen on newer hot water heaters? My new home is just over a year old and just out of warrantee. From watching your video I am positive I will find the issue. The hot water is getting colder faster than it should. From your video, I will probably locate the issue on the lower components. Aside from my first question (how often does this occur on newer hot water heaters), my second question is am I more likely to see issues with the elements more frequently now that I have a water softener / filter installed inside the home? Your video probably will make sure I will keep much more money in my pocket (Even with needing to purchase one of those huge sockets to do the job). Thank you.

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed my video Arlene! Be sure to watch my other water heater video below. Thank you kzfaq.info/get/bejne/irSZbNplx6fIgp8.html

@arlenewolf5260 4 жыл бұрын

Hi, I watched the other video, you are amazing. I am older (real old in my 60's) Apparently many plumbers are unethical, I have on several occasions had my hot water replaced. EVERY time I called the plumber, they would NEVER check it out, or attempt a repair, they just replaced it. Once when I was younger, I replaced it. I never knew these where repairable. Retirement income is difficult to pay the bills with. You have no idea how thankful I am that you did this video. Can you answer my 2 questions, how often does this occur to newer (1 year old units) and does it occur more often in homes with water filters / water softeners?? Thank you.

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

@@arlenewolf5260 Almost never happens with 1yr old heaters. Elements usually corrode over time(several years) due to poor water quality. Whole house water softeners prolong the life.

@Yogiandmetoo 8 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the dumb questions which I’m hoping are only due to very limited knowledge of electric circuits and wiring. The truth is, the unit has already been installed, by my brother in law, who now as I look back comically offered to install it, declaring; ‘Theres nothing to it.’ Obviously he failed to notice that we were replacing a 240 volt heater with a 120 volt heater and I didn’t catch it either. The unit worked fine…for about a month and until I no longer had any hot water. While investigating what might be the problem I then noticed the voltage disparity and immediately called the ‘installer.’ It was his suggestion that I might try installing an element for a 240 volt heater. That did not sound right to me so I searched on-line and found your video. I did your meter test and have determined that there is power to the unit and by going through the other tests I have determined that the element is not working properly. So now it is clear to me that I must make the necessary changes at the breaker box. Naturally I will first have to learn what a ‘neutral busbar’ is before I can proceed. Although it might be wiser to just call an electrician, I am a disabled vet on fixed income so I’m determined, that armed with a little know how I can do this myself. I have after all changed out receptacles and light switches. One other problem with this Rheem 20 gallon tank is that for some reason it was manufactured without a drain spigot, so I will have to do a wet replacement of the element. I only wish the installer did not run the cold water intake pipe directly in front of the damn element. It is back about four inches so I think that is enough room to get the plug out. In trying to find some positive from this experience I suppose that one could say that up to this point that this is a fine example of what not to do. Thanks to your video and answers to my questions I now have a better understanding of what I must do to solve this problem.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

+Robert Potter I have 2 videos which may help you: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GPZrSfltWxiZ8.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h7t9eZSnr5qsk2Q.html Everything you need to know is in these videos. Be sure to rate thumbs up. Thanks.

@LOLO-zl2or 6 жыл бұрын

Side note: I performed all the tasks and they all passed. The hot water heater still did not heat up the waters. What I did was turn the upper and lower thermostat to the left slightly. It works now.

@lillywhite2981 10 жыл бұрын

Thank God you mentioned the reset switch. I replaced both elements, tested the 220V in, tested the thermocouple, everything seemed fine, still it wouldn't heat. I watched two videos before this one and they did not mentioned the reset switch.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Glad you resolved the issue. Be sure to share the channel, and rate a thumbs up. Thank you!

@dragonflying007 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this video. I am comfortable changing the heating elements and I tested both and they were good. Then I found this video and checked the power coming into the water heater and there was nothing coming in. I then took off the cover of the main breaker, tested the volts coming from the breaker on the water heater switch and it was at 246, so I'm guessing the problem is something with the wires coming to the heater, the connection at the heater, or something else. Well, I still have no hot water but that was fun. Thanks again.

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Either there's a bad connection, or the heater has a switch that's in the OFF position. Thanks for watching! Be sure to share my channel with many others.

@dragonflying007 5 жыл бұрын

@@electronicsNmore Thanks again, I'll share. It was a timer that switched the heater off during certain times.

