State electric water heater displays F04; unit may trip breaker or not heat.

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.

Possible Causes

Element energized without water in tank, Air pocket around element, Failed element insulation

Safety: Turn off power and allow the heater to cool. Do not re-energize elements without confirming the tank is full.

Verify tank is full: Open a hot water faucet until all air is purged and a steady stream of water flows.
Check elements: Test each element for continuity and for shorts to ground. Replace any damaged elements.
Reset control: Some models allow clearing F04 after correcting the issue. Follow the manual's reset procedure.

Medium 3/5

Heating Element

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