Post AcVUX8yFkayPCURugi by stormbringer@noagendasocial.com
(DIR) More posts by stormbringer@noagendasocial.com
(DIR) Post #AcVO3dpLrZrsUHpoIa by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T16:48:14Z
0 likes, 3 repeats
I forgot the pic before. Here are the old elements and the new elements side by side.So… yeah. It was time for new elements (of the correct size and wattage!!!)So many people would have said “it’s dead, time for a new $1500 water heater” or “Call Jimbo and get $400 cash out for him”.This stuff really ain’t that hard to fix, people. Water heaters in particular are easy. The entire unit is 3 parts, lol. Tank, element, switch. Fixing stuff is why I’m not broke and have a happy wife.
(DIR) Post #AcVONcWOQZtYEHUfGS by DaemonFools@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T16:51:51Z
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@eriner Might have to talk bae in to doing this
(DIR) Post #AcVPUqTd2XunUbD3po by weeniewawa@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:04:21Z
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@eriner most people never change the anodes. those will extend the life of the heater. Just a buy and replace world now. Then complain about the cost of the replacement.
(DIR) Post #AcVPiIZTtg92OGMVkG by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:06:47Z
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@weeniewawa I planned to change the anode while I was changing the elements (even dug out all the insulation at the top covering the anode and tried to pry it loose), but I'm sure it hasn't been changed for the whole 16 years of the unit's life, and that son bitch is fused real good to the tank.I'm going to need a buddy and a 6ft pipe to use as a breaker bar to get it out, lol.But yeah, changing the anode rod is important for preventative maintenance (as is draining the tank every 1yr or so)
(DIR) Post #AcVPqVMIEp2CMl6fM8 by weeniewawa@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:08:16Z
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@eriner yeah, they probably should be installed with antisieze. But who thinks that far ahead? :)
(DIR) Post #AcVPwvchV2dxYtqOBc by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:09:26Z
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@weeniewawa To be fair to the manufacturers, you're *supposed* to pull and check (and maybe replace) once a year when you drain the tank. And if you're pulling it every year, I'm sure it's not that bad. But when it's been sitting for a decade under pressure and heat...
(DIR) Post #AcVR29DIUysN760xFo by Dan_Ramos@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:21:35Z
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@eriner My water heater at the house in Florida died. I called in my plumbing guy and he told me that the water heater's elements are busted. He went out to his van, came back...replaced the elements you're showing right there with new ones and it's never had problems ever since. He explained what he did and showed me the old parts, looking a lot like yours. I fucking love that he had exactly the same mindset that repairing and maintaining it was best.
(DIR) Post #AcVRCVPunkQys8r63M by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:23:27Z
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@Dan_Ramos lol yah, who in their right mind wants to NOT ONLY pay $1500 for a new unit, but on top of that, haul the new one in, hook it up, and haul the old one out.That all sounds WAY more annoying than just changing the elements, lol.
(DIR) Post #AcVRXUAed6G55YimOG by Dan_Ramos@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:27:14Z
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@eriner Yeah, but there are plenty out there who'll sell you a new one, charge a ton to do all that and have you believe the old one was unrepairable so you had to it unquestioningly. It happens all the time. ...But yeah, this was quick, cheap and the best solution and he was both honest enough and arguably lazy enough not to want to do all that other crap. Best solution for BOTH of us, probably. :)
(DIR) Post #AcVRtAQ2kN9KCUG2yG by Wiirdo@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T17:31:10Z
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@erinerA small PSA from personal experience.. If you lose water for whatever reason, turn off the power to the hot water heater. Those elements get too hot when they aren't submerged. They'll burn out or greatly reduce their lifespan.I had this happen a few years ago... The water heater was less than five years old and both elements were cracked and split because it was left on when the water was off. YouTube University is how I fixed it. @weeniewawa
(DIR) Post #AcVUX8yFkayPCURugi by stormbringer@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:00:48Z
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@eriner yeah, since I've bought a house, I've had to replace a wax seal on a toilet, patch a hole in a shower wall including learning how to tile and learning how to mortar, replace light fixtures, sockets, switches, doorknobs, brace a garage door where the sheet metal is tearing, etc. (although that last one is still giving me trouble, the garage door is sticking badly) Planning on learning how to be an electrician and rewire the house next, because the last guy that did it was an idiot.
