I'm new to the DIY realm because I can't afford to pay professionals to fix all the things that need done in out new home. I replaced my electric water heater yesterday. I thought everything was working fine. Had hot water. Came home the next night from work and it was luke warm at best. Checked and reset. Then started hearing popping sounds. Then started to get a burning smell from upper thermostat and saw water leaking. I forgot to let it fill completely before I gave it power. Did I fry the upper element and if so, would that cause the burning smell and leaking that occurred? I appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

Quote: Did I fry the upper element and if so, would that cause the burning smell and leaking that occurred?
Most likely, yes. An overheated element not submerged in water can definitely cause a burning smell, and failure of the gasket before the element itself "burns" out.

All those warnings about filling the heater with water before applying power can really disrupt your installation, especially that yellow adhesive one over the electrical connection. Don't worry, the top element is pretty cheap, and it happens to a lot of DIYers