ATTABOY!
Wilton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randy Bennell" <rbenn...@bennell.ca>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 5:35 PM
Subject: [MBZ] More OT - HWT
How can you tell it is Friday afternoon?
I had a fun week. Monday about 6 PM we discovered our hot water tank had
sprung a leak. No flood as it is in the basement and on a concrete floor
about 2 feet from the sump pump pit.
However, it was leaking quite badly so it had to be fixed.
My wife and I went out Monday evening looking at new tanks but did not
get one. We went to 3 places. The first did not have the one I wanted in
stock. The 2nd did not appear to have what I wanted and by the time we
got to the 3rd place, they were more interested in closing than selling.
So, I went back Tuesday morning and got a tank and some of the other
odds and ends needed to swap.
We changed from a 40 US Gallon gas fired tank to a 60 Imp gallon
electric tank. The major reason to change was the idea that we will put
in a new efficient furnace in the near future and disposing of the gas
HWT will permit us to also remove the chimney (gas vent) so the house
should be tighter etc.
However that sort of thing comes with a cost. I had to cap off the gas
and the vent from the HWT to the main vent that the furnace uses. Just
replaced the pipe where it had been attached rather than patching it.
Since the new tank is physically larger - electric does not recycle
quite as fast so bigger is needed to maintain the hot water capacity -
the plumbing had to be moved etc.
These things are bulky and heavy so it is not an easy job to do. I got
the old one loose, the gas capped and the vent changed on Tuesday
afternoon as well as running out to get more supplies. My younger son
came by on his way home from work and we carried the old one out and the
new one in. Not easy to set into the hole behind the furnace as the
water meter and the laundry tub make for a small opening. Got it in
without hurting ourselves. Empty it weighs about 185# according to the
box. I figure at 61.5 imperial gallons it must weigh about 800# full of
water.
Wednesday, I worked on the plumbing. Changed over the water feed line as
the new one fills at the bottom and the old one filled from the top.
Also pulled the drain valve and installed a stub and a T etc and more
valves and a check valve as I intend to hook up a thermal siphon to
provide faster hot water in the 2nd floor bath. Also ran out to get
wire etc to feed from the panel over to the tank. That is another story
that I will touch on in a minute.
Did not get the plumbing finished until about 9:30 Wednesday night. Then
did the wiring and finally finished up about 11:30 Wednesday night. Let
me tell you I am more used to sitting in a chair all day than working
like this. I was dead tired and then stiff and sore yesterday. Today is
better.
The wire issue was something I stewed about for a bit. I have an oddball
panel in the house. GE. So, it is somewhat difficult to come up with
breakers. I had a spare set of 40 amp but not 25 or 30 which is what was
called for. I thought I might just up the wire to #8 instead of #10 but
that makes it much more difficult to work with. So after a bit of
mucking about, an idea dawned on me. I just used the # 10 and borrowed
the breakers for the AC as I will not need it in the near future. Long
before spring I can get another pair of breakers. Menards in Grand Forks
has them and I can get a set soon.
My wife wonders why I do things like this myself instead of just calling
someone in to do it. I might have done so if it meant just swapping a
similar tank as that would have been fast and easy. If I have to stand
there and watch the tradesman, I might as well be doing it. Besides, I
do a better job as I care about my house.
Randy
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_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
