Electric dual element water heater, stats upper and lower and elements check OK, but water is still to hot, what next a?

Water heater has upper and lower elements. Only one t-stat. Check to see where tstat is set to. Turn down to lowest level. If breaker still resets then replace tstat. It is letting the water get to hot no matter what setting it's on. So water is getting so hot that it trips breaker.

You have dual-element 240Volt electric water heater.
Since you have some hot water, then we know upper element is good, and that circuit breaker and electricity to water heater are good.
Not enough hot water is probably bad lower element, and possibly sediment build-up in bottom of tank.
Test element:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
Replace 4500 watt element available at local hardware, and clean out bottom of tank:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html

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

1) You posted under Rheem-GE electric water heater.
If upper element is burned out, then water heater will not heat any water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-it-works.html

2) Replace upper element:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html

3) Open following link for complete troubleshoot:
This troubleshoot assumes you have standard thermostats and elements.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

4) Manuals and links. I do not see 'smart lights' in the manual.
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/html/GEAResults.htm#Category=Standard_Water_Heaters
Troubleshooting starts page 15.
http://products.geappliances.com/MarketingObjectRetrieval/Dispatcher?RequestType=PDF&Name=AP12168-7%20%28GE%20Elec%29.pdf

5) Add a comment with your experience so other with same-similar problem can benefit.

Also take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

Electric water heaters never power BOTH the upper and lower elements at the same time.

If the water in the tank is cold, either the top OR bottom element will be powered through the upper thermostat (t-stat), never both at the same time. The upper t-stat will send power to the upper element until the temperature of the water in the top of the tank reaches the set point of the t-stat say 140 degrees. When the water temperature in the top of the tank reaches 140 degrees, the t-stat is "satisfied" and disconnects the power from the top element and sends it to the lower t-stat.

IF the temperature of the water in the lower half of the tank is lower than the set point of the lower t-stat, the t-stat closes to send power to the lower element. The lower element REMAINS powered by the t-stat until EITHER the water in the lower part of the tank reaches the set point temperature of the lower t-stat again, say 140 degrees; OR the temperature of the water in the upper part of the tank drops, at which point the upper t-stat "calls" and switches the power away from the lower t-stat and sends it to the upper heating element instead. When the top t-stat is satisfied, it switches power back to the lower t-stat. The process will continue back and forth for as long as needed to bring the temperature of the water in both halves of the tank to 140 degrees.

You must wait until the top of the tank is heated - before the lower element will be powered to heat the water.

I hope this helps you understand how the switching happens in these water heaters. Good luck! Please rate my reply. Thank you.

If you have some hot water from dual-element water heater, then that tells us:
Water heater is 240Volt.
Upper element is working. If upper element is not working, then heater has NO hot water.
Reset button is not tripped.
Electricity and breaker to water heater are delivering 240Volts to heater.

Remaining suspects are:
1) Bad upper or lower thermostat: Solution: replace both thermostats for 28$.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html
2) Bad lower element: Solution test and replace element:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html
3) Loose wire or loose connection: Solution: open both covers and inspect for burning. Tighten all screws very tight.
4) Bad wire: Solution: Buy cheap multimeter from Home Center and do a 30 minute troubleshoot of entire water heater before replacing any parts:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html
When testing for voltage, rotate multimeter dial to 240-250-277VAC
When testing elements or continuity, rotate multimeter dial to Ohms.

Electric water heater can be repaired by homeowner.

Water heater has some hot water.
We know 3 things for sure:
- electricity is ok
- upper element is ok
- tank does not have overheating problem

Here are the suspects:
- Burned or loose wire
- Upper thermostat not working
- Lower thermostat not working
- Lower element not working

What to do:
1) Turn off power, open water heater covers and look for signs of burned or loose wire, especially on lower element. Burned wire on lower element says lower element is burned out.

2) Test lower element.
Lower elements burn out when sediment builds up inside tank.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html

3) If wires are ok. And you do not want to test parts, then replace upper and lower thermostat for 25$. If problem persists, replace lower element.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html

4) If you want to test thermostats and elements before replacing anything:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

5) When finished, be sure to put insulation and covers back on tank so thermostats don't receive cool air and misread tank temperature. This will prevent overheating of tank that causes red reset button to trip.

Electric water heater is fully repairable by homeowner.
Following information will tell you how.

1) Background on your heater:
Reliance is AO Smith company.
http://www.aosmith.com/OperatingUnits/Detail.aspx?id=138&ekmensel=c580fa7b_12_0_138_3

Age of water heater is shown in serial number. First character is letter. Second 2 characters are numbers, which are year of manufacture. For example 05 is year 2005.

The 501 manual is not shown on Reliance website:
http://www.reliancewaterheaters.com/prod/elec.html

2) Two things known for sure:
- electricity is OK
- upper element is working because there is some hot water.

3) Three things can cause problem you describe:
- Loose wire located from upper thermostat to lower element and thermostat.
- Upper or lower thermostat is bad
- Lower element is burned out

4) How to troubleshoot and repair
- Turn off power, open covers and look for loose and burned wiring, especially on lower element.
- When finished, put back insulation and covers so thermostat not exposed to cooler temperatures.
- Burned wire on lower element is evidence that lower element is burned out.

