Water Heater WTF???

[W1ATR]

I was going thru a few of the work pics on my camera and figured I would give some of you a laugh with some of the crap I come across.

If I have to pick a favorite, this homeowner repaired water heater takes 1st place.

[w3jn]

LOL

Was that strapping your addition, or did the homeowner add it so it wouldn't tip over?

[W1ATR]

haha. The HO did it to help hold that pink foamboard against the putty that was covering the leak. In his defense, it wasnt leaking any water before I chopped it out and replaced it.

[W7SOE]

I would do that, to get one more shower.  That's just ugly innovation, who hasn't been there?

Rich

[Ed/KB1HYS]

well, I certainly feel better about some of MY home-repairs now!

[KC2YOI]

Grab some Popcorn N' enjoy the show   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv178a60Ypg&feature=related

[4cx250]

Hello All,

     Well, that was a pretty bad fix, BUT if I was going to lose my house, I wouldn't care!

 Tnx,

[WD5JKO]

JB Weld, "Waterweld" can do wonders. Comes in a tube, just mix it up like putty, and apply. Sometimes works.

[k4kyv]

I replaced an old electric water heater about 3 years ago after it started leaking.  It was made by Montgomery Wards and had been in service since 1965.

I used to have a 1984 Chevrolet S-10 pickup.  It developed a leak in the gas tank.  I bought some two-part putty (probably a form of epoxy) that you mix together to temporarily stop the leak, then ordered a  replacement tank.  I kept the tank, but procrastinated installing it. About 5 years later, the engine blew but the old gas tank had never leaked again, and I still have the replacement one, unused in the box.  I junked the truck because, until the blow-up,  the power train was about the only part that was any good.  The body was more rust than metal, the seat was completely worn out, the door latches didn't work right, and the glass had cracks.

[flintstone mop]

If you wanna see ugly and stuff used till there is no more life, there's a lot of that going here in the Pilipines.
That's life
Don, sounds like your truck reached "Deliverance" status.
Fred

[W1ATR]

Don, haha. Thats how I run my cars. Till they're not worth the shadow they cast on the ground.

Fred, how the hell are ya? Don't they use those sweet 220vac electric shower heads there in the Philippines? BTW, hopefully your not in that Typhoon rolling thru.

[k4kyv]

Don't they use those sweet 220vac electric shower heads there in the Philippines?

I would figure that a place like the Philippines would still be using the firing squad for executions... and send the family of the deceased a bill for the bullets they used.

[W2PFY]

CHECK THIS OUT!


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8913726905298557586#

[W3SLK]

Ahhhh. I remember walking those same lots when I was stationed out there on Mare Island in Vallejo, CA.

[KC2YOI]

CHECK THIS OUT!

That first slow-mo shot looks just like this sub nuke launch!      

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjoP1KNvGRo

[AJ1G]

I remember seeing a house in our town when I was a kid with a hole in the roof that was reportedly caused by an exploding water heater.  Based on the Mythbusters investigation, it looks like that can really happen.  Amazing video!

[W3SLK]

Chris said:

I remember seeing a house in our town when I was a kid with a hole in the roof that was reportedly caused by an exploding water heater.  Based on the Mythbusters investigation, it looks like that can really happen.

We had a house over in Mifflinburg that was pretty much leveled by an exploding hot water tank. People like to plug the safety valve discharge line which is pretty much the same thing.

[Opcom]

Is it the safety line that prevents the explosions, or can the tank still explode regardless of the safety line? It's not clear to me why they would explode if a safety line is present. Mine is about 10 years old, I check the safety valve operation manually every once in a while.

[N5RLR]

I remember seeing a house in our town when I was a kid with a hole in the roof that was reportedly caused by an exploding water heater.  Based on the Mythbusters investigation, it looks like that can really happen.  Amazing video!

We had a house over in Mifflinburg that was pretty much leveled by an exploding hot water tank...

