Installation Guide

Residen al Electric Water Heater Use and Care Guide • 31
4
Connect a garden hose to the
drain valve and place the other
end of the hose in a drain or
outside (or use buckets). Turn OFF the
cold water valve that supplies the water
heater. Open the drain valve on the
water heater. Opening a hot water
faucet will help the tank drain faster.
5
Remove the upper or lower
access panel on the water
heater, and then fold back the
insula on and remove the plas c
element/thermostat cover.
6
With the tank drained and
power off , remove the power
wires from the element you
intend to replace.
7
Remove the bad element using
an element wrench.
8
Make sure the new element is
the correct replacement by
referring to the water heater’s
data plate for voltage and wa age
informa on.
9
Clean the threads in the tank
opening with a rag. Insert the
new element equipped with a
rubber gasket. NOTE: Use a drop of
hand dishwashing liquid to lubricate the
gasket to help avoid damaging the
gasket as it is being  ghtened. Tighten
with an element wrench.
NOTICE: Do not turn power back on un l
the tank is completely full of water. For
complete instruc ons on fi lling the tank,
follow Step 8 in the Installa on sec on.
10
Refi ll the tank by opening the
cold water supply valve. Make
sure a hot water faucet is open
and the drain valve is closed. Allow the
hot water to run full for at least three
minutes to make sure the tank has all
the air removed and is completely full
of water. Failure to perform this step
can cause the upper hea ng element to
burn out. Once you are certain the tank
is completely full of water, close the hot
water faucet.
11
Check the newly installed
element for leaks. If a leak is
present,  ghten the element
un l the leak stops. If you cannot stop
the leak, drain the tank and remove the
element. Inspect the gasket for dam-
age. If the gasket is damaged, replace
the gasket and re-install the element.
12
Once the element is success-
fully installed and there are no
leaks, replace the power wires,
thermostat cover, insula on, and access
panel. Make sure all wire connec ons
are  ght. Replace the cover on the
electrical junc on box.
13
Restore power to the water
heater. It may take two hours
for the tank to heat up.
Replacing the Thermostat
WARNING! Working on an ener-
gized circuit can result in severe injury
or death from electrical shock. Turn
power off . Check wires with a non-
contact circuit tester to make sure
power is off . When you are fi nished, be
sure all covers are secured to reduce
the risk of fi re and electric shock.
To replace the thermostat, you’ll need
the following tools and supplies:
• A non-contact circuit tester. Always
turn power OFF and check with a non-
contact circuit tester before working on
the water heater.
• A replacement thermostat (available
at Lowe’s®). Take the old thermostat
to the store to ensure the replace-
ment thermostat is correct.
• A business card to check the gap be-
tween the thermostat and the tank
• Tape and a permanent marker to
mark the wires
• A fl at blade and a Phillips screwdriver
Steps for Replacing the
Thermostat:
1
Turn the power OFF at the
circuit breaker or remove fuses.
NOTICE: It is not necessary to drain the
tank to replace a thermostat.
2
Open the electrical junc on box
on top of the water heater. Using
a non-contact circuit tester, check
the power wires to make certain the
power is OFF.
MAINTENANCE