My hot water heater has a red and a black wire,but the electric supply wires coming in to power the water heater have a red,black white and a bare ground. Which wires go where?

Might be too late but check the wires connection is tight and any crimps are good.
A bad/loose connection will cause heat and damage.

Look for connections on top of water heater
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-install-electric-water-heater.html

Gene

Water Heater Timers Save Money

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Test each wire.
Black to red 240Volt
Black to White 120Volt
Red to white 120Volt
The white might be ground

Copy following links:
http://waterheatertimer.org/See-inside-main-breaker-box.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/Inside-Main-Breaker-Box-12.jpg

Gene
h

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

check with a vom set on high voltage setting. for power... black wire to black wire,, white wire to red wire on heater ground wire to tank ..on 220v there is no neutral like on 110volts..check red reset button under top panel / control push on it resets it,,,

Hi,
The unit will not owrk unless you have 240V ACROSS the black and white wires...if you do not have that coming to the unit then you have a bad breaker...

heatman101

You have water heater with two elements.
Two-element water heaters are 240Volts.

1) Lets talk about what makes a 240Volt circuit
See basic water heater circuit:
http://waterheatertimer.org/B220C.html

Open link, and illustration at top of page is your water heater circuit

Notice that two insulated wires come from the circuit breaker and go to the water heater.
These two wires are 120volt each. When these two 120Volt wires combine, they create 240Volts
These are called hot wires because they come from the hot busbars.
There is also a bare copper wire that comes from neutral busbar.
The bare copper wire is a safeguard, and is not necessary for the 240V circuit to work.

Inside each circuit breaker box is 1 neutral busbar, and 2 hot busbars.
Open image below, and it shows typical residential breaker box
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/Inside-Main-Breaker-Box-420.jpg

In a residential home, each circuit takes two wires to complete the circuit.
For 120Volt circuit, you need 1 neutral wire and 1 hot wire to complete the circuit. These are usually a black and white wire. The bare copper wire is a safeguard.
For 240Volt circuit, you need 2 hot wires to complete the circuit, and each hot wire comes off a different busbar. These can be a black and white wire, and sometimes a black and red wire. The bare copper wire is a safeguard.

With a 240Volt water heater the two hot wires connect to the black and red wires located on top of water heater.

2) Let's talk about wiring inside a water heater.
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/WH-w-combined-530.jpg

Open image on link above, and it shows your 240volt water heater wiring.
The 2 hot wires from breaker box connect to the red and black wires on top of heater.
Inside each water heater, the wires are color-coded and will appear the same, or nearly the same, as shown on link above.
As long as your wiring appears like the image, and the hot wires from breaker box connect correctly, and the circuit breaker is working fine, then your water heater will work.

Add a comment any time.

3) More electric water heater links about water heaters, thermostats and tank wiring:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-electric-water-heater-works.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-water-heater-thermostat-works.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-water-heater-thermostats.html

It sounds like you need to replace it, Actual cost can very widrly depending on your location but I would say $350-400 is probably close. Plus installation unless you can do it yourself. Hope this helps. Thanks

Hello,You are correct! Black/blue=black & Yellow=white 220volt single phase power.There are 3 wires for 3 phase power connection NOT the case in a home.Also an "off peak"timer option would use (black) only controlling the bottom element and (blue) controlling the top element.