"Dave Plowman" wrote in message
...
In article 3JT4c.187$N1.178@newsfe1-win,
NC wrote:
So, how do I go about testing the element to see if its dead ?? I am
competant with a DMM but what I am wondering is how these things
normally show they are dead - will earth short to neutral / live, will
the live/neutral resistance go up to infinity ??

The nominal resistance of a 3kW immersion is about 20 ohms. If it has
failed, this reading will be very much higher - how high depends on
whether the outer has failed letting in water. In bad cases, you might
have a near short - enough to take the fuse or breaker.

In all the cases i've known when the element fails through corrosion- the
outter sheath is penetrated down to the actual heating coil- water floods
in, then it takes out the RCD because of the leakage (well dead short
almost) from live to earth.

Tim..