What size breaker does the rheem use, 40 gal short
If it ran for more than 5minutes prior to this problem, then it's probably not the breaker.
The water heater is 9000 watts and at 240volts should draw around 37amps. Fuse/breaker should be ~1.25X the current so the breaker amps is around 46, but they don't make that one. So 50 ?
The problem is related to the heating elements since that's about the only thing that could gradually trip the breaker.
My guess.
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