Changing suburban water heater element?

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Hp - 24 May 2006 13:07 GMT

I made the tragic mistake of turning on the electric part of my water heater
thinking that the tank was full of water. I believed I cooked it because all
I can get is lukewarm water out of the taps. Is changing the element a
difficult and/or dangerous thing for a newbie to do? I realize that I should
unplug the trailer and make sure the gas is off. I change out the anode rod
with no problem. What is involved with the element?

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wwemu@cwnet.com - 24 May 2006 17:22 GMT

>I made the tragic mistake of turning on the electric part of my water heater
>thinking that the tank was full of water. I believed I cooked it because all
>I can get is lukewarm water out of the taps. Is changing the element a
>difficult and/or dangerous thing for a newbie to do? I realize that I should
>unplug the trailer and make sure the gas is off. I change out the anode rod
>with no problem. What is involved with the element?

Electric water heater elements last only seconds if power is applied
without being immersed in water. (Don't ask how I know). Making sure
power is off, disconnect the wires from the element, and unscrew the
element from the tank, then reverse the order for installation. Make
sure the tank is full of water before turning it on. A Tip: Since
that is a pipe thread, if you turn it slightly to tighten first, it
will come out easily.

George

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