Electric hot water heater

I think one of my heating elements went out in my water heater.
Use to be you had to turn the cold water on all the way and the hot 1/2 to 3/4 when taking a shower.
Now you need to turn the hot on all the way and cold 1/2 to 3/4
Never run out of hot water before shower is finished; it just does not feel as hot as it once was.

I blamed it on being cold outside and the cold water being colder than normal when I first noticed it a few weeks ago.
But considering the cold water comes from 225 feet in the ground it would be the same 50 something no matter if it were 100 or 100 below outside.

Now I am debating fixing a 24 year old water heater or just replacing it.

If I do decide to fix it what kind of ohm reading should I get from a working heating element in a 240v water heater.
 
The formula for resistance knowing wattage and voltage is (Voltage X Voltage) / Wattage = Resistance. The wattage and voltage should be labeled on the element. Check to make sure you have 240 VAC across the element as well. At any rate a non working element should show open on an ohm meter.
 
Hi John;

At 24 years of service, at least you don't have to feel that it died before its time. Here are a few facts about how an electric water works that might help you diagnose your problem (unless you know these things already).

1. The cold water enters the tank through a pipe called a dip tube so that it mixes with the water in the tank at the bottom. The dip tubes I've seen were made of thin plastic. If the dip tube breaks, the cold water coming into the tank mixes with the hot water leaving the tank at the top. Then the water from the faucet or shower is never very hot even though you have almost a full tank of hot water. Dip tubes are hard to find to buy, but they're pretty easy to make.

2. A tank of fully heated water will be coolest following a sustained period of no use, such as overnight. This is because of hysteresis. To keep the elements from constantly cycling on and off, the thermostats are designed to turn off the heating elements at a temperature that is quite a bit hotter than the temperature at which they come on. For example, using made up numbers, if you use up all of your hot water, the water heater might heat up a full tank of water to 140 degrees. If you don't use that hot water, the elements might not come on again until the temperature falls to 120. The way I make sure I have plenty of hot water for a shower is to use up a lot of hot water---do a load or two of laundry, for instance---a couple of hours earlier. Then, the unmixed hot water coming out of the faucet or showerhead is hotter than I can stand. But first thing in the morning the water that's been standing in the tank overnight is not too hot to stand. So, you might not actually have a problem with the water heater if you have changed the time of day that you take a shower.

Stan
 
With my luck, If I replaced the heating elements, the tank would spring a leak soon after.

I would go with a new unit.
 
Here's some numbers for you. 2 new elements with thermostat and breaker $50.00. 1- new 40 gal electric water heater $500.00. It just depends on you and your finances.
 
If you have NG or LP gas I would install a new gas water heater. You will never run out of hot water. My last Kenmore lasted 19 years and Sears replaced it free. Just drain about one gallon of water from the bottom once a year. Hal
 
The symptoms described sound more like a faulty thermostat. On an old heater, it is likely that a thermostat is mounted at each of the heating elements.
A failed element would not cause the symptoms listed in this post.
 
Why do you want to heat hot water?? Sorry but hate it when I see some one call it a hot water heater when in fact it is a water heater that said.
Use a simple thermometer to check how hot the water is before you start chasing a problem you may not even have
 
we've had electric water heater here on the farm since 1961. lots of lessons needed to be learned but I'd never change over to a gas heater!
changing elements is a piece of cake! learn to flush your unit once a year and it will last forever.
 
when checking for ohms across the element there must be NO voltage present. I think the resistance is in the single digits like 4-6 ohms for 4500 watt element. It's usually the lower element that goes bad so you can compare the readings on the two elements.
 
(quoted from post at 18:54:01 12/02/14) when checking for ohms across the element there must be NO voltage present. I think the resistance is in the single digits like 4-6 ohms for 4500 watt element. It's usually the lower element that goes bad so you can compare the readings on the two elements.
2 to 13 Ohms for 4500W hot water heater element.

My water is hot going in, I just want it hotter coming out. :)
 
(quoted from post at 09:46:18 12/02/14) If you have NG or LP gas I would install a new gas water heater. You will never run out of hot water. My last Kenmore lasted 19 years and Sears replaced it free. Just drain about one gallon of water from the bottom once a year. Hal

No offense Hal, but that's horse puckey. I had a Kenmore power vent propane 50 gallon. The wife and kids ran it cold many, many times and when it died after 12 years there was no way Sears wanted to even talk replacement. The warranty right on the side said 10 years. Maybe you bought and extended warranty?

BTW- that stupid thing ran about $150.00 of propane a month and the electric that replaced it runs about $40.00.
 
Lowes here has 40 gal electric water heater for 235.

And I believe the kit with both elements and thermostats is 30 or so,
 
your ohm reading on a good element should be close to zero---keep in mind that only one element is energized at a time---it is usually the upper thermostat that does the switching
 
I never had a water heater whether it was propane
or nat gas that ever ran out of hot water. Hal
 
(quoted from post at 10:26:31 12/03/14) I never had a water heater whether it was propane
or nat gas that ever ran out of hot water. Hal
otta stay in the shower a long time when you have a 100 gallons in the tank, as I do.
 
(quoted from post at 11:26:31 12/03/14) I never had a water heater whether it was propane
or nat gas that ever ran out of hot water. Hal

You're a lucky man. I'll send my wife and kids over and they can show you how to do it. :lol:
 
I spent two hours total (including trip to store and back) re-building my electric water heater.

The sludge of lime scale sediment had built up to the bottom element - destroying it. I drained the tank, pulled what was left of the element out in pieces, and shop-vac'd out all the crusty sludge and limestone (about 20lbs of it).

Screwed in the new element (approx $40) and filled the tank. THEN flipped the switch for the breaker :) Works great, again!

Wife and three daughters were impressed... :D :D
 
I just replaced my electric wh after 15 years, after I drained it, the bottom fell out when I was carting it outside. I got lucky!

I put a Rheem Marathon tank in to replace it. Plastic tank, I should never have to replace it.
 
My next water heater is a Marathon. Present one is 11 years old, thinking in the next couple of years I'll install a new one.

Charles
 

Marathon water heater. Not for me at around $950 for a 40 gal electric one.

My $230 one with a 6 yr warranty going on 10 years is fine for me. If it goes out I will just buy another one, easy to changeout.
 
Just get yourself a WOOD BURNING water heater. I made mine, (2) Grocery Bags of wood scraps & 20 minutes later I have 40 gallons of scalding hot water.

:>)

Doc
 

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