Ditto my sister in the late 1970s.  She'd a garage-loft apartment that was obliterated by the hot-water heater exploding.  Thank heavens she wasn't there at the time.

[W1ATR]

Well a few things need to happen to get a water heater to launch into orbit.

#1 and the most common condition that I see wayyyyyyyy too often, is some jackass screws a 3/4" plug into a dripping TPRV (Temperature Pressure Relief Valve) This is absolutely THE worst thing Joe Hack homeowner can do and it places everyone's life in danger. Considering it's literally a 5 dollar part and takes 5 minutes to change, there's no excuse for this.

#2 The thermostat and high limit (usually one unit) needs to fail in the run/on position and begin to overheat the tank. A water tank failure is normally a hydraulic breech. Hot water grows in volume as its heated. A little different from a B.L.E.V.E. which would be vapor pressure.  

#3 The plumbing connected needs to withstand the pressure (upwards of 1000psig) long enough to allow the welds in the tank to fail. Tanks are rated at 300psig and the fail point is generally 3 times that.

If all three of the above conditions are met, then look the hell out.

[N0WEK]

Well a few things need to happen to get a water heater to launch into orbit.

#1 and the most common condition that I see wayyyyyyyy too often, is some jackass screws a 3/4" plug into a dripping TPRV (Temperature Pressure Relief Valve) This is absolutely THE worst thing Joe Hack homeowner can do and it places everyone's life in danger. Considering it's literally a 5 dollar part and takes 5 minutes to change, there's no excuse for this.

#2 The thermostat and high limit (usually one unit) needs to fail in the run/on position and begin to overheat the tank. A water tank failure is normally a hydraulic breech. Hot water grows in volume as its heated. A little different from a B.L.E.V.E. which would be vapor pressure.  

#3 The plumbing connected needs to withstand the pressure (upwards of 1000psig) long enough to allow the welds in the tank to fail. Tanks are rated at 300psig and the fail point is generally 3 times that.

If all three of the above conditions are met, then look the hell out.

All of the above is true, PLUS the usual route for the expansion has to be closed off. Usually expanding hot water just backs up into the volume tank on a well system or back into the city supply if on a city system.

The (not yet hot  )water heaters are rated at 150 PSI and seem to fail about 325 PSI in the tests I've seen.

[k4kyv]

What is a hot water heater, a secondary unit designed to heat hot water to an even higher temperature?

I just use one water heater to heat the wet water that comes directly from the tap.

But sometimes it doesn't work in winter when extreme temperatures block the pipe with frozen ice.

[W2PFY]

I just use one water heater to heat the wet water that comes directly from the tap.

I never heard the term "wet water" in whatever context your using it. What does this mean? Is that a down south term?

I wonder how safe the point of use water heaters are?

[W3SLK]

Terry asked:

I wonder how safe the point of use water heaters are?

The way I understand it, they have been using them in Europe for some time now. We have one in of all places, the safety valve repair shop. Flow switch turns on the elements. I had to adjust that one. Pretty convenient especially if you don't use that much hot water.

[k4kyv]

I never heard the term "wet water" in whatever context your using it.

Have you ever heard of dry water?

Regarding the point of use water heaters, they have had them in Europe for decades. As I recall, the gas ones are smaller than the ones they sell here, and didn't require an external vent pipe.  I just remember a little white box that mounts on the wall near the point of use, and the flame vents into the room, just like a ventless space heater.

I wanted to install a POU gas water heater to replace the old electric one that crapped out after 40 years, but with the external vent pipe and heavy duty gas line required, it was going to cost thousands of dollars to purchase the thing and get it installed.

They also make electric ones, but the ones I have seen here are pretty scroteless.

I recall seeing one in France that ran off kerosene.  It was at a campground where there were no utilities available.  You had to light the pilot flame with a match,  but once you got it going, it worked very well and supplied all the hot water anyone needed for a shower.