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WV_Wanderer's avatar
WV_Wanderer
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017

RV Water Heater not working on 120 A/C

Have checked all connections for my water heater but it still doesn't heat on electric. Both indoor and outdoor switches are turned on. The electric heating rod is not grounded but only shows about 58 0hms is this correct for a 120volt heating element. I hope someone can let me know so I'll know if I need to replace the element or go into the 120 wiring further. It stopped working during a trip of 5 days in one spot. Works fine on propane.

6 Replies

  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Mar 28, 2017
    IF you have access to the Element, WHY do an OHM reading??????? IF you have 120 with the wires connected and the Element does NOT work, it is a bad element. No need for any other testing or Ohm testing. Doug
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Mar 27, 2017
    Solutions found by multiple previous posters with non working water heaters;
    - bad heating element
    - bad thermostat
    - bad hi temp cutout switch
    - bad on/off switch
    - loose neutral wire connection in junction box on back of WH
    - bad/loose wire connections else where in circuit
    - tripped breaker
  • rjf7g's avatar
    rjf7g
    Explorer
    Mar 27, 2017
    I was about to post the same question! I have not done any troubleshooting, though. This gives me a place to start!
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Mar 27, 2017
    I agree that 60 ohms is not correct. But heating elements do not normally fail to a higher resistance. The normal failure mode is to an open element, or infinite ohms. Something odd about that. But the elements are not expensive and are easy to replace.
  • ktmrfs's avatar
    ktmrfs
    Explorer III
    Mar 26, 2017
    WV Wanderer wrote:
    Have checked all connections for my water heater but it still doesn't heat on electric. Both indoor and outdoor switches are turned on. The electric heating rod is not grounded but only shows about 58 0hms is this correct for a 120volt heating element. I hope someone can let me know so I'll know if I need to replace the element or go into the 120 wiring further. It stopped working during a trip of 5 days in one spot. Works fine on propane.


    bad element. 60 ohms means a power draw of about 2 amps. power would be about 240 watts. power should be around 1200 watts, drawing about 10 amps. resistance should be around 10 to 12 ohms.

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