hi.. I have a electric hot water heater it is only 4 years old. The water will not stay hot after it finally gets hot We can get one shower out of it then we have to push the reset button wait about 15 to 20 hours just to get one more shower out of it and this only works 1 out of 4 times . What should I do and what could it be?? My husband and I both just lost our jobs and we can't afford a plumber... HELP

There are so many things to check I'm beginnings to wonder if you don't have more then one problem.
Does the water get really hot? The fact that you can only get one shower makes me wonder if you have a faulty dip tube but the fact that it keeps popping the overload button leads me to believe that you also have a electrical problem.
Can you give us any more details?
Regards, Tom

Sounds like you have a grounded element. If you don't have a friend that has a multimeter you
Can pick one up at walmart for $10.00. You'll need to turn the power off, remove both access
Panels, remove one wire from each element and check them with a multimeter.
Water-heater-repair-guide.com/waterheaterelementtesting.html

You have a faulty thermostat. The 15-20 hours indicate burned points within the thermostat (creates low voltage to heating elements). The reset button is a thermal over temperature device. It trips from excess temperature (or thinks it has over temperature). It is not an electrical overload protection device. Your circuit breakers do that.

Replace thermostat.

Mine is doing te same thing

mine is doing te same thing

Read the previous replies or post a new question. This post is almost 2 years old.