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Ok so my wife informed me that the water was not getting hot.........so I ventured to the hot water heater knowing nothing about it.

So i checked the temp.......fine but I noticed the cover wasn't on....so I placed it back on.....so I go to the breaker and noticed it was flipped and I finally get it flipped and hear a buzz......

so I go out to the w/d room and check it out and see it smoking.......sooooo I realized that I made a mistake....I put the cover back on with the insulation contacting the wires.....eeeek I know.....so I flipped the breaker back and cleaned off the wires and some of the dirt black marks......I noticed that the two top wires arent screwed down one doesnt have a screw and the other looks broken and isnt connected but they must have always been that way and I never noticed.

see the pic. yep it got scorched but it look like it might have before me....I've been living here 5 yrs and never had a issue with it kicking, however, I do have to turn it full blast to get it hot and only a lil cold since I lived here.......and the other bathroom always took longer to get hot water to heat.

My question is.........why aren't the two at the top connected.......is it a danger (since it has been that way for 5 yrs since I lived here and who knows how long before me

call me an idiot for putting the cover back on without the little plastic piece like the bottom has....

what can I do......I have the breaker off right now but we will need the hot water soon....we got a kid to bathe lol

anyone?

nevermind ...tried to turn it back on and I saw a spark and heard a pop when the wife turn the breaker on...just going to replace it

For what Electric water heaters cost, if they are more than 5-7 years old I wouldn't even mess with it. If it were just an element I would say change it, but since you obviously have more problems than just an element. The safety aspect alone justifies a replacement.

Greg

Go get a new thermostat, trim the wires back so you have decent wires on the new terminals, hook it up EXACTLY like it is and you are down. Depending on where you get it, the thermostat could be as low as $15 or as high as $45.

neighbor said the same thing......but said it probably wouldnt last and to thank God the breaker kicked.

I replaced it saturday with a new one and some new piping. So far so good.

If what I am reading is correct....it was 18 years old!!!!!!!!!!!! I only lived there 4 1/2 years