exploding washer

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#1

Originally Posted By: rcooke
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Yes I know it is old but I expect many have never seen this .


http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0400/d000435/d000435.html


Will try and find the exploding hot water tank I have .

--
Roy Cooke Sr.

http://Royshomeinspection.com

#2

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
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Hi Roy,


cool link, as to the water heater, do you mean this picture?

![](upload://mP3bLHkEOdzA8y6ptZ9UFrhTOQA.jpeg)
Stolen from Erby

Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : education@nachi.org
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
gbeaumont@inspectiondepot.com

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

#3

Originally Posted By: lkage
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Great pictures guys.


Good info Roy. I try to remember that when I have a house that's been vacant for a while.

Gerry, I think that was a TPT valve malfunction. ![icon_cry.gif](upload://r83gSGUzNOacIqpjVReDwcR83xZ.gif)

--
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him."
Galileo Galilei

#4

Originally Posted By: rcooke
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[quote=“gbeaumont”]Hi Roy,


cool link, as to the water heater, do you mean this picture?



No I have one where the tank went over 400 feet .
It destroyed the home It went through the first floor the second floor then the roof..
I believe the cause was a electric element went to ground so thermostat could not shut it off.
It Did not have a TPR valve if I remember correctly .
Be a few days till I find it .
Water under pressure is still water 25lb I think can have be 225 degrees . When the tank lets go in immediately flashes to steam .
I believe it expands 1200 times.
I think one tablespoon gives 5 gallons of steam .
This is from memory so if I am out a little please forgive me .
It still is a tremendous force.

--
Roy Cooke Sr.

http://Royshomeinspection.com

#5

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Here is the story of one that went off when I was living up in Mass


http://www.safteng.net/Accident%20Photos/Hot%20Water%20heater%20explosion.htm

Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : education@nachi.org
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
gbeaumont@inspectiondepot.com

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

#6

Originally Posted By: rcooke
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Good One Gerry . This should give inspectors how important a working tpr valve is .


Another thing some do not realize is that some thermostats only shut of one leg on a 240 feed to the element.


If by chance the 3,000 watt element burns out and goes to ground. You now have a 1500 watt element with no shut off.


The tank will just keep getting hotter and hotter. In town you could get hot water in you cold tap as the hot water backs up in the system .


In the country there is no where for the hot water/steam to go and the system TPR valve is all you have .


If as in the one Gerry showed is rusty look out .


I never operate those on an inspection because they could stick on .


They should be tested regularly and I always tell my client they should be tested and some water should be drained from the tank and the water temp should be 120 degrees.

–
Roy Cooke Sr.


http://Royshomeinspection.com

#7

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Hi to all,


Yep I love this stuff, must be the pyromaniac in me, I know of 2 other big bangs due to water heaters one in a store in Seattle WA, and another I read of in a residential structure in St. Paul MN.

Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : education@nachi.org
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
gbeaumont@inspectiondepot.com

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

#8

Originally Posted By: gporter
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Great info.

–
Gary Porter


GLP’s Home and Mold Inspections LLC


Orlando, Fl 32828


321-239-0621


www.homeandmoldinspections.com

#9

Originally Posted By: bbadger
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


rcooke wrote:
Another thing some do not realize is that some thermostats only shut of one leg on a 240 feed to the element.
If by chance the 3,000 watt element burns out and goes to ground. You now have a 1500 watt element with no shut off.
The tank will just keep getting hotter and hotter.


That may have been an issue with old water heaters but it should not be any longer.

Typically the temperature controls on electric water heater still break only one side of the 240 and if that was the only control in the water heater what Roy describes is possible.

However there is also a high limit cut out that breaks both poles, it is required by UL and the NEC.

Quote:
422.47 Water Heater Controls.
All storage or instantaneous-type water heaters shall be equipped with a temperature-limiting means in addition to its control thermostat to disconnect all ungrounded conductors. Such means shall be as follows:

(1)Installed to sense maximum water temperature; and

(2)Either a trip-free, manually reset type or a type having a replacement element. Such water heaters shall be marked to require the installation of a temperature and pressure relief valve.


--
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN
#10

Originally Posted By: Robert Wade
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I read the link about the exploding dishwasher. The engineer theorized that it was due to electrolysis or some such. This sounds to me like a wonderful opportunity for “Mythbusters”. icon_biggrin.gif

#11

Originally Posted By: lewens
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Roy


Just scroll down the list in plumbing till you see “Boom” and voila, exploding hot water tank.


Larry

–
Just my usual 12.5 cents


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