Water Heater Replacement - a Success!
The new heater went in with the usual amount of fuss. The new heater came with a new "free" door which was the other style. I had planned to just reuse the original door but after seeing that the new door provided (IMO) a much more secure installation, I went with the new one. See pic. The old door frame/heater is "held" in with 2 screws that are toenailed into opening. New door frame installs with 11 - 3/4" ss metal screws. The opening in the TM is framed with popular and provided a nice secure fit. Of course silicone caulking was used to seal it up. I also added a board inside to support the weight of the heater better as what is there is minimal. This was the easy part...
I had thought the re-connection of the water lines would be a 5-minute affair. Not so. The threads in the tank that the plastic nipple thread in to were cut deeper and allowed the shoulders of the nipple to bottom out before the fitting was tight. Even with a triple wrap of thread tape. I found some new nipples that didn't have the squared shoulder and gave them a try. They tightened nice. I then threaded on the quick connects on the water lines back onto the nipples and filled and pressurized the tank with the pump. Leak! Top (hot) fitting was slightly dripping at the quick connect. I tried everything to get it to stop. Wasn't happening. I eventually cut the damn thing off and discovered why it dripped. No rubber washer in it. I wonder if this was my original problem causing the rusted tank and smell? After mulling it over I decided to eliminate the threaded quick connects (with rubber gaskets) and plump direct to the tank. Since I have the pex tool this went fast. I threaded in male 1/2"NPT to 1/2" pex adapters using thread dope and pexed right to them. Refilled tank and pressurized again. No leaks!
I decided to really give it a pressure test and connected up the hose to the house faucet (without the regulator). 64psi as measured on gauge I put on faucet. I then fired up tank and watched the pressure climb as the water heated up. Even with a shurflo accumulator installed the system pressure climbed up to 92psi! I left it there for 4 hours and no leaks anywhere. Left me wondering how high the closed system pressure gets to without the shurflo! The old heater did have signs of the T&P valve having lifted. Which is 150psi or 200 degrees.
While I was in the neighborhood I decided to add a lighted switch to the inside panel. See pic. This was a 10-minute job. I did have to add a ground wire from the 3rd terminal on the new switch to the green wire on the indicator light for the switch light to work. The $2.99 switch is a Calterm Illuminated Rocker Switch (P/N 40310) from O-Reilly Auto Parts. We now will know at a glance if the LP side of the water heater is on. May do the same with the electric as well.
Troy
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