beekeyknee
Well-known member
Power supply for anode. Test points, LED and variable resistor.
"As the Water Heater Burns"
- Thread starter beekeyknee
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beekeyknee
Well-known member
Original length of device- 16"
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Spring anode element must be stretched to the length of the tank. I used the old anode for a guide. Instructions suggest stretching from the point where the rod enters the tank to about the height of the drain valve. The old rod held to the side of the tank was this length on this heater, so the old rod was a good guide. The spring is ceramic coated titanium. Considerable strength is needed to stretch the spring. It worked well with two people and the spring laid on the floor and stretched to the proper length with the old rod laying along side. Weight should hang close to but not touch the bottom of the tank.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Close-up of connections to house. No voltage or amperage, ac or dc, between hot and cold sides or any other point on the tank down to micro-volts or amps. Very good draft. Hood doesn't get hot; only duct does.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Close-up of unit installed.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Unit operating.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Unit must be plugged into surge suppressor. We are considering a whole house suppressor. Last year our line was struck by lightning. We lost several items, but it could have been worse. The anode, water softener, washing machine and dehumidifier are plugged into this. Of all the things plugged into this, the Maytag is the most durable, but it could be damaged and I would be very upset if it were.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
This w/h was manufactured one year before flame lock was commanded. It's hard to tell by looking at this picture, but the flame is larger, seems to burn hotter and has better draft than the flame lock one. It's been in operation since Aug. 4th and we have yet to run out of hot water.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
An email from the inventor---
From the anode condition, it sounds as if your heater is still OK. If you get a powered anode, you can leave the softness setting at zero. There is one green LED that lights when you plug in the powered anode and indicates operation. The rest of the stuff on the face of the hex nut are controls that can be adjusted to increase or decrease output. These devices are self-adjusting for residential-type water heaters, so you should not even think of messing with those.
The electrode is titanium and not subject to corrosion or breakage, but any device can fail, and a small number of these have done that, no more than 5 out of about a thousand, but it's a good idea to check the LED from time to time, and indeed, a good idea to check a water heater, as other things can develop.
Randy Schuyler
Water Heater Rescue
From the anode condition, it sounds as if your heater is still OK. If you get a powered anode, you can leave the softness setting at zero. There is one green LED that lights when you plug in the powered anode and indicates operation. The rest of the stuff on the face of the hex nut are controls that can be adjusted to increase or decrease output. These devices are self-adjusting for residential-type water heaters, so you should not even think of messing with those.
The electrode is titanium and not subject to corrosion or breakage, but any device can fail, and a small number of these have done that, no more than 5 out of about a thousand, but it's a good idea to check the LED from time to time, and indeed, a good idea to check a water heater, as other things can develop.
Randy Schuyler
Water Heater Rescue
beekeyknee
Well-known member
One thing I forgot to mention. The day after I installed this heater I got up to take a shower. The water was fairly warm at first, but after about 5 min. the water had turned almost cold.
I started to worry. As soon as I could I made my way to the utility room. The heater was out and wouldn't light. I followed the copper line from the thermocouple to the thermostat. I reached up to where it connects and found it was so loose I could turn the connection with my fingers. I tightened it lightly with a small crescent and it fired right back up.
It's possible that the person that gave up the heater didn't know this and sent it away. This may explain it's great condition. Maybe it was set to the side and not used for years.
I started to worry. As soon as I could I made my way to the utility room. The heater was out and wouldn't light. I followed the copper line from the thermocouple to the thermostat. I reached up to where it connects and found it was so loose I could turn the connection with my fingers. I tightened it lightly with a small crescent and it fired right back up.
It's possible that the person that gave up the heater didn't know this and sent it away. This may explain it's great condition. Maybe it was set to the side and not used for years.
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Is no one going to say anything about my w/h project? Are w/h's not worth saving or are they too boring because they aren't animated or is the thread too long and the premise too silly? Maybe there's nothing to discuss?
I would think some of you techie geeks out there would be interested in this. You do have to jump around quite a bit to get through it, but that's just the way it turned out.
I would think some of you techie geeks out there would be interested in this. You do have to jump around quite a bit to get through it, but that's just the way it turned out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the thread on your water heater replacement. You did such a good job detailing and explaining things that I guess most people had no questions.
Thanks for taking the time to document and share the information.
Patrick
Thanks for taking the time to document and share the information.
Patrick
I found it interesting ...
I have only ever seen one in the flesh as we do not have them in the UK.
Sadly I do not understand what the Anode is for ???
Someone please explain so I'm no longer confused
Austin
I have only ever seen one in the flesh as we do not have them in the UK.
Sadly I do not understand what the Anode is for ???
Someone please explain so I'm no longer confused
Austin
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Thanks, Patrick. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Austin- I gave you a link to galvanic corrosion in the thread 'Aggravated Again'. There is also a link in, 'As The Water Heater Burns'. It's a link to cathodic protection.
It is based on the ion exchange principle. It's used in softening water, electroplating, batteries, and so forth. Two elements placed in an electrolyte that have different numbers of electrons circling the element will make an exchange. This is a positive or negative effect, depending on what you want the outcome to be. In electroplating it's usually considered to be a positive effect, as well as in water softening. In batteries it's positive and negative. Positive in that it gives one an electromotive potential; negative in that the battery will eventually run down.