@charlenetanisawa9353 8 жыл бұрын

Hi, I have yet to do the above, and will be doing it pretty soon. We have a condo that has three units with separate bathrooms each. One bathroom does not have hot water, the other 2 does. Do you have any suggestions on how to check the one bathroom out of the three bathrooms? I have no idea how to trouble shoot this since the other two bathrooms are fine? All coming from the same water heater? Thank you so much for posting this informative video. Really helped!

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

+Charlene Tanisawa Hi. I have no idea how your plumbing is set up at your condo. Could be another water heater, or you might want to try running the cold water in that bathroom to see if it gets hot. The lines could be reversed.

@ChuckNodine 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Your water heater model in your video is exactly the same as mine so it was very, very helpful.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

+Chuck Nodine Great to hear. Thanks for watching!

@hho99 8 жыл бұрын

Excellent video!!! All you need to know to fix the problem is right here!! Thanks so much for sharing, especially on the heating element.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

Glad my video was able to help you. Be sure to share with others. Thanks

@hho99 8 жыл бұрын

Just did! Thanks again

@vermilyeautube 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all your help and very quick responses. I replaced two elements that I thought were good but replaced them anyway. I replaced a thermostat that seemed ok except for the reset button, and by process of elimination finally realized I had an intemittent circuit problem. The last thing I ever would have suspected, especially since the multimeter kept giving me contradictory information - and I wasn't confident my tests were telling me what I thought they should be telling me. I almost gave up - but you helped me gain confidence that I wasn't crazy and that my test procedures were sound. Thanks again!

@brettwagner1182 10 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore - First thank you for your videos they are professional and very helpful. Second thank you for your incredibly fast response. Now you said my problem it did not make sense to you but you hit it on the head in you suggestion. The valve on the cold water supply between the supply valve and the water heater is set to 125PSI +/- 10% the T&P is set to 150PSI (+/-?) so the pressure relief valve would kick in before the T&P. Nothing has been changed (temp etc) for 4 years. Can it still be the water temp setting?

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

City water supply is "around" 60-70psi. If the valve on the cold water pipe is ONLY a pressure relief valve, then that means the city supply is over 125psi, or the valve is faulty to make it leak.

@myrasanders3232 8 жыл бұрын

Both the red button and breaker in electricity box cut off . Water is extremely hot and like I said element and both thermostats have been replaced . And ty for your response !!!!!

@davide.gilbert7187 7 жыл бұрын

Hey, thanks so much for the tutorials...they was very helpful in troubleshooting my water heater issues. My particular issue is that my water gets extremely hot until the high limit trips out. I assumed it was the thermostats, but someone told me it was probably the elements. I troubleshot the thermostats. I presume that a thermostat that is taken out at room temperature should click on/off upon running the setting up and down, correct? If I put a heater on it, it would switch, then if I put it up against a cold surface, it would switch back. However, at a steady temperature, it would just stay in its current position, regardless of the setting up or down.

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

You're welcome. Any time the water gets too hot, it's because the thermostat isn't doing it's job. If the thermostat does not turn off power to the heating element, the temp will continue to climb until the button pops. Don't forget to rate the video thumbs up, and share my channel with others. Thanks!

@red380zzz 6 жыл бұрын

I have followed the video but my house is built in the 30's. The wiring has mostly been replace but I had to replace a 58 year old water heater recently and I have a whit and black sheathed wire and a stand alone bigger gauge wound copper wire. Would you happen to know what is HOT and COL and NUEATRAL on this setup? The house is wired for a 240 and my water heater is 240 but still won't heat. Everything looks goo as far as the video goeas. Thanks for your help.

@electronicsNmore 6 жыл бұрын

The old wires are usually paper wrapped. You should see a black and white or red wire inside that cable, along with the bare copper ground wire. Measuring voltage between the 2 insulated wires should show around 220-250V

@TheDownrigger 10 жыл бұрын

This happens more frequently than a faulty breaker and I install and repair water heaters on a daily basis. I've changed six in the last several months. Also it is very common to find broken parts of dip tube in faucet aerators and angle stops.

@philchenier420 8 жыл бұрын

Hi! Thank you very much for this video. It is helping me a lot to understand how this is working. I have a question about the upper thermostat. I am having problem with low quantity of hot water. After a few seconds, it runs cold. I tested all the parts according to the video. The only unusual reading I get is continuity on upper and lower part on the upper thermostat. Your comment says this will happen when the water in the tank is below 90°F. But the metal on the tank must be hotter than that, as it is very hot when I touch it. What could be the problem? Thank you very much!

