I'm thinking about replacing this myself. Anyone with plumbing experience- I found one that is 240v, but it says I need a double pole 30 amp circuit. I have a dbl one in the breaker box, but they are both 25. Will these need upgrading? I'm also hoping to find something that has the side plumbing. I'm hoping the problem doesn't get much worse for another week when I have a day to deal with this! Uggg
Yes definitely use the size breaker they are calling for. Also something for you to consider is that the wire may need to be upgraded as well. Typically a 30 amp water heater now requires 10 gauge or sometimes even 8 gauge wire.
I am guessing that is a manufactured home ???? If it is the water heaters used in them have different ratings, must be rated for manufactured home use. I have not seen a side plumbed WH. Looks pretty tight in there good luck.
Yes it is. The water heaters I'm looking at online are manufactured home approved. They are all top plumbed though. The only thing I'll have to change is getting a longer inlet pipe. Yes, it's tight and will probably suck being in a small closet. Uggg!
Yes there is 200 amp service coming in. Large box. Gonna just replace the upper element- it seems the gasket is what's leaking. Heater is 13 years old. Might get another few years outta it.
Hopefully this isn't one of those "one leak repair leads to the next" situations...many times once they are old enough to start leaking, fixing them is an uphill battle...hope this is the exception though!
Well, I picked up another heating element. The leak appeared to be right around the gasketed area where the heating element screws in, but unfortunately the leak is just below that. It's a small leak, but we don't want to wait to long- just long enough to decide on another water tank or a tankless system, which I can get a good one for a decent price. We'll see-
Well Seasoned, be cautious with some of those tankless systems, if you have hard water in your well. Friend in ST. J put in 3 different on demand tankless super energy efficient (read 2,000 dollars a piece) heaters the scaling of the hard water causes the computers to crap out and die. Just thinking that the granite state might have hard water
Thanks Jack Straw & Canadian border VT! Will likely go with a standard water heater. Hoping this one lasts another week since time this weekend is tight.
FYI Breaker size can be no more amps than the smallest wire in the circuit wire is rated for. Romex, solid, #10 copper wire, 30 amps or smaller breaker. Good luck I had a gas one start to leak after 14 years, Replaced with new one. Once you get a leak, a sign of internal corrosion. (IMO it's the "engineered obsolescence", designed to fail in "X" time.... to help spur the economy. I'd Fix to get by till you can R&R it. Some things you don't have many choices
The risk is pretty big. If a tank heater starts leaking after 13 years of not leaking then I would replace the whole thing. They really aren’t that expensive and making a repair is usually most of the work to replacement. They are usually rated for something small like 6 years. I don’t even maintain them, most people don’t. Just plan on making them easily replaceable by keeping plumbing universal and flexible. Upsizing a breaker above what you find requires that you know that the wire can handle the load. 25 is an oddball. I sure hope you have a 10 gauge copper wire and not some kind of aluminum. You can order tank heaters with lower watt elements if you are stuck with a 25. Resistance elements in the tank heater really do use all of the breaker capacity and continuously so it’s important.
Looking at your pictures that would be an easy job to replace. Cpvc is easy to work with (it does take a different glue) Cut and move it to where you need it for the new heater. I would switch to a top plumbed heater as they are much cheaper. I will bet that the anode rod has been gone for quite a few years which is why the tank rusted, so every year or so check and replace if needed. The more years on the warranty usually means a better tank. As said check the electric out and upgrade if needed. Souix Chief makes a quick connect flex hose that will work on cpvc that is more flexible than those copper connectors. There are lots of options.
actually no difference in tank just pay up front for longer warranty. my own hot water tank - installed 1991 still going ( you know I should out buying one right now)
