[jcurtis934]

And so, if you put your meter on one connection of the 120vac element, you should have 120 vac there and the other connection is the neutral/ground connection. IF there is 120vac to one side of the electric element, then the element has to heat up UNLESS the ground connection is not really ground...ie, open OR the element is bad or was burnt up by turning on the electric without the hot water tank filled with water. IF 120vac is not read at one connection of the element, then the T-stat is not allowing the 120vac to get to the element for one reason or another. Could be wiring burnt, bad connection, the control box on top of the water heater has a wire off or has gone bad. John