Testing Electric Furnace Elements

This is a fairly simple test but one that.

Testing electric furnace elements.

Testing a conventional element 1 know the resistance of the element should be this can be calculated using known values. When the thermostat comes on the meter reading will jump from zero to 21 amps as the first element comes on assuming a 5 kilowatt element which is the most common. Turn your oven off and let it cool if necessary. In this video i show how to use basic electrical troubleshooting methods to diagnose problems with electrical furnaces.

I show how to test fuses elements s. Water heater not heating. This is so whether testing upper or lower heating element. Performing basic checks 1.

Remove the insulation and disconnect the electrical wire at the terminal and use either a multimeter or an ohmeter to test the electrical flow. Heating element testing duration. What you should see assuming a 6 element furnace is the following. If you find some clean the terminal ends with a fine sandpaper or a piece of steel wool.

If the water heater is hot run hot water in the building with the water heater electrical power off until water flows lukewarm or colder. After 30 to 90 seconds the current draw should jump to 42 amps. Check fuses element sequencers thermostats and transformer duration. R v x v p where v is the voltage powering the element p is the power the element uses and r is the resistance an example calculation is shown in the tips section.

Disconnect the electrical wires at the heating element terminals. Also check the terminal ends for any rust dirt or corrosion. Inspect the burner element for any damage which can include warping bubbling or damage to the insulation sheath. Look at the top and bottom of the oven to find your elements.

Turn the oven on and see if the heating elements glow red or orange.