water heater

[Jimmy Buffett]

This is actually about my home electric water heater. I noticed that I was having to adjust the water in the shower if I was second to take one. I put the volt meter on the elements. The bottom was fine but no conductivity on the top. I put in a new element but still no conductivity. What else is there? I'm guessing that the thermostat is the only other replaceable part. Any idea what I need to look for?
Thx

 

[pitzerwm]

The top element only comes on if the level of cold water reaches that high. Check the continuity of the elements, rather than voltage, same with the thermostat, you should be able to turn it up or down and hear it "click". There isn't much else in them.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Ok you caught me pretending to know what I was talking about. I don't really know what I checked. I put the volt meter on each of the screws on the 2 elements. It pegged the bottom one and didn't move the top one. Same thing after I replaced the element.
I do not hear a click when I turn up the therm.
Thx

 

[Greg Pack]

Jimmy, Let me start by saying I am rusty because I have not owned an electric heater in many years. Maybe this feeble bit of info will help. I believe a lot of water heaters use two 4500 watt elements but only energize one element at a time. If you measure voltage across the screws, you will only get voltage when the thermostat is attempting to deliver energy to the element. So you likely won't get voltage on both elements at the same time.

There's a couple of ways to check an element. If you remove the wires going from the thermostat to the element, you can put your multimeter on continuity setting and should get a "beep" if the element is probably good. If you have a "clamp around" meter, you could check for amperage running through the wires while the thermostat is delivering power. Significant amperage ( 15 amps or so) would indicate that the element is likely functional.

Basically, it's got to be one of two elements or the thermostat.

Other possibilities include you put on a new showerhead with much higher flow or you're taking too much time in there spanking the monkey.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Well it is true that the fatter I get the longer it takes to wash myself! There was a time when that monkey could have been the cause but alas the days of shower monkey spanking have past.
I don't know what "continuity setting" means.
Thx

 

[MEP001]

Continuity is the one on a digital multimeter that beeps when the probes are touched together. If the element is out there's no continuity through it, and it won't beep. If the thermostat doesn't click when you turn it up and down, it's probably bad.

 

[Dubois Laundry/Carwash]

it is best to turn off the breaker before trying to check the impedance and/or continuity of the element(s)