Magnets and Fuel Savin Benifits

[blueldr]

Gahorn,
Looks to me you should schedule more frequent water heater tank clean out and blow down sessions. It would take a hell of a lot of calcium to cover the lower element all the way up from the bottom of the tank.

Maybe you should try magnets!

[GAHorn]

Gahorn,
Looks to me you should schedule more frequent water heater tank clean out and blow down sessions. It would take a hell of a lot of calcium to cover the lower element all the way up from the bottom of the tank.

Maybe you should try magnets!

Yeah.... but it's such a pain to clean it out. I mfr'd a "scoop" of sorts to do the job, but I have to remove the lower element, and scoop it all out (big flakes the size of Fritos corn chips but a lot harder) thru the small 1" element threaded hole. There's no clean-out access panel to elect. hot water heaters.
By the time I remove a good element it usually damages it, so I just wait until I have reduced hot water capacity (indicating the lower element is burned up) and then remove the failed element and clean it out and install a new element. (about $15 and a pain in the patootie.)
I"m hoping the gas-fired unit will resolve the problem, in the hope that there is a less intense reaction at the point of heating so as to not precipitate the calcium. Any thoughts on that anyone with boiler experience?

[blueldr]

Gahorn,

Why can't you clean the tank out by removing (unscrewing) the drain valve?

In heavily calcified water, a gas fired water heater will build up a heavy layer of calcium on the bottom of the tank where the gas flame impinges on the tank bottom. This will tend to reduce the efficiency and will cause the heater to develop a "frying" sound when it is heating.

In other words, a gas fired water heater will require cleaning too, in order to maintain efficiency.

Have you considered investing in a tea kettle?

[lowNslow]

Have you considered investing in a tea kettle?

I was thinking he should just start taking more cold showers.

[GAHorn]

Opening the drain-cock (or removing it) is not a very efficient excersize. It will result in a few grains of calcium located immediately adjacent the drain...but does not remove the vast majority which is not only more distant, but also below the actual threaded inlet for the drain. (The drains are not actually located at the low point, but are a couple inches above the floor of the tank.)

[Bill Hart]

How about one of those tankless type heaters.

[GAHorn]

How about one of those tankless type heaters.

Yeah, that was considered about 10 years ago when I was remodeling the house. I didn't know what sort of failure mode those have in hi-calcium service, and each hot water outlet would need it's own unit. The house has two kitchens, a utility area and 5 bathrooms ...and one end of the house (with two baths) is 175 feet from the other (guest rooms with baths) so I ruled that out in favor of a central hot water heater and a recirulation pump. (It's an old hunting lodge we've remodeled. Strangely, the water is not "hard" in the traditional sense. It's an artesian well and has no strange odors or taste. (It's indistinguishable from bottled water in that regard, and it sud's up well and rinses clean. It just destroys electric hot water elements about every year and a half. I don't want the additional maintenance of water softeners since the water isn't truly hard.)
Oh, well...I'll just see how long propane heaters last in comparison to electric....so far two and a half years.

[170C]

When we lived out at Aledo, initially we didn't have a water softner and at one point the HWH bottom element crapped out. Took it out and used a clothes hangar to remove the build up from the bottom of the tank. Got about 1 gallon of stuff. Later I wished I had used a small tube on my wet vac, but didn't. Put in what they call/called a sand hog element on the bottom element (also installed a softner) and no futher problems until the HWH finally started leaking after about 9-10 yrs-a 60 or 80 gallon unit.

George, maybe you need to look into a solar water heater system

[GAHorn]

...George, maybe you need to look into a solar water heater system

Funny you should mention that... Mother Earth News had a good article about it and I've often considered it. (A system of pipes/tanks in the attic to absorb heat would likely be simple enough in Texas summers.)

[Haydon]

Howdy George,

Wonderful, weighty system that solar water heater...until the pipes freeze Here in West Texas, folks just drain the water heater every few months...and hope they get a couple of years use from it....then replace it before it leaks The #5 gavanized tub and a large tea kettle is the only certain method that works out here....and if you prefer a shower, splash...

Richard......

[N170CT]

George,
Have you considered reducing the temp of the hot water. This might reduce the separation of the lime a little...thereby extending the life of the water heater and save propane. Just a thought.

Also, an old friend in Ventura (CA) recently installed a tankless water heater which seems to work very well. It only heats water on demand. I would think this system will reduce power consumption and mineral accumulation.

I don't have any confidence in magnets accomplishing anything other than reducing my fuel consumption and screwing up my whiskey compass. chuck

[wingnut]

George,
I have the solution for your hot water needs. We had an ice storm during the christmas/new year season of 2000/2001 (our Y2K). Prior to my house lossing power, I filled the upstairs bathtubs and sinksand ran a garden hose downstairs with a syphon to wash hands and brush teeth as needed, and brought a 100 gallon metal water trough into the house. We were without power for 11 days. We had gas to with and wood heat, plenty of lanterns, so the only convenience we were without was running water. We dipped water from the trough to flush toilets. After about 4 days we were getting pretty ripe, so with the trough about 1/2 empty now I placed some 6"X6" wood blocks under each end and put my 2 burner coleman stove under it. In 50 minutes we had 105 degree water. Bathed cleanest first (baby) dirty last (me). Best week of my life.
The trough method works well; no calcium buildup and two fit comfortably. Kind of a redneck hottub without the trolling motor. Use the dirty water to flush your toilets.