> If any current was leaking through the water, it would cause the
> water to heat up with the same efficiency as the heating element

That's what I thought when he asked. But he's the expert. If the
element is 2000W, and only a part of the power bill, there'd
have to be a lot of leakage to push the power bill up noticeably

Although there really is a lot of corrosion muck around the base
of the element, which I expect are non-conducting salts, so any
leakage would still have to go through the water / salt ions. He's
replaced the copper-sheathed element with a stainless steel one,
which he reckons will last longer

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