Test Upper Thermostat Electric Water Heater

When an upper heating element or thermostat fails the entire water heater stops producing hot water.

Test upper thermostat electric water heater.

But with some research you can learn how to test water heater thermostat. The reading should be between 110 and 120 volts. You can start with testing water heater element and then if you find it in working order you can go ahead with the electric water heater thermostat troubleshooting. Other than this the thermostat controls the current flowing from one thermostat to another thermostat or from the thermostat to the heater.

How to set the upper and lower thermostats on dual element water heaters. Testing is the only option if you want to determine whether or not one or both of them has failed. If you turn the hot water tap and cold water runs out then the upper thermostat is damaged. Repeat the test with the other screw.

While the other is found right on the bottom. If the thermostats are okay you need to test the water heater elements. The upper thermostat is the primary one that contains the high limit switch and the lower thermostat is used to detect the change in the temperature of the water. Each of these devices controls two different heating elements.

When you check your electric water heater you will notice two thermostats on the unit one at the top and one at the bottom. One should be sitting on the top of unit 1. When a lower heating element or thermostat fails the top thermostat and element will continue to heat water in the upper half of the tank but you will notice the hot water quickly runs out or is only lukewarm. And when it comes to thermostats the device uses two of them generally.

The structure of an electric water heater is pretty simple. Replace the upper thermostat. See testing electric water heater elements for more information. A dual element water heater uses two heating elements controlled.

If it isn t the upper thermostat is not sending power to the lower one. Structure of water. Usually when the upper thermostat goes bad you will have no hot water at all while a bad lower thermostat makes itself known when there is only a small amount of hot water before the tap water goes cold. Electric water heater thermostats are a fairly simple devices that can fail from time to time.

Touch one meter lead to the top screw and the other lead to the metal body of the water heater.