In an impressed current cathodic protection system the sacrificial metal anode is replaced with and anode that has an external power supply. Instead of the anode dissolving and giving up it's electrons to protect the cathode, a steady constant supply of electrons for current is present to supply the protection to the cathode (in this place the water tank) and does not diminish over time as a sacrificial anode dissolves. This is especially important with softened water as it has somewhat more sodium in it than non softened water. Since sodium increases the conductivity of the water, thus increasing the sacrifice of the anode, one can see how the impressed current on the anode would be beneficial.
This was the problem I was trying to solve, as our water is softened and the anode was disappearing at an alarming rate, rendering it useless.
This, along with the other links I gave you in my other two threads, are about the only way I know to explain this to you. Here is one more link.
Austin- I gave you a link to galvanic corrosion in the thread 'Aggravated Again'. There is also a link in, 'As The Water Heater Burns'. It's a link to cathodic protection.
It is based on the ion exchange principle. It's used in softening water, electroplating, batteries, and so forth. Two elements placed in an electrolyte that have different numbers of electrons circling the element will make an exchange. This is a positive or negative effect, depending on what you want the outcome to be. In electroplating it's usually considered to be a positive effect, as well as in water softening. In batteries it's positive and negative. Positive in that it gives one an electromotive potential; negative in that the battery will eventually run down.
In an impressed current cathodic protection system the sacrificial metal anode is replaced with and anode that has an external power supply. Instead of the anode dissolving and giving up it's electrons to protect the cathode, a steady constant supply of electrons for current is present to supply the protection to the cathode (in this place the water tank) and does not diminish over time as a sacrificial anode dissolves. This is especially important with softened water as it has somewhat more sodium in it than non softened water. Since sodium increases the conductivity of the water, thus increasing the sacrifice of the anode, one can see how the impressed current on the anode would be beneficial.
This was the problem I was trying to solve, as our water is softened and the anode was disappearing at an alarming rate, rendering it useless.
This, along with the other links I gave you in my other two threads, are about the only way I know to explain this to you. Here is one more link.
Loading…
en.wikipedia.org
Gate Valves
Apologies for going off topic but I noticed the red and blue gate valves supplying the washing machine. Is this normal practice in USA, as gate valves are only used in gravity, tank fed circuits in UK? I've only ever seen red ones but they are used on hot and cold, for example a typical UK electric water heating system would have a cold, open top tank feeding a sealed, insulated hot water cylinder via a gate valve.
Apologies for going off topic but I noticed the red and blue gate valves supplying the washing machine. Is this normal practice in USA, as gate valves are only used in gravity, tank fed circuits in UK? I've only ever seen red ones but they are used on hot and cold, for example a typical UK electric water heating system would have a cold, open top tank feeding a sealed, insulated hot water cylinder via a gate valve.
vintagekitchen
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2011
- Messages
- 706
Gate valves
If you are referring to the hot and cold water shut offs to the washing machine, yes, those are the type typically used. There are others, but those are the main ones I have ever seen in use.
Here in the US we don't have in house gravity systems, all our water pressure is from the street connection or if you have a well or cistern from the pressure tank (pump driven compression chamber type, not gravity). In the past some people with a rainwater cistern or a spring had an open tank gravity set up, rather than pumping the water to the house, but this was out doors, uphill from the house, rather than an in house system like in the UK.
One has always wondered why homes in the UK require an in house cold water tank for gravity fed water pressure, where in the US we have huge closed outdoor water tanks (water towers) every so many miles, to insure pressure along the lines.
If you are referring to the hot and cold water shut offs to the washing machine, yes, those are the type typically used. There are others, but those are the main ones I have ever seen in use.
Here in the US we don't have in house gravity systems, all our water pressure is from the street connection or if you have a well or cistern from the pressure tank (pump driven compression chamber type, not gravity). In the past some people with a rainwater cistern or a spring had an open tank gravity set up, rather than pumping the water to the house, but this was out doors, uphill from the house, rather than an in house system like in the UK.
One has always wondered why homes in the UK require an in house cold water tank for gravity fed water pressure, where in the US we have huge closed outdoor water tanks (water towers) every so many miles, to insure pressure along the lines.
In many applications you can use gate valves or ball valves, most plumbers I know prefer ball valves as these are less prone to freezing up due to corrosion if used infrequently.
I've never investigated a British domestic water supply system but am amazed it would incorporate an open top tank! Surely there would be a cover to keep unwanted things out, and where would the tank be located and how big would it be?
I've never investigated a British domestic water supply system but am amazed it would incorporate an open top tank! Surely there would be a cover to keep unwanted things out, and where would the tank be located and how big would it be?
beekeyknee
Well-known member
Thanks, Rick. I'm glad you enjoyed the thread. I imagine most w/h's could last for quite some time if properly installed and maintained, depending on the quality of the heater to begin with. I find that the older heaters were of higher quality and more dependable than the new ones, as is the case with most things these days.
