I have researched some and it sounds like the lower element is not working.
Tested the connections with a multimeter and the element is getting power.
Tested resistance of both elements. The upper one read 12.8 and the lower showed no reading.
From what I have gathered the lower element has gone bad. The upper gives me the few minutes of hot water and when it looks to the lower for more, it is not making any.
This sound correct to anyone before I replace the element?
If you have no continuity between the terminals of the element on your DVOM, the element is dead or you have a bad connection at one of the terminals(corrosion). They are fairly easy to replace, but you need to shut the water down and drain the tank.
This too. New ones are substantially more efficient. You could probably easily go up 20-30% in size and see zero change in power usage over a set duration, and that may be on the conservative side. Plus you can just install them with sharkbite fittings. They’ll lock and seal onto both PEX and clean copper pending on what’s currently in your home.
I would try considering going to Natural gas if you have gas already. The retards that built my house put a natural gas furnace in and literally 5 ft next to that put an electric water heater in.
The heater is only 5 or so years old. The new element was 20 bucks for the heavier duty one (10 for the cheaper one.) I will drain down the tank tonight and see how much sediment is in there, maybe that killed the element. I’m on public water so it shouldn’t be that bad unless there is a break somewhere outside my house.
I do have a natural gas furnace right next to the water heater. There is even an extra gas line right there. If this continues to be a problem I will look into replacing it for sure.
Same here and our house is only 6 years old you think being that new they would have been smart enough to put in a gas water heater too…fucking idiots.
I guess I will shop vac the debris out and be sure to clean it out yearly. The rod thing is still in there, but covered in scale. I cant get it to break loose to replace it either.
One thing nice about new natural gas hot water heaters, at least mine, is that it doesn’t need electricity so even when the power is out I still have hot water. It generates it’s own electricity for the control circuitry.
your right on the softener part. but for his hot water problems get a tankless. the hot water runs out when you have a tank. if its tankless it stays hot when ever you want hot. plus its energy efficient. when you dont want hot water the tankless doesnt heat the water. when you have a tank it keeps the water hot even when your not home.
His hot water problem is caused by the element getting clogged with calcium. A tankless will save him money but he needs to address the hard water first.
