This is important especially as open and grounded heating elements result in inaccurate tests.
Test upper thermostat electric water heater.
You will also need to check the water heater thermostat with digital multimeter tools.
However they do go bad and testing water heater thermostats is still required.
First it allows the upper element to heat the water in the top of the tank.
If you get the reading of 240v on terminal 1 and terminal 3 then the power is on but if you get no readings then the power is off.
While the other is found right on the bottom.
Your water heater usually has two elements and two thermostats.
To look for faults you will need to use a screwdriver.
If the opposite thing happens that means your thermostat has defected.
Use the screwdriver to set the lower thermostat to the highest setting.
If the water is cold the multimeter will point near zero.
In this case also check the current at the high limit switch.
Touch one probe of the multimeter to each terminal on the lower thermostat.
Before you proceed further with the process of testing the heater thermostat take a screwdriver and the multimeter.
The reading on the multimeter should be zero.
The meter should read 0.
The lower thermostat has only two terminals.
Connect the multimeter pin ends on point 1 2 as shown in the picture below.
Check the power supply of the thermostat.
And when it comes to thermostats the device uses two of them generally.
When this water is hot enough it shuts the upper element off.
One should be sitting on the top of unit 1.
Start by checking the thermostat terminals for the supply of power.
If the water is hot enough at appointed temperature the meter won t show reading.
Test the water heater thermostat.
Before handling anything on the thermostat use a multimeter to confirm the power is off to the water heater.
If you want to test a thermostat on an electric water heater you will also need to check the heating element.
To look at the faults in the upper thermostat you need to turn off the lower one.
Using the multimeter connections touch the top to legs at the same time.
The structure of an electric water heater is pretty simple.
If you have a voltage stick you can use that as well.