Checking Heating Element Water Heater

Turn off the breaker switch to the hot water heater at the breaker box.

Checking heating element water heater.

Disconnect the electrical wires at the heating element terminals. Drain the water from the water heater. If it has a disconnectable plug unplug it. Turn off the circuit breaker supplying power to the hot water heater.

How to check a heating element in a water heater step 1. Testing a water heater heating element 1. Locate the water valve at the bottom of the water heater. The reading on the multimeter should be zero.

If the heater is an electric unit. You will also need to check the water heater thermostat with digital multimeter tools. Touch one probe of the multimeter to each terminal on the lower thermostat. Leave the upper thermostat in the lowest setting and test the lower thermostat.

Remove 1 wire it doesn t matter which one by finding its loose end and unraveling it from around the metal element. The element is bad and must be replaced if the needle on the face of the multimeter moves. If you want to test a thermostat on an electric water heater you will also need to check the heating element. Wait for the.

Disconnect the water heater from power source. Place the remaining probe against the metal base attached to the element where it enters the water heater. Each of a hot water heater s elements has 2 electrical wires running to screws that hold the element in place. This is important especially as open and grounded heating elements result in inaccurate tests.

All the tests that you will perform will be done with the power turned off. To look for faults you will need to use a screwdriver. Use the screwdriver to set the lower thermostat to the highest setting. Remove the rectangular shaped cover plate running up the front of the heater to get access the.

Take 1 of the wires off of a water heater element. This is so whether testing upper or lower heating element. If it does not have a. The lower thermostat has only two terminals.

If the water heater is hot run hot water in the building with the water heater electrical power off until water flows lukewarm or colder. How to check heating elements in hot water heaters.