@darylmiller2604 8 жыл бұрын

Found and fixed the problem. Thank you! In order to test the thermostat I had to warm it past the coldest setting (90degree) to be sure it turned off.

@fpcsdseniors9912 Жыл бұрын

For the olhms test on element you said put one probe on jacket of heater that's metal. What if it's a marathon and mostly plastic. Would you use metal plate that is a bracket to thermostat.

@mtadams2009 4 жыл бұрын

Nice video. I have a question do you know what would cause a water heater go from 125 degree water to about 185 degree water. The upper element was badly corroded but other than that everything seemed. fine. I replaced both element and both thermostats and all is fine. The thermostats tested fine but I cant understand why they did not do their jobs and cut current to the heating elements. Unit seems fine now. Great video, thanks

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Scott! Only a faulty(sticking) thermostat would cause that. Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, use supplied Amazon links to support my channel when making purchases(No added cost to you), and share links to my videos with many others on social networking sites. Thanks! kzfaq.infoplaylists

@mtadams2009 4 жыл бұрын

@@electronicsNmore Thanks for your .videos and reply. I will share your videos with my friends. Take care.

@CareyReeve 10 жыл бұрын

I loved this video. It helped me discover that my heating element was bad. I also have a problem with the wires going into the tank. The plastic screw cap bonding the black wires together was burned/melted off of the wires. Is it likely that the very corroded heating element might have caused that or should I be looking for another cause?

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Hello Carey, No. What you are describing is a condition which was caused by a high resistance/poorly made connection which generated heat. TURN OFF power to your WH, then cut the cap off, strip the wires about 3/8"-1/2" twist them together, then use a new wire nut. Thanks For Watching. Be sure to share, and rate a thumbs up.

@lindahartford1 7 жыл бұрын

My landlord hired a company to come check my hot water tank as the water was barely warm yesterday; he came and drained the tank, replaced both elements, and left. A couple hours later the water was still ice cold so we had him come back. He couldn't figure out the issue so said it was the wiring that was at fault ... but it has been working well for four years with the same wiring. Your video helped me understand the cause of the warm water as the old elements were indeed corroded which would explain the breaker going a couple times and the warm water (not hot), but I still have a problem and am hoping somebody can help me with it. My landlord brought a friend back and tested all of the connections (possibly using your video as reference) and everything tested perfectly, but the water is still ice cold. The power is reaching the elements, but they are not heating. Any ideas on what it could be? TYIA!

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Linda Hartford Test the upper/lower thermostats according to this video and watch my breaker panel inspection video.

@TheMrCalulas 10 жыл бұрын

Hi. Reset button keeps tripping because water gets way too hot. Sounds like thermostat (s). right? 3 questions: 1.- What should the readings with a digital multimeter be for each of the test you perform in this video? 2.- Can a brand new thermostat be defective? (I changed the upper one and keeps doing that is not supposed to) 3.- lower thermostat does not click. Is this normal? Thanks for your insight on these questions !

@DaOneEnOnly 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks. This video helped me learn more about electric water heaters and allowed me to diagnose mine.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Glad this video helped you.

@lhay2837 10 жыл бұрын

Have followed your wonderful video step by step (as I have the exact same heater you show in your video which made it quite simple) and everything checks out as working. Both thermostats and both heating elements... still not heating the water. Anything else I can try?

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Your missing something. If you are not getting ANY hot water, then I would suspect a power problem. Make sure you are getting 240V to the heater. Leave the tester connected to the power supply wires on top of the heater, then adjust each thermostat higher. The voltage must remain close to 240V. If you see the voltage drop, then you likely have a problem with the circuit breaker, a wire, or the connection between the circuit breaker and panel. Also double check the reset button. No power flowing through the high temp cutoff(reset button) will prevent heating. If all is OK, then try a new UPPER thermostat. Thanks For Watchin!

@dwysywd 8 жыл бұрын

so, I have a Bradford White M240S6DS-1NCWW and I have tried all the steps you recommend. I get the correct positive results showing everything works. My water just stays consistently tepid. This just started. Both my thermostats and elements seem to be working properly. I drained the tank and refilled it also. I am out of ideas.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

Hi Jeff. Could be a power supply problem. The 240V/250V power supply may drop once the heater powers up. Seen it happen MANY times over the years. Usually a bad wiring connection or bad connection between the circuit breaker and busbar in the panel. I have a video explaining. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GPZrSfltWxiZ8.html

@2fishcay 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info. The cold water heater works fine now.

