Testing Electric Furnace Elements

Check to see if the element is physically.

Testing electric furnace elements.

If you find some clean the terminal ends with a fine sandpaper or a piece of steel wool. 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. 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. 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. Water heater not heating. Also check the terminal ends for any rust dirt or corrosion.

Testing a conventional element 1 know the resistance of the element should be this can be calculated using known values. After 30 to 90 seconds the current draw should jump to 42 amps. How to diagnose electric furnaces. I show how to test fuses elements s.

Performing basic checks 1. Inspect the burner element for any damage which can include warping bubbling or damage to the insulation sheath. If the meter needle does not move or remains at infinity the heating element is no longer working and needs to be replaced. What you should see assuming a 6 element furnace is the following.

Disconnect the electrical wires at the heating element terminals. Look at the top and bottom of the oven to find your elements. This is so whether testing upper or lower heating element. 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.

Check fuses element sequencers thermostats and transformer duration.