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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: vicandug on June 06, 2015, 08:24:58 PM

Title: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: vicandug on June 06, 2015, 08:24:58 PM
Hi all

Not camping related at all.

My hot water at home is yellow.  Is my hot water heater about to Shit itself?  Is there anything we can do tomorrow to check it?

Thanks

Vicki
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: Tim - Stratford on June 06, 2015, 09:12:46 PM
Sounds like it. Ours went that way just before it started leaking. The yellow discolouration in ours was the rust. A new HWS fixed it.

Most HWS have a spot for an anode - you may be able to remove this to check if it is cactus.

Tim
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: scarpsD40 on June 06, 2015, 09:28:19 PM
You sure ug hasn't been been peeing in the water tank?
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: oldmate on June 06, 2015, 10:23:25 PM
You sure ug hasn't been been peeing in the water tank?

Pmsl, you said that so much more politely than I could think of Gary.
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: scarpsD40 on June 06, 2015, 10:26:26 PM

Pmsl, you said that so much more politely than I could think of Gary.
thnx, but.............................who the **** is Gary?
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: oldmate on June 06, 2015, 10:29:48 PM
Scott's mate
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: scarpsD40 on June 06, 2015, 10:39:46 PM

Scott's mate
is he like plumber's mate?
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: dirtpilot on June 06, 2015, 11:13:28 PM
What make/ model and what year is it? There should be a date of manufacture on it somewhere.
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: oldmate on June 07, 2015, 08:48:02 AM
is he like plumber's mate?

Nup, wall mate
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: vicandug on June 07, 2015, 09:32:21 AM
As for Ug peeing in the hot water, well, who knows what he does when he is home alone!

Pic of hot water service
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: vicandug on June 07, 2015, 09:35:45 AM
I can't attach the pic.  Its too big.

We have been here since 2008 and the hot water service was here then.
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: Barry G on June 07, 2015, 10:05:45 AM
The solution is a stainless steel tank, no more rust or replacing anodes.
I can recommend a great Aussie made system if you wish.
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: peter01 on June 07, 2015, 10:20:40 AM
Vic, your camper as a HWS? put the camper up and use that for showers ;D ;D
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: prodigyrf on June 07, 2015, 11:15:57 AM
The solution is a stainless steel tank, no more rust or replacing anodes.
I can recommend a great Aussie made system if you wish.


Bit of a moot point stainless steel vs vitreous enamel and anode and it's a much trod debate as detailed here-
http://www.energymatters.com.au/solar-hot-water/stainless-glass-tanks/ (http://www.energymatters.com.au/solar-hot-water/stainless-glass-tanks/)

I've had 16 yrs out of a Rheem 400L Optima(thicker anode to start with) in Adelaide but to be fair I changed the anode once and for most folks having it checked and replaced by a plumber wouldn't warrant the cost so lots die around 8-10 yrs with our hard water. Eastern States can get a lot more out of their HWS than we do and SS might stack up better in that regard.
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: prodigyrf on June 07, 2015, 11:49:14 AM
Here's one to consider and note the price and the colour pic of how the heat pump works by convection circulation-
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bosch-Compress-3000-Hot-Water-Heat-Pump-New-Generation-Updated-Model-7736501960-/181659932251?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2a4bc6965b (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bosch-Compress-3000-Hot-Water-Heat-Pump-New-Generation-Updated-Model-7736501960-/181659932251?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2a4bc6965b)
and it seems from the pic the tank comes with an anode screwed in from the bottom and hence not replaceable once installed, unlike my element one where the anode is installed from the top. In SA now you can't have element types anymore (there are some exceptions like multistorey internal installs) so gas, solar or heatpumps are the mandated options. See the tradeoff with no replaceable anode and our hard water with heat pumps?

Although I use off peak power as most do being all electric I was interested in the bolt on heat pumps hitting the market but notice the snag is the price vis a vis that all in one Bosch-
http://hotwaterprofessionals.com.au/shop/product/681/Siddons-Bolt-on-Heat-Pump (http://hotwaterprofessionals.com.au/shop/product/681/Siddons-Bolt-on-Heat-Pump)
http://www.skylineenergy.com.au/SX-05%20Bolt-On%20Heatpump.php (http://www.skylineenergy.com.au/SX-05%20Bolt-On%20Heatpump.php)
(made in China as usual and put your own brand sticker on them)
Save you power with a heat pump but the bolt ons also use power to run the water circulating pump and that price? If you've got soft water I'd get the Bosch but Crowies are going to chew that anode out in double quick time and the cylinders go quickly when they're gone.

 
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: vicandug on June 07, 2015, 12:58:30 PM
Vic, your camper as a HWS? put the camper up and use that for showers ;D ;D

If it gets pulled out of the garage, it gets put on the car and off we go!
Title: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: mr smith on June 07, 2015, 02:53:15 PM
My unit was 31 years old It died when I went into hospital for cancer in 2008 it only had ever run  tank water throw it then I went to gas unit happy days
Title: Re: Is there a plumber in the house?
Post by: Barry G on June 08, 2015, 01:21:25 PM
If you are in Cockatoo Victoria then hard water shouldn't be a problem, so stainless steel tank is definitely the way to go, I have a 'Bolt on' in Lancefield, with a glass lined tank, due to hard water.
Have a at  http://earthworkercooperative.com.au (http://earthworkercooperative.com.au),  for where I purchased from.
Heat pump only required to run a couple of hours a day, so very economical as well.
The web site says it best, but the co-op is ensuring that tank manufacture is staying here, and plans are under way to manufacture some parts of the heat pump here, as well as assemble it here.
So, a quality HWS with jobs for Ausies as well.