This is important especially as open and grounded heating elements result in inaccurate tests.
Test upper thermostat electric water heater.
Touch one probe of the multimeter to each terminal on the lower thermostat.
While the other is found right on the bottom.
Leave the upper thermostat in the lowest setting and test the lower thermostat.
Before handling anything on the thermostat use a multimeter to confirm the power is off to the water heater.
If the water is hot enough at appointed temperature the meter won t show reading.
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.
In this case also check the current at the high limit switch.
Your water heater usually has two elements and two thermostats.
You will also need to check the water heater thermostat with digital multimeter tools.
First it allows the upper element to heat the water in the top of the tank.
The meter should read 0.
Use the screwdriver to set the lower thermostat to the highest setting.
To look for faults you will need to use a screwdriver.
Connect the multimeter pin ends on point 1 2 as shown in the picture below.
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.
Testing the water heater thermostat involves the checking of the heating element also.
If you have a voltage stick you can use that as well.
The reading on the multimeter should be zero.
Start by checking the thermostat terminals for the supply of power.
The lower thermostat has only two terminals.
The upper thermostat has two functions.
When this water is hot enough it shuts the upper element off.
Check the power supply of the thermostat.
The structure of an electric water heater is pretty simple.
If the opposite thing happens that means your thermostat has defected.
And when it comes to thermostats the device uses two of them generally.
If the water is cold the multimeter will point near zero.
One should be sitting on the top of unit 1.
Before you proceed further with the process of testing the heater thermostat take a screwdriver and the multimeter.