Water heater not working properly

[Justin Malin]

Went to take a shower yesterday and I only had hot water for 3 or 4 minutes. Tried again this morning and the same. So my water heater is heating some, but not much. Do you think it's most likely a heating element or the thermostat?

I have an AO Smith ECRT 52 200.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Try turning the breaker off for a few minutes.

There also should be a reset button on the heater controls.

If the heater is old, the bottom element might be covered in sediment.

Otherwise, yes it might be an element or thermostat.

You can get your manual online, to see how to check and change everything.

 

[Justin Malin]

Try turning the breaker off for a few minutes.

There also should be a reset button on the heater controls.

If the heater is old, the bottom element might be covered in sediment.

Otherwise, yes it might be an element or thermostat.

You can get your manual online, to see how to check and change everything.

I did flip my breaker briefly, but not for a few minutes. The water heater is barely over 8 years old. Is there an easy way to diagnose the issue? I'm not completely useless but I don't have a ton of plumbing experience.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Pros on here can tell you how to test the elements with a multi-meter.
Testing for continuity, or shorting to ground.
Or just change them both, and flush the tank first.
Elements are cheap, and yours are due for a swap anyway.

Or call a pro to analyze and repair.
Eight year old tank might have a few more good years left in it.

Did you find and operate the reset button?

 

[sarg]

This website below is a wealth of information.
http://waterheatertimer.org/index.html
Study through it and learn how to maintain your heater. If you do yearly maintenance the heater could last decades. If you do not it will last a tad longer than the warranty period ... and that's by design. The manufacturers would prefer you buy new rather than take care of what you've got. There are numerous posts on this site with tips on how you remedy heater issues.
( Best guess on your current situation = The bottom element is bad. If you have a multimeter you can figure it out in minutes. AND FYI ... In 8 years your anode rod is probably "used up" and your tank is rusting away from the inside out. If you have hard water the bottom of the tank is probably full of sediment. )

 

[GReynolds929]

The Bottom Element could have failed leaving only the top half of the tank usable. The dip tube could be disintegrated letting cold water enter the top of the tank not the bottom.