Swamphunter Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Your fix on the water heater element...and not draining the tank...worked like a CHARM!! My normal 1 hour fix, waiting for the tank to drain and crap..nope 10 minutes! I shut the power and water off, unhooked the old element, unscrewed it and replaced it with only a minor amount of water coming out. Most of the water that leaked out was because when the old element came out, there was a black plastic formed ring on the heater itself that I thought was the rubber O ring for a second or two and was trying to remove it until I looked at the old element and saw that it was in fact still on the element. I would have had only 1/4 of the size of water on the floor as shown in the picture had I not wasted the few seconds on looking at the old element. Here is a pic to show the proof...see the old element laying there and the covers back on?? The water on the floor is the size of a beach ball and would have been the size of a basketball had I been more confident when doing it. Notice the water was not even substantial enough to make it to the drain just a few feet away! Thanks guys!! [image][/image] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! There is only one problem I see here. If you live where you have hard water and get a lime build up in the water heater you might do what I do. I drain the heater completly, a pain I know, then remove the elements and use a wet dry vacuum to clean as much lime as possible out of the tank. I have a hose attachment I made up out of a piece of 5/8" heater hose to do this with. If you have soft water or a good water softener you might get away without doing this. The lime build up I get requires me to change elements about once a year. Last year i switched to a propane water heater. That should end this job once and for all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamphunter Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! I do not have hard water anymore. When we first built our home we were 1 year away from having town water supply. For this reason we temporarily went with a dug well instead of spending thousands on a drilled well. We do not have any problems with sediment anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! Count your blessings LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popgun Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! I'm glad to hear your heater element change-out worked out well. It looks as though your old element is the straight bar type. Here, the water is so foul, that we use one that I think is called a "Sandhog". It has an "S" twist to it and last much longer than the straight rod type. I think there is so much chlorine in the water here that it eats right through everything. The sediment looks like a small cave with all the stalagmites and stalactites in it. Good job, especially with a concrete floor in the basement there would be no need to drain the tank. ....popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! anytime bud! glad everything went well for you, not much to it after you get the nerve up to try! LOL i once replaced a main 3/4 inch shut off live because the couldn't get it shut off at the street! that was messy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! good job.. this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! That is cool it worked out Ken. Will definitely have to remember that next time I have to work on our water heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! That's great Ken! If I would have attempted that I would have flooded my basement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! NOW WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN UP THAT MESS MR!??? Good job Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Re: Thanks popgun, snapper and mike! Great...glad it worked out for you! I guess I'm kinda lucky...when we built our house we used REA electric and because we were a new customer...they gave us the tank with unlimited warrenty and maint. Only thing I have to do with it is pay the electric bill. They replace the elements and or tank for free if I have troubles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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