Quick easy tutorial video on how to replace/remove a broken/damaged electric hot water tank heater element, how to install a new hot water tank heating element. Turn OFF the breaker in your main electric panel to the hot water heater. Remove the two covers from the tank. Set your multi-meter to the lowest ohms. Touch the multi-meter probes to the screws on the face of the heating elements. A 3500 watt element should read around 16 ohms a 4500 watt element should read about 12 to 13 ohms a 5500 watt element should read between 10 or 11 ohms. If you don't get a reading on the multi-meter you should remove the heating element and inspect it or replace it. If you do end up replacing a heating element then install the new one and reconnect the wires to the water heater element and that's about it. Reinstall your heating element covers. You will need to refill your tank with water FIRST, then the LAST thing you do is turn the breaker back on to the hot water heater. It could take around 60-80 min to have hot water again if everything is working good and nothing is leaking. It's even better if you can just replace both hot water heating elements at the same time. In this video I only replaced one of them. Since the heating element was replaced months ago it has been working great.
