Thread: Brownout?
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Dantilla Dantilla is online now
Non Compos Mentis
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Off the grid- Almost
Posts: 10,655
Test a water heater by opening a faucett and sticking your hand under the water.

A water heater element isn't too finicky about voltage drops. You should be okay. Only three things can go wrong with a water heater- the elements (the bottom one usually goes out first since it works harder), the thermostat, or the tank itself leaks.

If the water is hot, but does not last long, the bottom element probably quit. May as well change them both, since they're cheap, and you have to drain the tank down to the bottom anyway. Might not hurt to just go ahead and also change the thermostat while you're futzing with things. Everything you need is over at Home Depot.
Old 06-30-2008, 12:57 PM
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