Electric water heater can be repaired by homeowner
If I understand correctly, water heater is producing no hot water.
Reset button clicks in, but still no heat.
Three initial things can be causing this:
1) No power to water heater. Test across top two screws on upper thermostat for 240V. Red and black wire are attached to these screws. Screws are marked 1 and 3. Upper thermostat is same that has reset button. If power tests 120 across screws, then breaker may be off on one leg. If no power, then start testing at breaker.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html
2) Upper thermostat is bad. Replace thermostat with generic upper thermostat available at hardware store.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-thermostat-on-electric-water-heater.html
3) Upper element is bad. Test and replace element using Rheem 4500 watt element available at hardware store. Image shown below. Look at label on side of tank for element wattage. Rheem puts 4500 watt elements into all their 240V electric water heaters.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
If upper element is burned out the tank will not heat any water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-it-works.html
Rheem 4500Watt element
Upper thermostats are generic and interchangeable:
Error in photo: bolt-in element shown is not exclusive to Rheem which has screw-in elements.
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