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Electric Water Heater Heating Element Terminals (C) Daniel FriedmanReplace an Electric Water Heater Heating Element
How to remove, install, & wire a water heater element, step by step guide

Electric water heater heating element replacement guide:

How to remove and replace a bad electric hot water heater heating element or electrode - details.

Having completed testing electric water heater components in the previous article, this article explains how to replace a bad electric water heater heating element.

This series of articles describes how to inspect, operate, diagnose, and repair electric hot water heaters.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

How to Replace & Wire an Electric Water Heating Element

Electric Water Heater Heating Element Terminals (C) Daniel FriedmanThe sketch at left of the parts surrounding an electric water heater heating element is modified from illustrations provided by American Water Heater Co. [1] These parts are identified (click to see an enlarged sketch)in order as shown in the sketch as

[Click to enlarge any image]

1. Access door covering the heating element, typically held in place by two sheet metal screws (blue)

18. insulation (gray)

2. plastic cover over the thermostat assembly (green)

3. Thermostat assembly (upper)

5. Electric heating element (red arrow - this is what you are replacing)

6. Electric heating element gasket (purple arrow)

No number: yellow arrow points to the heating element mounting location. Clean this area and its threads during heater element replacement.

Watch out: as manufacturers of water heaters point out, you can be killed or seriously injured if you do not follow instructions provided by the water heater manufacturer and described in the water heater's installation, usage, and maintenance manual.

Below we describe the general procedure for replacing and wiring electric water heater heating elements. Be sure you consult your individual water heater's installation guide for details.

Electric Water Heater Heating Element Terminals (C) Daniel Friedman


Electric water heater element insulation (C) Daniel Friedman

Water heating element sketch

Other electric water heater elements may be secured with a bracket, shown in our sketch above.

Remove the sealing gasket that prevented leaks between the heating element face and the water heater tank face.

Watch out: keep this gasket until you have confirmed that your new water heater element came with a new gasket.

Water heater element replacement - American Water Heater Co.

Electric water heater thermostat and heating element wiring diagram

Wiring diagram for electric water heater - American Water Heater Co EXAMPLE

Be sure that any electrical wiring that you disturb or disconnect is reconnected as it was originally.

We label parts or make a sketch to avoid confusion later on. Check for proper water heater thermostat and heating element wiring connections by reviewing the installation manual that pertains to your water heater.

Abbove we show a typical wiring diagram for a two-element electric water heater at which both heating elements operate simultaneously.

Below we show the water heater thermostat and element wiring details from a Plumber's Pack Water Heater Repair Kit using Thermo-o-Disc thermostats.

Wiring diagram for electric water heater - American Water Heater Co EXAMPLE

This electric water heater repair kit includes two electrodes and the upper and lower thermostats as well as replacement plastic covers for those devices.

The kit fits most models of electric water heaters made by American Water Heaters, A O Smith, Bradford White, Craftsmaster, General Electric or GE water heaters, GS Wood (some models), Kenmore, Lochinvar, Maytag, Mor-Flo, Reliance, Rheem, Richmond, Ruud, Sears and State - in other words many major water heater brands.

[Click to enlarge any illustration or photo]

But your electric water heater wiring may differ in that it may have only one heating element, or the two-element heater may operate the heaters individually (non-simultaneous), or your unit could be a 120V heater (less common at residential buildings) or even a three-phase installation (more likely at larger heaters and commercial installations). [1]

Electric water heater element wiring (C) InspectApedia.comContinuing with the steps in replacing the heating element for a typical electric water heater: re-connect the electrical wires

Illustration, adapted from AO SMITH ELECTRIC WATER HEATER WIRING INSTRUCTIONS [PDF], shows the water heater element in red.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-06-25 - by (mod) - I replaced the heater elements but still have no hot water

Ted

We have a series of diagnostic suggestions for no-hot-wter for an electric water heater starting at

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER - NO HOT WATER


Let's start there, and don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions as you need.

On 2020-06-09 by Ted Lambert

What if u replace both elements and still don't have hot water.what could it might be wrong

On 2020-06-06 - by (mod) - problem with threads at water heater element mount opening

Andy

That's certainly frustrating.

1. Check the actual thread gauge between the opening on the water heater and the threads on the heating element.

You can buy a little thread gauge (it has a collection of little numbered saw-toothed measuring devices, each with a thread gauge number on it) or you could try a finely-marked ruler to count the threads per inch on both opening and element.

