6-year old MayTag electric water heater - 50 gallon, dual element
- Model HE2950T.
About two weeks ago, I had noticed that the hot water was
way too hot. Didn't do anything. One week ago, the high
temperature breaker on the upper thermostat started tripping.
Once I reset the breaker button, it trips again a day later. The
temperature setting on both the upper and lower thermostats is in
the middle of the range.

Googled online and found some info on diagnose the problem.

Here was what I did. Fist I flip the main circuit breaker to cut
off electric power to the water heater. Open both upper and lower
access panels on the heater
1) removed one of the wire connecting to the heating element and
then tested the resistance in between the two probes. My
multi-meter read 10 ohms on both heating elements. So I
concluded that the heating elements are good.
2) I measured the resistance in between the two probes (the two
bolts where wires were connected) on the lower thermostat, and
it read zero. So I concluded that the lower thermostat is good.
3) I did not know how to test the upper thermostat for there are
so many probes...

Anyway, since there only a few things that could go wrong, and
I have eliminated both of the heating elements, the lower
thermostat, then I figure the upper thermostat must be the
culprit. A replacement thermostat from Maytag costs $79.95.
I am not ready to spend so much money on a thermostat...
I found this thermostat online
http://www.waterheaterparts.net/cgi-...words=electsta...
and Lowes does sell it for $12.98.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...ductId=26358-0...
I contacted waterheaterparts.com to ask if the thermostat can be
used on my heater. They told me that their product is rather
"universal" for electric water heaters with dual heating
elements and are wired for non-simultaneous operations.
Well I know my model has two heating elements, but I can't tell
if it is wired for "non-simultaneous" opeartions. Neither could they.

So I went to Lowes (I bought the Maytag there five years ago)
and asked for the product. The guy at Lowes told me that
they no longer sell Maytag water heaters. They now sell
Whirlpool water heaters, and that since they sell this
thermostat, it could be used as a replacement for Whirlpool
electric water heaters. But he did not think it could be used
on my Maytag water heater. he said something like there
are some sort of internal "calibrations" specific to each
brand of water heaters, and I can't simply use some other
thermostats as replacement.

Now I am confused. A thermostat senses the water temperature.
And when the water temperature is below a threshold you
set, it sends a signal to the heating element to heat up the
water. When the temperature in the water goes above the
threshold, it sends a signal to stop the element from
further heating the water. What kind of "internal
"calibrations" are needed for different brands of electric
water heaters?

So I am wonder if anyone can shed some light as to what
replacement thermostat I could use for my water heater.
The Maytag customer support is terrible. The number
printed on the user manual is no longer the right number.

Thanks for any help,

Ted