help please!! water heater problems.....1 cold shower too many

crankbait09 · 01-09-2013, 07:38 PM

Hey everyone.
I am in desperate need of help!!!

I have a brand new ELECTRIC water heater that I installed last night. It is a Kenmore Power Miser 6, 240v, 3800w

I energized the water heater and 8 hours later, I still have no hot water. not even luke warm. were talking cold!

I used a multimeter to test all connections on the thermostat and heating element on the upper element and everything checks out at 240v.

I did the same for the bottom unit, and I get zero's. There is only two wires on the lower unit which is correct when I look at the wiring diagram. When I test the lower unit terminals one at a time with one probe, and the other to ground....they all check out with 120v. So it seems to me, it's getting power.

I don't know what else to check or do. Can anyone help me?

Lightfoot · 01-09-2013, 08:07 PM

thermostat set right?

joecaption · 01-09-2013, 08:10 PM

You did turn the water back on and open up a faucet while it was filling and shut it off when it started running, before turning on the power, right?

crankbait09 · 01-09-2013, 08:43 PM

yes to both

joecaption · 01-09-2013, 08:51 PM

Is there a reset button on the thermostat, of so push it, what have you got to loose.

crankbait09 · 01-09-2013, 09:18 PM

ok.....after getting feedback from out sourced friends

, i removed the upper element and it was burnt in half/boken. So I am guessing I turned on the power BEFORE the water heater was filled. Lessons Learned!!

Missouri Bound · 01-09-2013, 11:21 PM

When you used the multimeter that was your clue. If you measure across a switch for voltage there is no voltage when the switch is on, and full voltage when off...no different than the element. Had the element been working you wouldn't have gotten any voltage there. It's best to run the hot water until it comes out without sputtering....and now you know that..