@Cedarst2010 10 жыл бұрын

Helpful. I used this video to understand how the water heater worked and was able to troubleshoot my faulty water heater to a bad thermostat. Very nice tutorial and thank you for putting it together - it saved me calling a white van (read $$).

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Your very welcome. Be sure to share the video/my channel, and also rate a thumbs up.

@kimber1958 3 жыл бұрын

Very helpful. Clear and concise thank you

@electronicsNmore 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@jefffishback6417 Жыл бұрын

I am getting warm water only. Replaced upper element and found my ohm meter needed replacing. So old element tests the same as the old with new meter. Still warm water and now a new thermostat in place. I should mention that I get a very short time of hot before it cools way down. I go down stairs and find 240v showing at lower element. I turn the upper thermostat to about 140 deg and it clicks. Now 240v at top and zero bottom. Thermostats must be communicating OK. I have proper elements for this Rheem heater but it appears that the elements just do not put out enough heat. This is a simple concept and the parts check out both using resistance, ohms and by voltage. I’m stumped but will see about the intake tube, maybe I’ll get lucky. Heater was new March of 21.

@carolynallard97 5 жыл бұрын

Great troubleshooting video. Bad reset never crossed my mind!

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video Carolyn! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for other videos of interest to you, and most importantly share my channel with friends. Thank you kzfaq.infoplaylists

@bradmajor253 10 жыл бұрын

My hwh won't heat. checked elements and have continuity with wires removed, checked to see if they were shorting out and they are ok. reset button is ok. 120v on each side of reset button. checked thermostats and when I turn them all the way up I have continuity but they don't click. I turn them all the way down and they still have continuity. I will get another tester. what ohms should I have when the thermostat is all the way up and down? would it be safe to jump across the thermostat for troubleshooting purposes? great video!

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Turn off power to the heater, then remove the thermostat(un-clip) from the heater and turn it. You should get a click when you rotate it hotter/colder. You need to check for 240v across the power wires, NOT 120V. Yes, you can use a 12 or 14ga wire as a jumper to bypass the thermostat. Make sure you remove it as soon as you know if the thermostat is faulty.

@packrat76 10 жыл бұрын

2 questions: I replaced both elements because I got a code that the lower element wasn't working. It worked fine after both elements were replaced for 2 weeks, then I got the lower element code again. Recently I got a code for the upper element, reset the water heater and I've been getting lower element code again. So my question is, are the thermostats most likely the problem? My other question is, my access panel to the element isn't large enough to access the above the element mounted thermostat, so do I'm assuming my only option is to trim out the metal skin above the elements to gain access? I don't want to do that unless the thermostats are most likely the problem. Please tell me what you think. Thanks for your help.

@smoothlarryhughes 9 жыл бұрын

This video is very helpful - I have a peco smart meter that runs to my water heater. It seems that I am only getting a reading of 120v into the water heater, as of this morning and also straight out of the breaker. My meter seems to shut off power power to the heater some times as well. Is this typical of these smart meters to fluctuate voltage being provided into the house? My water heater for the most part produces very hot water, which is why I am confused.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Hi James. If you are only measuring 120V to the heater, then please refer to my other video below. Be sure to share and rate Thumbs Up. Thank You! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GPZrSfltWxiZ8.html

@carrieray4777 10 жыл бұрын

I got my water heater about 9 months ago and most of the time it works great , but id say about twice a month the water only gets lukewarm for a whole day or most of it. I know we didnt' run the water out because it will be in the morning or some time when no one has been using it usually ,. The first time it did it we had to wait til the next day to call someone out to look at it. In the meantime when i tried it again , it worked , so now whenever it does it , we usually just try it again after several hours until it is working again. We dont' have to do anything to fix it , its just really annoying. I dont have one of the testers that you show in your video but i can get one if that is what i need to do., I just wanted to see if this sounded like a familiar problem before i did.. Thanks

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

I would turn off all power to the residence(Main Breaker), then remove the circuit breaker for the water heater from the panel and make sure the contacts to the Buss Bars in your panel, and the clips on the circuit breaker are not corroded/loose. Also check the connection to the screws on the breaker. It sounds like you are losing your power due to a bad connection or bad thermostat internal contacts, You really have to probe the wires inside the water heater with a voltage meter when the problem occurs.

