Electric water heater (no hot water)

[heaterissue]

Hello I am having an issue with my water heater.

It is a dual element 40 gallon Rheem 3500 watt elements.

The issue is I have no hot water.

One problem I see is that I only get 120v to the top screws above the tstat. Or anywhere else for that matter. I don't know if this is the problem or if it has always been like this. I do get 240 volt at the circuit breakers (dual 20amp).

So I do have power (120 though) all the way to the top element (havent checked the bottom since I have no hot water at all)

Also I have 17 ohms resistence between the screws on the top element. Also tested both element screws to ground and didnt get anything at all.

Im not sure what could be the issue at this point?

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

How Old Is The Unit

You have not said how old the unit is 5 years ...15 years?


most likely if you have 220 at the top thermostat
the power is not the issue


what has probably transpired is
the bottom element has burnt out a long time ago,
and now the top element has finally died on you

leaveing you with totally cold water....


changeing the elements is probably the first place to start

 

[Sponsor]

 

[heaterissue]

I have only 120v at the top thermostat.

I don't know how old the unit is. I can't find a date on it anywhere.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

maybe a bad breaker

possibly your breaker is defective in the breaker box

one side of the breaker is burnt out....


this probably was caused by the element shorting out..


..

 

[hj]

Heater

We cannot tell if you are testing the heater correctly or not, so we cannot give a diagnosis. Under some conditions, a burned out element WILL show 115/120 volts at the element, but again, we do not know how you are testing it. However, you can be sure, that it will NEVER show 115/120 volts unless something is shorted out, period.

 

[heaterissue]

I don't think the circuit breaker is an issue because I have tested the wall jack the water heater plugs into and it has 240 volts.

But then when I test the screws above the thermostat i only get 120 volt.

So i don't think it is the elements fault it is only seeing 120 volt because that is all it is getting into it.

 

[hj]

heater

Open the wire connection box on top of the heater and see if you have a burned out wire, assuming you are testing the circuits properly. Again, you CANNOT have 120 volts unless something has grounded/shorted out.