1) You have given good diagnostic information ... except brand and model number of water heater are missing.
Locate this information on label on side of tank.
2) 2 flashes for high temperature indicate you have Whirlpool or Craftmaster Energy Smart.
You have dual element 240V tank-type electric water heater with electronic control board and temperatures sensors.
Sensors can be ordered separately for $30 each.
Sensors seem like best suspect since elements test out and you have new control board.
3) Did you test elements for short to ground through center of element?
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
4) Energy smart requires 10 gauge wire and 30 amp breaker. If wire or breaker are undersized, then I would expect chronic problems with electronics. I believe the requirement is so element draw or other factors don't starve electronic control board.
5) How it works: Energy smart is non-simultaneous water heater. Non-simultaneous means upper element turns on first. When upper temperature sensor is satisfied, control board cuts power to upper element and sends power to lower temperature sensor and element. So both elements are never ON at same time. Lower element runs until lower temperature sensor is satisfied. I do not know decision tree for how microchip processes the information.
6) I have examined this water heater and read the manual. I wrote following page, but have not conducted electrical testing on unit simply because it is controlled by micro-chip.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Whirlpool-Energy-Smart-electric.html
7) Sample Energy Smart manual:
Manual does not show how to test temperature sensors, but manufacturer might have more information. Manufacturer might have information how changing meter can affect their electronics.
I would guess undersized wiring would have greater impact than electricity turning off for 1 minute.
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Whirlpool-energy-smart-electric-manual.pdf
Whirlpool 1-877-817-6750
8) 4500 Watt elements should test 12.3 ohms, so your elements check out fine.
Be sure to test for short to ground by setting multimeter to ohms, remove wires from element, and test each screw to bare metal part of heater and to metal base of element.
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/ohm-reading-for-emements.jpg
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-test-water-heater-element.html
9) The water heater industry changes very fast, so current manual is best place to start troubleshooting.
If you have different brand than shown above, then open following link to identify manufacturer's website:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-manufacturers.html
Add a comment if you need help finding information
10) Post question on professional water heater forum for more eyes on same question:
http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com/forums/forum3/
Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, expert speaks with you over phone while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.
Testimonial: "Thanks, sorry about the ommision, I thought I was on a page for the whirlpool ee3j50rd045v and that was understood in my post. Thanks again for such "
You probably were on that page, but when questions arrive in 'hardware' department, we don't always see exact product. Fortunately, I have studied this water heater, and your diagnostic description was very good. I notice that people sometimes post specific computer questions under chain saws. That suggests page headings are confusing. Fixya is continually changing for the better. Stop back for your next DIY project.
I have checked both elements from the control board and they read 13.3
Remove wires from elements when checking ohms. Your reading is low, but both elements test same, and number is close, so my guess is elements are fine. Key point is those elements will produce hot water, but tank is overheating because 1) elements are shorted to ground and heating water with 120V to ground 2) temperature sensor(s) are misreading temperature 3) Control box is misreading sensor information or not turning off elements. Quick element test: remove ground wire from green screw. I would buy 2 sensors, and replace lower sensor. Is this tank under warranty?
Well, still happening so I called Whirlpool customer service, This unit is 6 years old and had been working fine, The old controler did NOT have a reset button on it, the new one does. The board had been redesigned since this unit was installed. it turns out that in the redesign the location of the upper and lower element connection was reversed. I hooked up the new board like the old board. When the control board would turn on the lower element the upper element would heat just the top of the tank till over heat while the lower sensor was still cool! in the installation instructions there is no note about the change in the board, it just says to connect the yellow and orange wires where shown by the markers on the devider. THE MARKER IS PART OF THE MOUNTING AND IS NOT CHANGED WITH THE CONTROL BOARD! I downloaded a new owners manual and their is a drawing that shows the connections and labels the left relay "orange" and the right one "yellow".
Thanks for all the help.
That is amazing story. Your persistence paid off, and now others visiting fixya will benefit from your experience. I think you should post your story on the Tank forum so water heater professionals can see: It might make a difference:http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.co...
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