@loubianco6248 2 жыл бұрын

This video was excellent at showing us how to test the thermostat and elements. Unfortunately it showed absolutely nothing about how to actually repair any problem that might be revealed, which is what I expected to see here.

@fredartus9571 4 жыл бұрын

Great video. We have changed both heating elements and thermostats but still little hot water just some warm water. Have not done any multi meter testing. Suspect should check voltage. What do you think it could be if not voltage?

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Do the tests and post results.

@melaniemorris3319 10 жыл бұрын

I don't have a voltage meter but thought you might be able to give me a little guidance. The water gets hotter than it ever did before and then after 2 days the water goes cold. I hit the reset button and the process repeats. Do you think it would be the thermostat or heating element ? Great video BTW and thanks in advance for your help.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Hi Melanie, Sounds like a faulty thermostat. I would gamble on the upper one first. Thanks For Watching! Don't forget the Thumbs Up.

@noto1070 8 жыл бұрын

Great video.. I had no reason to check mine since I had no hot water at all and I simply changed the upper and lower heating elements and thermostats. Two days ago. (11 year old unit).. Today, I noticed the cold water coming out was warm. The hot water was fine but now it is VERY hot. I pushed the reset button and turned it down from 125 (which I thought was normal) a few notches down. I will see what happens in the morning but I thought cold water had nothing to do with this. The hot water is bearable now though. Will update this in the morning. Have you heard of the cold water being affected by the hot water temp being too high?

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

+noto1070 Hello. There is a tube that takes the cold water and sends it to the bottom of the tank. The tube could be missing or damaged. You can also buy a check ball nipple and place it where the cold water connects to the heater. Doing this contains the hot water inside the tank. Thanks For Watching!

@alysiamasonfeuer8689 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for the great videos. My house has hot water but it does not last as long as it used to, I performed all of the tests in the video and found the thermostats to be working and both elements to have continuity with about 13 ohms of resistance which is about where they should be. Do you have any other ideas? Thank you.

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Alysia Mason Feuer Sounds like the lower element is not operating. Try leaving a tester connected to the water heater lower element while it is powered up. You may also have a corroded or damaged dip tube in the tank. The tube sends cold water to the BOTTOM of the tank. If the tube is damaged/corroded, then the cold water will not go to the bottom of the tank, but mix with the hot water at the top. You need to remove the (C) cold water fitting on the top of the tank and check the tube by pulling it up and out with your finger. Be sure to rate Thumbs Up and Share. Thanks.

@Vfh........y 7 жыл бұрын

......great stuff.....will save me a service call one day. Thanks in advance.

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Roger Lund Glad you enjoyed the video!

@cindymartin9440 9 жыл бұрын

I have an electric hot water tank AND every morning we have to push the reset button on the tank to get hot water! what do you think could be going on with this hot water tank? We bought the digital multimeter and found the lower element was bad already ( was just replaced in August of 2014) ........ We've replaced the lower element (2nd time in 3yrs) after we will replace the lower element we then checked both thermostats which turned out fine both thermostats the upper element and everything is checking out good! what could be causing us to have to hit the reset button every morning..?.??? And is it normal for the tank to sound like its filling after you hit the reset button? Also, the top of the tank seems to stay warm but the bottom of the tank always feels cool and i wondered if this is normal? I greatly appreciate your taking the time to answer these questions and hope you enjoy your day!! Sincerely, Cindy Martin 740-803-1925 cell 740-777-1414 home

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Hi Cindy, first please edit your post to delete your phone #. Not a good idea to post #'s online. The best way is to email them to me directly. The only time I will call someone up or offer an advanced level of help, is when the individual posts 2 links in the comment section showing that they shared my channel with others, or if they may a decent contribution to my channel by clicking the "Support" button on the right side of my channel main page. We all know how expensive it is to call for service to your home. :-) I simply cannot assist everyone. This being said, It sounds like one of the thermostats is not turning off properly once the water has reached the correct temperature. You need to re-test them or replace them. Thanks For Watching. Be sure to share and rate Thumbs Up.

@lesliemarbach7122 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video! I went step by step with the multimeter and everything tested perfectly (after replacing the heating elements and thermostats) but the water heater isn't clicking on. I've verified I'm getting 240V so it's not a power issue. The heater is 7 years old. What else should I try?

