How can I tell if my electric is going into my hot water heater?

3 Comments

1. Jim W says:

   May 30, 2008 at 2:04 am

   sussex electrics

   It needs to be tested by an experienced person. They would need a voltage tester that reads actual voltage, not one of the inductive probes or digital meters. The breaker needs to be tested and the heater itself. This is quite dangerous to inexperienced people. Call a qualified professional to do the work. If it is the breaker, it needs to be replaced, if the heater is bad, the elements could be replaced but replacing the whole unit is probably more cost effective.
2. menace4a69_187 says:

   May 30, 2008 at 3:22 pm

   brighton electrical

   you could go to lowe’s or home depot and buy a non-contact voltage tester (approx. $15). all you do is touch the outer jacket of the wire coming into the water heater with the tip of this tester and it should light up and sound an alarm to warn you about the presence of voltage (make sure you test this on a wire that you know to be live). this is what i recommend to people that do not like messing with electricity.

   if you feel comfortable with opening the panel cover or the access covers on the water heater elements, you could use a voltmeter and check the voltage between the lines (you should have approx. 240 volts)

   if you have power to the water heater elements, then there is a good chance that one of your elements went bad (it could be both, but usually the top one goes first). if you dont have power, you probably have a bad breaker, or a fuse is blown in an external disconnect.
3. Arthur W says:

   June 2, 2008 at 11:24 pm

   brighton electric

   sounds like your elements are bad so they need to be replaced