Check the resistance of the upper
The easiest way to test a water heater element is as follows. Turn power off to water heater. Remove the wires from each screw. Using an OHM meter place a probe on each screw. If the element is bad then electricity will not flow through the element. If you do have flow then the element is most likely okay.
The easiest way to check this is to turn the heating element on and inspect the temperature of the air coming out of your heating system. If the air is insufficiently heated, very close to, or at room temperature, there is probably something wrong with the heating element.
If this question is pertaining to a electric tank water heater - No. The tank must be fully drained and cooled before you can change the heating element. Normally there are two, a high and a low elements. If you must change one, order both.
Only one element will come on at any one time. This is known as a flip/flop system. On a 240 volt water heater, there will always be 120 volts to both elements. The thermostat will direct the second leg of the 120-volts to the element to complete the 240 volts required to energize the element.
To test the element, you must measure its resistance. Switch the multimeter settings to measure resistance and place the nodes on the two screws. A functioning heating element should read between 10 and 30 ohms. The heating element is broken if the meter reads 1 or 0.
For an average 40-gallon electric heater it will take about 60 to 80 minutes and for an 80-gallon tank about 2 hours.
Heater Element Replacements
Having a water heater element repaired professionally usually costs about $200 to $300.
"Replacing A Heating Element"
It may take several hours for a newly installed electric water heater to reach normal operating temperature. If you don't have hot water after two hours (water not even warm), first check to make sure the water heater is getting electrical power.
As you just found out, even a few seconds of dry firing an electric water heater can burn out your water heater element.
With your multimeter ready, take the two probes and press them against the two small tabs protruding from the heating element (these are the tabs you removed the electrical connections from earlier). If your multimeter emits a high-pitched beep, it means the element is working fine.
Dryfired elements can be identified by a melted sheath or coil or copper colored or annealed sheath. Dryfired elements are not covered under warranty due to misuse and operation contrary to the installation instructions.
No Hot Water (Power to Unit) This situation involves a water heater receiving power but not producing hot water. In this situation, if the temperature is set properly, you probably have a bad thermostat or a bad heating element.
In fact, most water heaters' heating elements will only last a few hours or even minutes without water. Operating a water heater without water leads to rapid overheating and damage to the heating element, significantly shortening its lifespan.
The most obvious sign you have a broken water heater element is that you aren't getting hot water through your faucets. Alternatively, you might only get hot water for a short period before it goes cold again. In either case, the problem is most likely a faulty water heater element.
You don't have to go into the take to access them. Next, figure out which heating element you need to replace. If you're only replacing the top heating element, you only have to empty the tank until it's not in the water. If you have to replace both or just the bottom one, you'll need to empty the whole tank.
Over time, sediment can build up in the bottom of the tank, where the burner usually is. This can lead to slower heating or poor efficiency in your water heater, meaning lukewarm water rather than hot water. The solution for this is to drain the tank and to use a water softener.
If you have a screw-in water heater element, you can use your socket wrench to remove it. Just turn the element counterclockwise, and make sure to remove the gasket. You'll need either a 1 1/2-inch socket or the socket that came in your repair kit.
In general, plumbers cost $45 to $200 per hour, while electricians cost $50 to $100 per hour. Expect the following average price ranges for labor alone: Replacing a tank-style water heater: $150–$450. Replacing a tankless water heater: $600–$1,850.
Element Burnout: One of the most frequent issues is element burnout. This occurs when the element's resistance wire becomes too hot, causing it to fail. Burnout can result from sediment buildup on the element, age, or constant overuse. A burnt-out element typically requires replacement.
However, if either thermostat fails to turn off, the reset button will trip to prevent the tank from overheating. Other common issues include a burnt-out heating element, a worn-out reset button, or a faulty circuit breaker or wiring.
Not enough hot water – This likely indicates a problem with the upper thermostat. Slow hot water recovery – This is another problem that can occur when the lower thermostat is malfunctioning. Water is too hot – Overly hot water can occur if either thermostat (or both) is set too high or isn't calibrated correctly.
Sediment buildup is typically a bigger problem for gas water heaters since most of the heat comes directly from the gas burner underneath the unit's tank. A thick layer of sediment will basically act like a blanket of insulation and prevent much of the heat from the burner from being transferred to the water.