- If you do not want to follow testing steps below, next step is to replace both upper and lower thermostat for about 25$ and see if problem persists.
- If problem persists, replace lower element.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html

5) Test lower element, before replacing anything
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html

6) Troubleshoot electric water heater
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

7) How to replace lower element and clean sediment out of tank:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html

If I understand correctly, you have an electric water heater.
The water heater is dual element and has 2 access panels on water heater.
You run out of hot water quickly.
And the reset is stuck down.

First of all, if the reset button is tripped, the water heater will produce NO hot water.
The reset, or ECO (electricity cut off), is designed to cut off all power to water heater.
So if you have some hot water, then ECO reset is fine.
The thermostat may be bad, but the ECO is fine

Next in line:
If your upper element is burned out, then the water heater will not make any hot water.
So if you have some hot water, that tells us the upper element is working.

The three remaining suspects are upper thermostat, lower thermostat, lower element

Let's test the lower element.
Turn off the power.
Remove both wires from lower element.
Test across both screws with a continuity tester.


The continuity tester has a battery and when light comes on, it says the circuit is complete.
Test1) Test across both screws on lower element with continuity tester.
If the light comes on then the element is good so far, but element has to pass one more test.
Test2) Test each screw on element to any bare metal part of water heater.
If the light does NOT come on with the second test, then element is good.
Element has to pass both tests. Light ON first test. Light OFF second test. Then element is probably good. This is not a fail-proof test but it is a good indicator.

I'm betting the lower element is burned out and you need to replace lower element. And you may need to vacuum out the sediment.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html

Now if lower element is good, then the easiest thing is to do is replace both thermostats. After replacing both thermostats, the water heater will probably work. If there is still a problem, then the lower element was not as good as the test showed, and it should be replaced also.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html

If you are still having a problem, answer back and we'll give you more details.

Remove upper and lower access panels
in upper access, use voltage tester to test voltage of on the uppermost terminals above the red reset button. should be ~220V between terminals (110 to ground)
If not: breaker off or bad,
If 220V proceed:
Test the two terminals immediately below this reset button should be 220V
If not: reset tripped or bad
If 220V present, proceed.
Turn off breaker to heater.

Use ohm meter or continuity tester.
test resistance across upper element terminals -should be 10 to15 ohms
check between each terminal and ground -should be open circuit .
If not replace element
Repeat for lower element.

test across lower element thermostat should be no resistance when stat turned up so it clicks on.
(To test that lower stat turns off, allow tank to heat up completely before conducting this test) Turn sta temp down so it clicks off then test across stat terminals -should be open circuit

The upper thermostat is a 3 way switch
The simplest way to test it is to turn the power back on turn the upper stat all the way up so it clicks on and use voltage tester across the UPPER element terminals, should be ~220V
Now turn the upper stat down so it clicks off- check upper element should be 0 V between upper element terminals -(Caution ! terminals will still be live 110V to ground)
The upper stat has now sent power to lower stat.
Turn lower stat up so it clicks on, check Voltage across lower element -should be ~220V turn lower stat down so clicks off, should be 0 V across lower element terminals.

NOTE If tank is completely cold the upper stat will not switch off and wont send power to lower stat.
If lower tank is cold lower stat may not click off even when turned down.
normal stat setting is 125 to 130
The hotter you you set the stat, the faster your tank corrodes.

If the lower heating element burns out the upper element will heat the top part of the tank then shutoff. homw depot/lowes etc should carry elements. 1 turn off breaker, remove element access cover (the 2 panels on the front of the heater) test for electricity at the reset button ( uppermost device in upper panel) to make sure power is off. 2 turn off water (I usually turn off the cold water main to stop water cross feeding into hot supply line back into heater) 3 disconnect the 2 wires on the lower element, test with continuity tester. shhould be no continuity between terminals and tank, but around 10 ohms between the 2 terminals. Check the thermostat for continuity if tank is cold thermostat should be closed ie zero ohms across the 2 terminals.
If stat is bad replace stat; disconnect wires push it up out of the spring clip insert new stat reconnect. If element is bad: drain tank. connect garden hose to tank drain valve, open tank drain valve turn water main on to clear rust sediment and get water flowing. Next remove filter screen from a hot water faucet then turn on ( a hot faucet upstairs or higher than tank drain). Now turn water main off, air will now go in through hot faucet and tank will drain, takes about an hour. Use a water heater element wrench about$10 to remove element(s) make sure no bits of rubber gasket are left in element opening- dig em out with a screwdriver if needed. Insert new element with its gasket and tighten. reconnect wires DO NOT TURN ON ELECTRICITY! BE SURE TO FILL WATER HEATER WITH WATER ! Turn water main back on -air will come out of the hot faucet for several minutes. When water runs without any air sputtering, turn off faucet and replace the faucet filter screen. check element(s) for leaks. turn breaker back on.