RESIDENTIAL GAS AND ELECTRIC WATER HEATER
SERVICE HANDBOOK
A.O. Smith Water Products Company
Training Department
©
2002
Ashland City, Tennessee
34
Residential Electric – continued
C-2 – service “Water Too Hot” – continued
Grounded Element Check – Amperage Method
Grounded Element Test – using “clamp type” Amperage Meter.
Many multimeters
could be used to conduct this test but be certain that possible amperage will not exceed
the multimeter’s limit.
Complaint:
A grounded element is suspected whenever the water temperature
becomes
excessively hot
and/or the end user
must push the high limit reset
to reactivate
the heater.
Amperage
measures the flow of current through a wire.
Watts
divided by volts = Amps
Conditions:
Power
on
Thermostat is satisfied
Test around red wire then black wire to element.
If …
… then
amperage is noted (indicating flowing power)
replace the element.
amperage is not noted
the element is not grounded.
59T4000
89T13
