Should Both Elements in a Water Heater Read

Did you discover a considerable drop in the temperature of the h2o supplied by your water heater? Every home needs hot water to carry out various house chores.

However, information technology could exist frustrating when your water heater produces lukewarm water that cannot serve the intended purposes.

While several factors can affect the effective functioning of your water heater, a faulty chemical element is one of the near prevalent causes. Although professional home electricians tin troubleshoot and fix the trouble, hiring ane volition set you back in some dollars ranging from $75 – $250. Thus, the need to know how to exam water heater element and replace the faulty ones.

In this article, nosotros volition evidence you stride-by-step DIY guides on testing water elements with the use of a digital multimeter with no professional person groundwork in electrical works.

Tools Needed

These are some of the tools you lot should have handy earlier you commence your h2o heater element testing:

Mitt gloves
Screwdriver
Condom goggles
Digital multimeter

Causes of Failure of Water Heater Element

Here are some of the possible reasons why your water heater element stopped working:

a). Accumulation of Mineral

Water heater elements have a limited working life due to the constant processes they undergo to give out hot water. These elements get weakened easily if there are mineral deposits in the h2o. The continuous process solidifies the minerals.

In some situations, the lower elements are wrapped with the mineral sediments which might cause the element to fail eventually. A good measure yous tin take is past turning off your h2o heater and flushing your water heater every year. Check our previous post to learn how to flush a h2o heater.

If yous can do this, the sediments volition be removed, and the life of the elements will be lengthened.

b). Trapped Air Pockets

All h2o heater elements must exist operated immersed in h2o. The rut generated past an chemical element can burn through its copper if non transferred to the water.

There is a demand to bleed a line on the h2o to excerpt trapped air and sediments in the tank either once or twice a year. If this is non washed, the trapped air 'Air Pockets' will brand the upper element to burn as it isn't immersed in water. This can cause a failure of the h2o heater.

c). Malfunctioning Thermostat

The role of a thermostat is to tell the elements when to heat the water concerning dissimilar temperature levels.

Whenever the temperature exceeds normal, the high limit switch on the thermostat is triggered, and the power will be close down.

A malfunctioning thermostat volition fail to control the rut supplied to the h2o heater chemical element, which eventually causes it to burn.

d). Power Surge

An chemical element can too get burnt as a result suddenly increase in voltage caused by a power surge or lightning. Each chemical element has its own voltage rating, and whatever voltage in a higher place the required will burn the element.

e). Breakage of Heating Element

In an electrical water heater, there might be a loss of hot water when the heating element inside the tank breaks. Maybe, the chemical element might get burnt down, and the water cooling down slowly.

Just if there is but cold water, it ways the second element has failed. Aside these three, a tripped circuit nor a diddled a fuse might crusade the heating element to trip off. Checking the fuse box is also expected in this regard.

f). Bad Wire Connexion

Elements receive electricity from heavy estimate wires. An element might stop working if a wire slips of a terminal as a result of a bad connection. Problems such as arcing could also exist caused equally a result of this poor connectedness.

You should exist careful attention to annihilation that can impairment your water heater element, and ensure to steer clear of it.

Steps on How to Test Water Heater Chemical element

Here are the procedures for testing h2o chemical element:

Step i: Disconnect from the power source

This is a very critical step in testing the water element. Locate the circuit breaker at the central electrical panel that connects your water heater. It is usually situated in the metallic box attached to the wall.

Most electrician marks each billow with the proper name of the gadget information technology powers. Identified the one marked with "hot water heater" and switch it off. If you are non sure of the breaker that works for your h2o heater, just power off the entire power source to ensure safety.

Pace 2: Open the metal box cover

Flip the metal cover for the box opened. There, you will come across the panels held in place with screws to your water heater's side.

Most water heaters come up with ane or 2 panels depending on their sizes. Unscrew the metal plate using a Philips head screwdriver. Ensure that the screws do not fall off to tiny places within your dwelling.

Pace three: Detach the insulation

Your h2o heater will have a layer of cellulose or fiberglass insulation below the metal cover based on its age. Disengage the insulation and keep it aside.

Use your safety glove and goggles while removing the insulation. Check the thermostat to see if it has a plastic comprehend.

Pull out the tab to remove the thermostat plastic cover, as well. However, this is an optional procedure every bit some thermostats do not come up with removable plastic cover.

Footstep iv: Confirm that the power is off

You should double-check to confirm that the ability has been disconnected. Place a noncontact voltage detector close to the wire that connects the element and the thermostat.

A beeping sound or flashes of calorie-free from the voltage detector indicates that the water heater is still connected to the electric supply. Ensure that the power is completely disconnected earlier you continue with the piece of work.

Step v: Locate the endpoint of the elements in the open console

Depending on the size of your dwelling, your h2o heater will most likely have one or two elements. You can't meet the elements themselves as they extend deep inside the open up panel of the water heater.

However, you will be able to come across their endpoints. An element is effectually 1 inch long, and it's fastened to a plastic plate with the aid of screws.

Step six: Annotation the reading of your water heater element

Set up the multimeter punch to the lowest or Rx1k, that is, resistances times 1000Ω. Look closely at the base of your water heater tank. You will run across the inscribed wattage and ohms.

If your h2o heater is 3500-watt, the multimeter volition read 16Ω while four,500-watt volition register between 12 – 13Ω. For water heater with a 5,500-watt element, you will go betwixt 10-11Ω.

Step seven: Employ a digital multimeter to read the water heater element

Place one of the multimeter probes on a spiral attached to the face of the chemical element. Yous tin can do this by unraveling the loose finish of the metallic element. The h2o heater chemical element has no terminal, and so you don't have to worry about which 1 to test first.

However, ensure that it'due south the chemical element alone you lot are testing and not the other electrical parts that connect to the elements. Connect the multimeter prongs to the tip of the chemical element spiral.

Check the readings on the multimeter and encounter if it correlates to the ones specified in a higher place. If the resistance reads very low, like 1Ω or doesn't read at all, that shows the water element is faulty, and you should supercede it.

If yous are non familiar with how to use a digital multimeter, hither is a video that will evidence you the necessary procedures.

Check the reading for the second water heater element likewise. At that place are cases where both elements and faulty and need replacement.

Step viii: Reattach the disconnected parts

Reconnect the wire to the water heater elements' surface. Likewise, encompass the exposed console, and apply the plastic to encompass the thermostat. Tighten the supercede wire and reinstall the loosened screws.

Fix the insulation dorsum, and turn the circuit breaker on. You will have to wait for few minutes for the h2o to heat up if you supplant a faulty element.

How to Supplant an Electric Water Heater Heating Chemical element

Replacing a water heater element is quite a unproblematic task. You can watch the video on how to do that.

Conclusion

Now that you lot have understood how to exam the water heater chemical element, you should be able to troubleshoot a failure in this vital abode equipment.

Remember, you only have to follow the following procedures:

Turn off the power
Open the metal comprehend to gain access to the element
Detach the insulation
Read the resistance of the water chemical element with a multimeter
Replace the chemical element if faulty
Put all the asunder parts in identify

If you accept a unique question we have not covered in this guide on how to exam the water heater element, kindly post information technology in the annotate section below. Our team is available to answer your request.

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Source: https://www.sunrisespecialty.com/how-to-test-water-heater-element