GE
Electrical Overload or Short Circuit
GE water heater trips the circuit breaker repeatedly.
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Shorted heating element, wiring short to ground, undersized breaker, internal control board short
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety: Do not keep resetting a tripping breaker. Turn it OFF and investigate.
Steps to troubleshoot breaker trips:
- Inspect wiring: Check the junction box and internal wiring for burned insulation or loose connections.
- Test elements: With power off and wires removed, measure resistance from each element terminal to ground. Any continuity indicates a shorted element that must be replaced.
- Check load vs breaker: Confirm the heater’s amperage rating matches the breaker size and wire gauge.
- Control board: If elements and wiring are good, the control board may be shorted and require replacement.
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Repair Difficulty
Hard
4/5
Required Part
Heating Element
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