Ge electric water heater. 3 years old. keep tripping reset. both elements show 13 ohms, with no gronding out condition. help!

Why Does My Electric Water Heater Reset Button Keep Tripping? So the red reset button on your electric water heater keeps popping out and needing to be reset.
Here's the most likely problem: The water in your water heater is getting too hot.
When the water temperature in your water heater exceeds 180°, the red reset button (also known as the high-limit switch) trips. This tripping protects you from getting scalded or burned when using hot water in your home.
OK, but then what's causing the water in your water heater to get so hot? The most likely cause is a bad thermostat.
How a bad thermostat causes your water heater reset button to trip Electric water heaters have a lower and upper thermostat-one for each heating element.
The thermostats are responsible for controlling the heating elements. When the water has cooled off, the thermostats kick on the heating elements to heat the water. And once the water has reached your desired temperature, the thermostats shut off the heating element.
(This is very similar to the way your heating and air conditioning thermostat controls your home HVAC system.)
But these thermostats can go bad. When they do, they sometimes get stuck in the "on" position. This means that that the heating element continues to heat your water, eventually causing the high-limit switch to trip.
The fix: The bad thermostat needs to be replaced. A plumber can use a multimeter to test the thermostats and find out which one is bad.
Other problems that can cause your high-limit switch to trip While a bad thermostat is the most common reason your water heater's reset button may trip, it's not the only one. Other common causes include:

• A shorted heating element-It may be that the thermostat is working just fine and shutting off the heating element. But a short in the element is causing it to continue to heat your water.
• Loose wiring-A loose wire in the water heater can generate heat that can cause the high-limit switch to trip.
• Bad high-limit switch-The switch itself may be malfunctioning and tripping when it shouldn't be.

Get a professional plumber's help

Do you live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and need a reliable plumber to help you troubleshoot your water heater problem? Contact MSP Plumbing. We can usually fix the problem the same day.

5 years is about the lifespan for tankless.
You might have shorted element. That would explain cooler water and tripping reset.
Test element: power is off, disconnect wires from element; ohms = voltage squared divided by watt rating of element
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html

Call service technician./ Call Bosch
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Bosch-AE115-AE125_manual.pdf

Gene

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

If your top element is bad the the lower element will never turn on be cause the top element completes the 240 circuit. It is like a resister in a circuit. Make sure top element measures out at 13 ohms.

The Emmerson W152 is ordinary 1-year warranty 120Volt electric storage water heater, except with bronze tank. The bronze tank will not rust, and therefore tank does not have anode rod, and tank has 5 year warranty.
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Emmerson-point-of-use-water-heater.pdf
Actions to take:
1) Check circuit breaker.
2) Emmerson plugs into 120V outlet. See if outlet works for other 120Volt light or can opener.
3) Turn off power and do following:
4) Open cover on water heater, and press in reset button.
If reset will not reset, then replace thermostat with ordinary generic thermostat from hardware store.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html
5) If reset button is not tripped, test element.
6) Emmerson has 1500 watt element, and correct ohm reading at 120 volts should be around 9.6ohms
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
7) This element is 7" long, and is also generic, and should be available at hardware, or plumbing supply, or Google-search 'Emerson appliance water heater element.'

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

Open following links to get started.
If water heater has NO hot water, then best suspect is ECO reset button tripped on upper thermostat. Open upper cover and push in red reset button. If reset keeps tripping, I usually replace both upper and lower thermostat.

If water heater has some hot water, then upper element is good so test lower element.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

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If I understand correctly, your water heater circuit tested for 240 Volts.

1) If circuit has power on one leg of the 240V circuit, water heater can appear to have electricity, but won't turn on since 240V needs both legs to complete the 240V circuit. Solution: test for 240 across top two screws on upper thermostat.
http://waterheatertimer.org/B220C.html

2) ECO reset button tripped on upper thermostat. Solution, push in reset button. If reset will not reset, then replace upper thermostat. I usually replace both upper and lower thermostats at same time: cost $28. Buy parts from home center or hardware store. Be sure to put factory-insulation and covers back so thermostat is not exposed to cooler outside temperatures, that cause hotter water than set point.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html

3) If ECO reset button keeps tripping, then keep resetting until you can test water heater parts. Spend 30 minutes and do complete troubleshoot on tank.
Buy cheap multi-meter from home center. When test calls for checking voltage, rotate dial to 240-250-277 VAC. When test calls for checking continuity or elements, rotate dial to Ohms (upside down horseshoe is ohms).
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

You have electric water heater.
Electric water heaters are fully repairable by homeowner.