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

Leslie Marbach Not possible. If you replaced both thermostats, and elements, then 100% you have a wiring problem in the heater, or you do not have 240V at the heater. Refer to my circuit breaker panel inspection video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7GPZrSfltWxiZ8.html Thanks.

@dadrules714 9 жыл бұрын

We ran out of hot water last night -uncommon did not seem to recover as it did.. My feed water is just above freezing I have well water/ 5' perm frost(still) I Ran thru everything step by step. as you did. I get 240v in.- min resistance no short elements. All appears Ok. Turned everything up to 130 deg.@Tstat feed screws to top element- both T stat and element screws read 0 voltage(110 @ element screws if if meter grounded to tank.) @ bottom element 240v at screws is warm. You said something about working alternately? Is too hot for top element to come on ? Thanks for help in advance.

@bodaciuos357 5 жыл бұрын

just to add . you should be also testing the volt on your heating element / thermostat . just because you have voltage at the top entering the water heater . doesn't mean you have voltage at the elements. there could be a broken or bad connection or wire .. otherwise great vid.. thanks

@electronicsNmore 5 жыл бұрын

Yes, you test resistance and voltage. Thanks for watching!

@jeff8605 9 жыл бұрын

Great video, I recently ran the tests and it looks like my lower heating element is shorted out. There also doesn't seem to be current running to the lower thermostat, which I'm not sure if that's a direct result of the lower element shorting, or the cause of it. To my knowledge, the heater and all of its components are no more than a year old (just moved in). So even if the fix is simply replacing a lower element, it shouldn't need to be replaced so quickly. Could there be a bigger issue going on here that you would recommend checking? Thanks for your help!

@electronicsNmore 9 жыл бұрын

jeff8605 Both heating elements are not on at the same time. When the upper thermostat clicks off, the lower thermostat should have power being supplied to it. Thanks For Watching!

@MyBestSiteEver 10 жыл бұрын

I have a Reliance 20 gal. electric water heater which is 2 years old and stopped working. The plumber tested it and found that the element needs replacing. He wanted to replace the thermostat too but only tested the element. My question is can I replace the element without replacing the thermostat, or do they both have to be replaced at the same time? Is there any risk of fire if only the element is replaced?

@AugustHawk 4 жыл бұрын

What does the "reset" button actually reset? *Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but no one addresses the reset button in their videos.* Thanks!

@electronicsNmore 4 жыл бұрын

Not a dumb question. If the heater gets too hot, the reset button pops out which disconnects power to the heating elements.

@09Youba 8 жыл бұрын

Please Help. New electric water heater just installed. I have power to the tank but no power to the thermostat. When I checked the Ohms the lower and upper thermostats checked out ok. I've installed water heaters before and I haven't had any problems. All the wiring is tight, no breakers are tripping. The upper and lower elements are ok. So do I need a new upper thermostat? Thank you for your videos and all your help.

@electronicsNmore 8 жыл бұрын

Hello. If you have power to the water heater, then it is not possible to have no power to the upper thermostat unless the "Reset" button needs to be pressed in, or there is a wiring problem. Thanks For Watching

@CHOPSHOPUNDERGROUND 10 жыл бұрын

THANKS for the help it help me find out what was wrong with my hot water heater.

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Glad I was able to help you. Don't forget to rate a thumbs up! Thank You

@darlenebailey4006 7 жыл бұрын

When testing the thermostat you changed your multimeter from 1k to X10. Any reason? Thanks!

@electronicsNmore 7 жыл бұрын

Just to use a lower range. I never use analog meters, I made this video by a friend's house using his tools. I use a DMM on a continuity setting when testing the thermostat with power OFF. With power on, I use the VAC setting. Thanks for watching!

@mikesinz2789 10 жыл бұрын

Very helpful. We are running out of water in 5 minutes. Everything you showed checks out, except upper thermostat always shows continuity even when turned all the way down. Could that be the problem?....Thanks

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

No. if the temp of the water inside the water heater is LOWER than the lowest setting on the water heater(90 deg), then it will show continuity in both directions. I'll make a note of that in the video! Your OK.

@mikesinz2789 10 жыл бұрын

electronicsNmore Thanks, so any ideas as to why we have such short showers. Ready to just buy a new one

@electronicsNmore 10 жыл бұрын

Sounds like the lower element is not turning on, you either have a faulty thermostat(upper or lower) or the lower element is faulty.