Water Heater...?

[DBG8492]

Yes - there was nothing at the terminals - just on the input side of the thermostat, so I guess it's bad. But the whole thing looks terrible. The ground input on the thermostat was corroded, and the ground side of the element is loose. I checked the continuity of the element and got zero, but that's with the tank full, so not sure if that's accurate. Thermostat had zero resistance either, no matter where I put the temp setting.

Shockingly, I may have found a place with a replacement in Australia - but it's not going to be cheap. I have to pull the assembly and send them photos.

 

[Delta Riverat]

If the element read zero, it's open circuit (blown) defunct.

 

[Bmarler]

zero and infinity are two different things. Zero ohms is a closed circuit, infinity is open.
Sounds like the thermostat is bad anyway, and if it’s integral to the element it all gets changed.

 

[Bacchus]

Have you taken a look behind the AC breaker panel to see if you find the same red, black, white wiring for that WH breaker? And confirmed how that white wire is utilized... (serves as a ground or a neutral?) I would have a suspicious concern for safety if WH is not grounded.

Also, any idea what the unlabeled single breaker below the WH breaker serves?

 

[DBG8492]

Have you taken a look behind the AC breaker panel to see if you find the same red, black, white wiring for that WH breaker? And confirmed how that white wire is utilized... (serves as a ground or a neutral?) I would have a suspicious concern for safety if WH is not grounded.

Also, any idea what the unlabeled single breaker below the WH breaker serves?

Haven't looked behind the panel yet.

The AC wiring is two-strand red, black, and a bare ground wire. There's no white wire - that was an illusion because someone spliced an insulated white wire onto it, then covered the bottom of the splice with electrical tape. But the ground wire was attached to the body of the heater.

That breaker is for the A/C water pump - it's labeled - just not very well.

 

[Bacchus]

Haven't looked behind the panel yet.

The AC wiring is two-strand red, black, and a bare ground wire. There's no white wire - that was an illusion because someone spliced an insulated white wire onto it, then covered the bottom of the splice with electrical tape. But the ground wire was attached to the body of the heater.

That breaker is for the A/C water pump - it's labeled - just not very well.

Most likely 120V then. The double main may be to break both current carrying conductors at one location which is consistent with ABYC. If that isn't done someplace a reverse polarity situation can be dangerous / lethal.

 

[Bmarler]

Haven't looked behind the panel yet.

The AC wiring is two-strand red, black, and a bare ground wire. There's no white wire - that was an illusion because someone spliced an insulated white wire onto it, then covered the bottom of the splice with electrical tape. But the ground wire was attached to the body of the heater.

That breaker is for the A/C water pump - it's labeled - just not very well.

Not saying that the wires follow common color codes, but red and black in “normal” ac wiring means 240 volt with each conductor carrying a leg of 120 volt. Make double sure you know where those terminate at the panel.