(DIR) Post #AcVUhheNfTGbeXBn9M by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:02:42Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@stormbringer very nice. I'm mostly good with the sparky sparky, but my next journey is plumbing. I need to re-plumb all the appliances and will probably just re-plumb the whole house while I'm at it. But it's pretty daunting because... ya know... I need water and have a basement full of stuff I don't want to get wet. Lol
(DIR) Post #AcVUt7KgWQC2UTQ3kG by stormbringer@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:04:46Z
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@eriner oh yeah I've replaced faucets and pipes under sinks as well. Had plumbers do the work in the hall shower, which was how I ended up with the hole in the wall, they were gonna charge me $500 to put it back, and after buying the tools and supplies myself, I think I saved 200 bucks LOL
(DIR) Post #AcVV0s6p0TuDaldHPs by stormbringer@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:06:10Z
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@eriner to be fair, the last guy that wired the house probably didn't have access to the internet or youtube, LOL.
(DIR) Post #AcVVnWBjIRsznN7mnA by BULLDOG@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:14:58Z
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@eriner If you can mark on the calendar to drain the tank once a year it will add years to the lifespan of the heater. I’m in the plumbing supply business and we stock Incoloy elements for places with hard water. There is a neighboring town with terrible water and the plumbers will purchase those elements with the heater and swap them out before installing there. Otherwise they will fail within a couple of years. If they fail again “too soon” you might check those out. Good work!
(DIR) Post #AcVXdIjeeuO15JFU0m by Tjunta@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:35:31Z
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@eriner over the summer...FWIW this was seized pretty bad and I ended up using a breaker bar. I'm not a small guy and even with a breaker bar I couldn't get it to budge.
(DIR) Post #AcVZNTEM4PX0uTBgtE by ralphw@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T18:55:04Z
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@eriner any special tools to change the elements?
(DIR) Post #AcVbuwnLN5WU4BdzN2 by CattleBaron@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T19:23:32Z
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@eriner Like my Hauntie said (great Aunt) "You use it up, you wear it out, you Make Do, or you Do Without."
(DIR) Post #AcVcZx6N8R9itK64wq by WandringKnight@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T19:30:57Z
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@eriner part of being a professional home owner.
(DIR) Post #AcW9lMrgz9KiT2HWpk by weeniewawa@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T23:14:55Z
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@Wiirdo @eriner I had a natural gas one that lasted 25 years and was indoors and never gave me any problems and I probably only drained it once while I lived here, I got worried it would spring a leak while I was away and replaced it with a tankless that I mounted outside. I bet the old one would still be working.
(DIR) Post #AcW9lNkzfXZLEY9h20 by Wiirdo@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-05T23:49:55Z
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@weeniewawaWe have hard water here. We got rid of the old gas burner because it was so full of sediment it took three people to carry it out. We have an elecric one now and I fear it's about time to replace it, too, for the same reason. This house has been in the family 50+ years and this current water heater is going on fifteen years of hard water. @eriner
(DIR) Post #AcW9lOVmrZ01Zg33y4 by weeniewawa@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-06T00:11:33Z
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@Wiirdo @eriner My water is hard too, 350 out of 400 on the scale. I am gone most of the week and I just worried it would leak. Now it is outside and would just cost me money as I am on a meter.
(DIR) Post #AcW9lPLtjogQBIQgC0 by eriner@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-06T01:42:45Z
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@weeniewawa @Wiirdo If you have persistent scale problems, here's what I would do:* For a new unit, replace the shit plastic drain valve with a metal one with a ball valve and a larger inner diameter. This will make it possible for larger scale pieces to leave during flushing.* After draining the tank once a year, pour a gallon or two of hot vinegar into the top, let it sit a bit, then flush again. Might break up some calcification.* Get filters and a water softener.
(DIR) Post #AcWR9Ae3li50jrqD56 by JimmyWalnuts@noagendasocial.com
2023-12-06T04:57:33Z
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@eriner “Call Jimbo and get $400 cash out for him”.Nah, I don't charge that much but I offer no guarantee of results.