Please help! Old element, no leak. New element, LEAK!

[Erosisking]

Like most of my problems, this one defies reason, and I can't find anything about this happening online.
I have an older 20 gallon single element 2000 amp 120v GE. The element had gone bad after years of service, but wasn't leaking. I put a new $10 element from home Depot, with and without tape, and it is leaking pretty significantly both ways. Tried all different degrees of tightness from hand tight to as far as it would go. Put the old bad one back in and no leak! WTH?? Gasket on the new element looks alot better than the old one, except for the water coming through it.

 

[Cliffyk]

1 picture = 1,000 words...

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Erosisking]

1 picture = 1,000 words...

Sorry, didn't get any pics and it's 30 miles from where I live. But it's def leaking where the new element screws into the tank, and not leaking with the old one in.

 

[Jeff H Young]

pretty basic, If gasket is good replace element

 

[Fitter30]

Sure the old gasket came off two gaskets together will leak..

 

[Erosisking]

Sure the old gasket came off two gaskets together will leak..

Yeah, it was stuck pretty good to the old element.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Yeah, it was stuck pretty good to the old element.

so what did you do still leaking?