What should a water heater element ohm out at?

Touch a probe on the multitester to each screw on the element. If you get no reading, or a maximum reading, the element is bad. Elements do have some resistance, so a reading of 10-16 ohms is normal, with higher ohm readings for 3,500 watt elements and lower readings for 5,500 watt elements.

This is answered comprehensively here. In respect to this, how many ohms should a water heater element have?

A 3,500-watt element should register 16 ohms, a 4,500-watt element should register between 12 and 13 ohms, and a 5,500-watt element should register between 10 and 11 ohms. Replace the element if it does not register on the multimeter. Leave one of the probes touching one of the screws on the element face.

Likewise, how do you find the resistance of a heating element? Know the resistance of the element should be this can be calculated using known values: 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.]

Also Know, how do you check to see if a water heater element is bad?

To expose the elements for testing, remove the two metal covers, the insulation and the plastic covers on the side of the water heater. First perform a continuity test to see if an element is burned out. Electricity won't flow through a burned-out element. Disconnect the wires from the terminal screws.

What causes a heating element to burn out in a water heater?

The most common cause of burned out elements on new water heater installations or new element replacements is DRYFIRE. This happens because the installer fails to open a hot water faucet while the heater tank is filling with water and therefore purging or bleeding air from the system.