Reliance is AO Smith company
http://www.aosmith.com/OperatingUnits/Detail.aspx?id=138&ekmensel=c580fa7b_12_0_138_3
http://www.reliancewaterheaters.com/prod/elec.html

Age of Reliance water heater is shown on serial number located on side of tank:
first digit is letter. Next two digits are numbers: for example C06 means 2006.
Serial number also shows model number & wattage of elements in case you need new element from hardware store.

ECO reset button trips when upper thermostat senses temperatures higher than 150 to 180 degrees.
When ECO energy cut off trips, it turns off power at the reset button, so the tank does not continue overheating.
Tripping reset button says tank is receiving electricity, so we can eliminate that suspect.

There are 4 reasons why ECO will trip.
1) Bad upper or lower thermostat: solution replace both thermostats for about 25$. Steps shown in link below.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html
2) Loose wire or shorted wire at or near upper thermostat: Open covers on water heater and inspect parts for signs of high heat and burning.
3) Bad element shorted to ground in center of element: Solution test elements and replace defective element.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-water-heater-element.html
4) Factory-installed insulation and cover has been removed from tank: thermostat exposed to cooler temperatures, and misreads tank temperature, and then elements keep heating water.

If you want to test all the parts before replacing anything:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-water-heater.html


Thermostats are generic, and each functions same way and each can replace the other.
Same is true for both upper and lower thermostats

Your water heater has 2 elements so its 240Volts.

1) If breaker is delivering power on one leg of the 240Volt circuit, then water heater can appear to have electricity, but tank is receiving 120V. Both 120Volt legs are needed to complete the 240V circuit. Double check for 240Volts.

2) Review electric Load.
Water heater label shows wattage of tank.
If tank is 4500Watts for example, you installed 3500 or 4500 watt elements.
With 5500 Watt elements you need 30 amp breaker and orange-colored 10 gauge wire
With 4500 Watt elements you can get by on 20 amp breaker and 12 gauge wire up to 75 feet away.

3) Check ECO red reset button on upper thermostat. If reset is tripped, then ECO is reading high temperatures. Suspects at this point are defective upper thermostat, shorted wire or bad lower element.

4) Also note that insulation and cover must be re-installed over thermostat. Thermostat reads temperature through wall of tank. If outside air circulates around thermostat, that can cause a mis-read and cause tank to overheat and ECO trips.

If you don't want to test the heater, replace both thermostats for about $25. Return the upper thermostat for a refund. Then see of problem persists.

Here's what I would do.
1. Check breaker for 240
2. Check water heater for 240 across 1 and 3 screws on upper thermostat
3. Note wiring and breaker size.
4. Note label on side of tank.

5. Look at end of new element to see wattage printed on each element. Look for sings of high heat and burning. Tighten screws on elements.

6. Check ECO reset button. Look for high-heat and burning. Tighten screws on thermostat.

7. Test upper thermostat as follows:
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/Electric-diagram-water-800.jpg
Test left-side #1 screw to right-side middle #4 screw. Test should read 240V at all times. If not, then ECO is tripped, thermostat is bad, or electricity is OFF

8) Water heater is cold so upper element should be ON. Test upper thermostat.
Test right-side #3 screw to left-side bottom #2 screw and it should read 240V
Test right-side #3 screw to right-side bottom #4 screw and it should read 0 volts

8. If upper thermostat checks out. Test upper element for 240 across both screws. If upper element does not read 240 when water is cold, then element is bad or there is a shorted wire between element and upper thermostat.
How to test element:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html

9. Do a full troubleshoot on electric water heater
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html

The problem I have encountered in this is the thermostat is going bad and tripping out. Inspect the ends of the elements and make sure ther eare no black ends on the wires showing elements may be shorting out causing thermostat to trip. More than likely change the thermostat out and you should be good to go.
They are not to exspensive and local hardware stores carry them.

It sounds like the thremostat may be shorting out they are not to exspensive to replace.

It it constantly triping there is a wire touching somewhere.