StarkNaked wrote:
An electric water heater element should be on a dedicated 110V breaker.
An electric water heater element should be hard wired directly from the breaker to the junction box on the water heater.
Here's how you described your wiring: "there is an electrical cord that is plugged into the outlet where the water heater tank is located. we tested that the electrical outlet works by plugging a phone charger into it".
This is NOT how a water heater element should be wired.
I'll take some pictures and upload them for you.
