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Water Heater Not Heating: Electrical Troubleshooting

Quick Answer

If your electric water heater stops producing hot water, the first thing I always look at is the circuit breaker or the high-limit reset button on the upper thermostat. If those are fine, nine times out of ten, the lower heating element has burned out and needs to be tested for continuity with a multimeter.

Honestly, when I roll up on a no-hot-water call, it's almost always a tripped ECO button or a dead lower element. Cheap fix. But here's the thing: if you keep ignoring a grounded element that's tripping your breaker, you can actually damage the circuit wiring over time. Catch it early and you're looking at a $20 part. Wait too long and you're calling an electrician too.

GenericWaterheaterSeverity: highDifficulty: advanced92% DIY Success
Time to Fix
45–120 min
Difficulty
advanced
Parts Cost
$15 – $85
Tools Needed
Phillips #2 screwdriver, Flat-head screwdriver

Water Heater Not Heating: Electrical Troubleshooting

Look, a cold water heater sounds scary but it's almost never a full replacement situation. I swapped three elements just last week. The whole job takes maybe an hour if the element threads aren't completely corroded. Grab a multimeter and you'll know exactly what's failed in 15 minutes flat. Most repairs run $15-35 in parts if you're doing it yourself.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Failed Lower Element45%
Failed Upper Element20%
Tripped circuit breaker15%
Faulty Thermostat10%
Tripped ECO/Reset Button10%

Symptoms You May Notice

  • Completely cold water from every tap in the house, no matter how long you let it run.
  • Water starts out lukewarm and goes cold within 3-4 minutes, which usually means the upper element is working but the lower one is dead.
  • Breaker trips the second you reset it, sometimes before you even make it back to the water heater.
  • That red reset button on the upper thermostat keeps popping out every day or two, sometimes with an audible click.
  • Faint humming or buzzing coming from the tank but the water coming out is stone cold.

Can you reset a Generic waterheater to clear the NOT-HEATING code?

Remove the two screws on the upper access panel and pull it off. Move the insulation aside. Find that red button on the upper thermostat and push it in firmly until you feel it click. Put the insulation back and replace the cover. Flip the breaker back on. Wait 45-60 minutes before testing the hot water. If that button pops back out again within a day or two, you've got a grounded element that needs replacing, not just resetting.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriverFlat-head screwdriver1-1/2 inch element socket wrenchNon-contact voltage testerDigital multimeterGarden hose for draining before element replacementBucket or wet/dry vacuumTeflon tape

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range10–30 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Replacement Parts

If your diagnostic testing proves the component has failed, you will need a replacement. We recommend OEM parts over aftermarket for water-handling components.

Part Name
Universal 4500W Screw-In ElementWE1X10001 · $15–$35
Electric Water Heater Tune-Up Kit (Thermostats + Elements)9008069 · $40–$85

Frequently Asked Questions

Does home warranty electrical coverage include water heater elements?
Most comprehensive home warranties cover the electrical components inside a water heater, including elements, thermostats, and internal wiring. The catch is usually the fine print around sediment neglect or improper maintenance. If your tank is loaded with calcium deposits and that's what cooked the element, some warranty companies will push back on covering it. But a normal burnout from age or a dry-fire incident? That's usually covered and your out-of-pocket is just the service call fee, which is way better than paying $150-300 out of pocket for a pro repair.
Why does my water heater reset button keep tripping?
The ECO trips when water temp hits 180 degrees, which it should never reach under normal operation. The most common cause I see is a grounded element where the internal coil broke down and is touching the metal sheath, letting current flow even when the thermostat says stop. Water just keeps heating. Second most common is a thermostat stuck in the always-on position. Either way, just resetting that button every day isn't fixing a thing. You need to test both elements with a multimeter. It's a cheap fix if you catch it before it damages anything else.
How much does it cost to replace a water heater element?
The element itself is $15-30 at any hardware store, and grab some Teflon tape while you're there. A professional repair runs $150-300 including labor depending on your area. If you've got home warranty coverage, you might only owe a $75-100 service fee. One thing to budget for: if the element's been in there 10+ years, the threads can be completely fused with scale and nearly impossible to remove without damaging the tank. At that point it's worth having an honest conversation about whether the whole unit should just be replaced.
Can I replace just one element or should I do both?
You can swap just the bad one and it'll work fine. But if the unit's over 5-6 years old, I'd honestly do both elements and both thermostats while you're already in there. These parts live in hot water and mineral deposits 24 hours a day and they wear at roughly the same rate. I replaced just the lower element on a job last fall, came back 9 months later for the upper one. Would've saved the homeowner time and money to do it all at once. Your call, but factor in the extra labor cost if you're hiring someone.
How long does it take for the water heater to recover after a repair?
Plan on about an hour to 90 minutes for a cold 40-gallon tank to get back up to temperature. A 50-gallon tank can push closer to two hours. Don't run a hot tap right after flipping the breaker back on and assume nothing's happening because the water's still cold. Just wait. If you've still got cold water after two full hours, you've got another problem to track down, and it's usually the upper thermostat not sending power down to the lower element. That means the upper thermostat needs replacing too.

Same Fix on Other Brands

Rheem waterheaterNOT-HEATING: Rheem Water Heater Not Heating TroubleshootingAo-smith waterheaterNOT-HEATING: AO Smith Water Heater Electrical Troubleshooting

Models Known to Experience NOT-HEATING Errors

This repair applies to most Generic waterheaters with this error code. Common model numbers include:

Rheem PROE50 T2 RH230, AO Smith EES-50 200, Bradford White RE350S6-1NCWW, State ES650SOCT, Rheem PRSE40 S2 RH, GE GE50T10BAM, Westinghouse WEC050C2X045N, AO Smith ECT-80 200

RP

Written by

Raj Patel

HVAC & Water Systems Specialist · 15 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on May 20, 2024