"Travis Jordan" wrote in message
om...
John McGaw wrote:
"Rowland" wrote in message
...
It's ten years old, it just stopped heating the water, and I'd like
to try to repair it myself before paying a repairman. But where to
get the part in a reasonable time frame? Home Depot says they don't
carry it.

It's a Craftmaster model E1E4ORDO45. If I have to buy a whole new
one, I'd want a plug-in replacement. I don't want to fiddle with
welded copper pipes.


Repeat the mantra Google is my friend...Google is my friend...Google
is my friend...

This page:


http://www.waterheaterparts.net/cgi-...&search=action
is on the parts website for the company that made your heater,
American Water Heater Company. There is a good chance that, since
they sell parts online and these are the only types of thermostats
they show, one of them is what you need. If not, go to
http://www.americanwaterheater.com and ask for a replacement.

Oh yeah, water heater thermostats are not "plug in" and require that
you know how to disconnect/reconnect some wires and replace a
screw-in plumbing part in a matter that will prevent a leak. But the
company referenced above offers full instructions.

John -
I wonder if the OP knows what the cause of the failure is? I assumed
that s/he was talking about the element, not the thermostat. I suppose
it could be either but the element is the most likely cause. A simple
check with a voltmeter / ohmeter will tell. In any case, most
thermostats are external and don't require screwing in to any part of
the water heater that could cause a leak. Did you mean to say element?


No. I took the OP at his word that he wanted a thermostat and gave him a
likely source for that part. I agree that an element or elements failing is
FAR more common. And many people might not notice a problem until both
elements open up. As for the thermostat possibly causing leaking if
installed incorrectly, I certainly might be wrong about that -- my
recollection, never reliable, was that there was a stubby probe out the back
of a water heater thermostat which sensed the temperature inside the tank.
Of course if that wasn't so then the installation would be almost
ridiculously simple. Probably simpler than an element.

In any case I've given the OP a site where he can buy all the little fiddly
bits for his water heater that he cares to and that should keep him
entertained ;-)
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com