2. If the threads are the right gauge it's possible that the threads at the start of the opening on the water heater are damaged OR that the threads were not cut properly on the new heating element.

**Sometimes** I've been able to salvage that problem by working carefully (on JUST the initial threads) with a sharp triangular file and with even a small sharp screwdriver blade to clean the thread gaps in the opening.

There are, of course huge thread cutting devices that can re-cut threads on both items but you may not want to go to that expense.

Shown below is the OriGlam Screw Thread Pitch Cutting Gauge Tool - note that you need to buy the right gauge: inch or metric, probably "Inch" or U.S. NPT gauge.

On 2020-06-05 by ANDY

I was unable to put the new elemnet in, it just never threaded in right, eventually the gasket broke. Its the right replacement based on serial # from plumbing supply.

It looks like the threads on the new one don't actually come to a start point where i am able to connect to the heater.

On 2020-05-13 - by (mod) - where do the heating element black and red wires go?

Wayne

Black = hot 120VAC

Red = hot 120VAC

together 240 VAC

See the wiring diagrsm for your water heater

Watch out: if you are not trained in proper and safe electrical wiring yiu could be shocked or killed.

On 2020-05-05 by Wayne Harrison

House wiring has black/white/ground. Water heater has black/red/ground. Where does the red go?

On 2019-07-15 - by (mod) - don't push the replacement heating element wattage far above original

Isaac:

There are some possible issues with installing a water heater element whose wattage rating is significantly above the original manufacturer's unit.

1. Proper & safe wire size:
A 3800 W heater element on a 240V circuit might require just a 15A #14 copper circuit;

A 4500 W heater element on the same 240V circuit might require about 19A so would require a 20A $12 Copper wire circuit.

If you just stick the 4500w element on the original circuit and if the original circuit is not the proper wire size the either the breaker will trip (or fuse blow) or the if you over-fuse it to avoid that you risk overheating the wire and a house fire.

On the other hand if the circuit is a 20A #12 copper wire on 240V this issue may not pertain

2. The heater element dimensions
must fit the water heater; if the new heater is longer, for example, it may touch a dip tube in the heater causing expensive, even dangerous damage;

On the other hand if the new element is about the same length as the original this problem may not occur.

On 2019-07-11 by Isaac

I have electric water heater element isn’t good - this is the description of the old element 3,800 watt 240V. I order a new one online and they sent me one that I’m not sure if will work here is the description of the new one 4500 Watt 240V. I would like to know if I install the new one could be a issue

On 2018-02-27 - by (mod) - which heating element wire goes where?

George

It should not matter one bit which wire connects to which side of a standard electric water heater heating element.

Here I will include an example of the simplest, most-basic electric water heater heating-element wiring. This is from

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER ELEMENT WIRING INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] from AO Smith

I have marked the heater element in red. You'll see that it is symmetrical - that is, you would simply connect the element terminal that is closest to the individual wire.

On 2018-02-27 by George

A friend of mine replaced my heating elements, he took the wires off(one white and one blue that goes on the elements) he didn't mark which went were, does it matter which screw the wires go on?

The tank has a top n bottom element whith the same color of wire, one white one blue how can I tell Wich is hot and ground on the elements? Or don't it matter?

Reader Question: replacement water heater element not working

(Mar 13, 2013) Amiti said:

My hot water heater only has one element in it, we replaced that element today and hooked everything back up the way it was before.

Now we still have no hot water and i tried to push the reset button on the thermostat butit was already pushed in. I dont know what to do now please help me!!

Reply:

Amity,

IF that you didn't make the common but fatal mistake of turning on the electric water heater when it was not absolutely full of water (that burns out the heater element immediately),

THEN I'm guessing either a wiring error or a bad thermostat.

Start by checking that the unit has electrical power.

Watch out: Be sure the person testing knows how to do so safely as live voltage could kill someone. See DMMs VOMs SAFE USE OF.

Then one of the electric water heater diagnostic articles listed below at "Continue Reading" will help you find the trouble.

Electric Water Heater Element Wiring Instructions & Repair Manuals

Watch out: Improper installation, adjustment, alteration, service or maintenance of any water heater can cause death, serious bodily injury, or property damage.


...

Continue reading  at ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HIGH TEMP CUTOFF TEST or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see ELECTRIC WATER HEATER ELEMENT REPLACEMENT FAQs - questions & answers about this article posted originally on this page.

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