Electric HW Heater Thermo breaker trips

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

Hi, I replaced the upper thermostat on an electric hot water heater because the breaker was popping, disabling the HW heater. The water would get very hot before it tripped, and it was the button on the thermostat, not the curcuit breaker in electrical box. When the problem remained, I replaced both top and bottom thermostats. I also flushed the tank, which was clean. It’s a short 30gal about 6 yrs old. The thermostat breaker still trips.

I’m about to replace both elements and the TP valve since I can’t think of anything else, and don’t mind the extra work to get it fixed asap without a fork lift! I can’t imagine why it is tripping. I have not tweaked the temperature setting from the factory default. Any Idea?

[GuestParticipant]

If you still have the paper work for this heater the schematic wiring diagram should be in there. go through this carefully it doesn’t sound like an element problem. good luck

[hjParticipant]

It sounds exactly like an element problem. One of the elements, probably the lower one has shorted out in such a way that it will bypass the thermostat and keep operating on 120 v. at a lower efficiency until the water is so hot that the reset trips. Everything you have done so far was probably a waste of money.

[GuestParticipant]

Yes, Thanks, it was an element problem. There was a corrosion or sedement bridge near the beggining on the bottom element.

[Author]

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