Whether you just want to adjust the water temperature or you're troubleshooting the electric water heater in your home, you can do this relatively easily and save some money on expensive plumbing repair bills. There are many repairs you can even perform on the water heater if you have some mechanical and plumbing skills in the event you find something wrong with it such as heating element or thermostat malfunction. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Test the temperature of your hot water using a kitchen thermometer in a bowl or glass. Allow the hot water to run for several minutes before filling the bowl or glass then place the thermometer in it to get the temperature. Electric hot water heaters should not exceed 140 degrees and, even then, that would be too hot if there are small children present in the house, and so both the upper and lower thermostats of the electric hot water heater should be turned down.
2. Check the circuit breaker for a tripped breaker if there is no power or no hot water. In order for the electric water heater to function properly, it needs water in the tank, power to the heater, and both the thermostats and the heating element to be working properly.
3. Check the thermostats to adjust water temperature or to troubleshoot. There is an upper and lower thermostat on the electric water heater. The upper thermostat has a trip switch or high limit kill switch which deactivates if the water exceeds the maximum temperature. Remove the upper panel with the screwdriver, and spread the insulation apart to see where the temperature setting is on the upper thermostat. Adjust the hot water temperature on the thermostat to your desire and press the red reset button to reboot the system. Check and adjust the lower thermostat temperature setting the same way, but you will not have to reset the lower thermostat.
4. Test the continuity of the element and thermostats by using a water heater continuity tester. This device has an alligator clip that you place on a ground, such as a screw head, then place the tip on the screw of the element and the thermostats. There is a sensitive LED light that should light up if the continuity is okay. If not, then you have a bad element or thermostat.
5. Test the element with a voltage OHM meter if you do not have a continuity tester. Turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater first and then disconnect the two wires to the element. Set the meter to OHM. If there is a positive reading, the element is okay. If there is no reading, the element needs to be replaced. To replace the element, the tank would need to be drained.
Tags: water heater, electric water, electric water heater, lower thermostat, water temperature, adjust water, adjust water temperature