Electric water heater

[lnt9000]

Any hot water pro's might be able to tell me why the hot water runs out at a orange browny color(rusty), It only gets used about once a month and begins to clear after a few days use but not completely, Is it the tank itself or something else??

[doug1]

This may not answer your question but I believe what you are seeing is rust and or scale.
If I were you I would check by removal the anode in the heater

They supposedly last about 10 years, but at the end of their life the system will rust out very quickly

They are not expensive to buy and for only a small outlay you may double the life of the heater

Doug

[Bodgy]

If, like us, you have an old gal pipe coming into your house, then the rusty colour is exactly that - rust. In Sydney, the water carries whatever salts etc to corrode the gal pipes. Consequently you get dirty water (as the bits occasionally break away), low flow rates and eventually a totally occluded pipe. The rusty water even stuffs the dunnies, the bits get under the flush seals, so the cistern constantly runs.

I replaced our house plumbing and the 3/4 gal had maybe, at best, 1/4 " diameter left.

Problem is the intake piping is about 2 foot deep, right under the driveway! Hope you have a different problem

[Shaty40]

If the rusty water has only started recently, it more than likely is the storage tank in the heater, getting ready to stop being a storage tank.

Tim

[lnt9000]

Bodgy, gal pipe is there okay but what makes me rule that out is that the cold water taps produce clean clear water, It's only the hot water IE: water running through the tank.
Shaty40, been discolored since I got the place over 4 years ago, still heats up okay, I dont use the place that often so it didn't irritate too much, but its makin a mess, staining the bath etc.
doug1, I've heard about these anodes before, there use to be a lot of shonky organisations targeting pensioners advising that they needed their anode replaced or disaster could strike, they were charging exhorbitant amounts to do these chaneovers, when I go up next I'll try to find it(whats it look like?) does it have a hex head?, It's purpose is to stop electrolysis I believe which in turn stops your tank from rusting, might be too late but I'll give it a go and if it dont work then I'll have to get a new one, might change over to gas only problem would be the plumbing which would cost nearly as much as a new gas water heater.:eek:

[doug1]

Int9000

The anode is a real maintenance item, only a shonky item if you dont need it fixed

mine was about 8 years old and about 10% left when I replaced it

It is attached to a hex head about 32 mm in size hidden under a plastic plug

The replacement I bought at a plumbing supply place, and needed about 200 mm cut from its length to match the old one, new anode now been in 3 years

I often get red scale from the outlet when replacing the over pressure device

now on third device

Doug

[bob w]

Any hot water pro's might be able to tell me why the hot water runs out at a orange browny color(rusty), It only gets used about once a month and begins to clear after a few days use but not completely, Is it the tank itself or something else??

This sounds like a holiday place and if so it could well be a build up of mud or sediment from either the tank water (if that is the case) or old pipes. This sediment can easily be removed by - a) turning of the system, b) removing the inlet line at the bottom of the tank & inserting a length of copper pipe with a kinko nut and olive and a garden hose or similar on the end to drain the water to outside. This in effect drains the water from the bottom of the tank where the sediment collects. Normally this pipe needs to be inserted a little way into the tank or the water will not flow.
PS you can stop the process as soon as the water coming out of the hose clears. Reconnect the water, fill and turn on.
A little late replying but I have been away.
Regards Bob W

[lnt9000]

Your not too late bob, I'm armed with enough Information and will
get to doing it soon.

Thanks.

[lnt9000]

Just to recap on previous post I did finally get to it and found that the tank was indeed contaminated with a combination of sludge, rust etc, far too much to attemp a ressurection, so I ripped it out(internal installation) thats when I noticed the serial number, apparantly the serial number was the date of manufacture in those day's, It read 1976!, wow 30 years and still going strong, If it had a stainless tank it would probably do another 30.
So then came the research as to its replacement, gas I thought would be a better appproach than electricity and was Inclined to head in that direction until I did some homework, as far as running cost go electric heaters are on par with gas, provided the electric is run off-peak, However electric heaters are much more efficient with a less likelyhood of breaking down due to the gentle nature of electricity as opposed to gas where there is flame, bad point with electric is that they contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer, so after receiving a quote to run a gas pipe to the unit I opted for eletric, talk about efficient I left the house sunday night, turned of the heater switch, and returned the following saturday to find the water still warm enough to have a comfortable shower, If this one last 30 it will see me out.