"They don't make 'em like they used to."

[mgbinspect]

This is only the second Westinghouse water heater I've seen in 13 years. Both were approximatley 50 years old and still in service!

Anyone seen a relief valve like this before? Set up like this?

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[Les]

Michael,

Pretty cool. Was it an 83gal model? The valve is adjustable pressure and was not a requirement. I changed the elements on one of these a thousand years ago and it took me hours. The element was a band abt 4in wide that wrapped around the outside of tank under the sheet metal skin. Really efficient!

[mgbinspect]

I believe it was a 50 or 52 gallon unit. I inspected this property months ago and am just now getting around to uploading the photos.

[Bill Kibbel]

I can't think of many manufactured products today that will last 50 years.

Here's some more that Les probably remembers working on (or even installed):

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/whh/pages/water-heater-museum-home.html

[kurt]

How about tempering tanks? Any other areas have tempering tanks in the water supply before the water heater?

[hausdok]

Hi Bill,

Back in the 70's, I bought an old Bluebird 54 passenger on a 64 GMC chassis and converted it to a motor home. I had a propane refrigerator, a Caloric range and one of those old Ruud sidearm heaters that I was going to install in it. I think it's a good thing that I didn't, because I heard that they used to be dangerous as hell.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Les]

My weirdest one was a rectangular tank abt 8" sq and 6' high with a 3" hole thru the middle and no flue accomodation. Had a little square firebox on the bottom for coal or lamp gas (petcock and orfice). Fully automatic - ya need hot water you go to basement and fire that baby up!

When it got hot enough, just turn it off and go upstairs and bathe!

If was a Brown Tank Heater, Made in Kalamazoo, Mi circa 1913. I had several photos, but as many of you know, my office was flooded in 04 and I lost 34yrs of records and photos. Imagine a 35yd dumpster full of photos and paper - each piece placed in that dumpster by me.

Of course, the clean-up crew carried all the soggy boxes up the stairs and placed it on the parking lot, so I could personally toss it into dumpster. In the words of Bob Hope - "thanks for the memories".

Mike, As I remember those Rudds, they just burned frequently!

[bandag]

Somebody did a nice job of detailing that old Rudd water heater!

[ozofprev]

Kurt:

Seen a couple in some old homes donated to Habitat, but haven't seen one during an inspection. Are they just not cost-effective? They still seem like a good idea.

Originally posted by kurt

How about tempering tanks? Any other areas have tempering tanks in the water supply before the water heater?

[kurt]

I still see them in use in the old dumps around the City core. Usually leftover's some plumber was too lazy to remove.....

I'm sure they made sense in the days of coal fired boilers, and crappy water heaters, but not now.

[mgbinspect]

Another one for the record books:

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Fifty-seven years old?...

[Mark P]

here is a thread I started a few years back..

Check out this battle ship! Serial # 50 55725. So I’m guessing 1955. The date plate says tank capacity 18, but it sure looks bigger. Anyone ever fined one older? Absolutely amazing to find this as the only heater in the home and still hooked up.

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[mgbinspect]

Very nice.

Here's my all time favorite find. I was walking around (basically bar hopping) in Fells Point Maryland and in the waiting room of an office was this ancient Ruud water heater.

Bill K explains how it works in the thread "Beauty Ala Ruud"

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