After 5 minutes my daughter complained about no more hot water.
Replaced this obviously bad lower element.
I also found this on the lower thermostat.
Which leads me to believe someone purposefully turned off the defective element before the home inspection.
You can be sure I’ll be running the hot water a bit longer from now on.
I have a question about hot water tanks, the cold supply line feels warm up to a foot leading into the hot water tank, with no expansion tank installed. I did hear that all Hot water tanks should be installed with a expansion tank, but without the expansion tank would anyone consider a warm supply line an issue. Good point Bob something to put in my notes for future inspections.
You only need an expansion tank if you have a closed system or if the AHJ requires one.
And having a pressure regulator at main water supply is considered a closed system.
My gas water heater only reads about 2 degree’s different on the inlet and outlet. The outlet (hot water) is the higher reading.
I suspect that if I run the hot water somewhere in the house the difference between the two pipes at the water heater would be much greater.
My conclusion is that a water heater that has stabilized (no flow) will show fairly equal temperatures even though the hot water reflects temperatures in the top of the tank and the supply line reflects temperatures at the bottom of the tank.
I was not sure with the hot water pushing warm water back up into the supply line was the next thing going to happen is setting off the TPRvalve, if there was no expansion tank installed.
Good reminder Thanks Marcel.
I have town water at 115 Lbs. and reg to drop House pressure to 50 Lbs. and .reg to drop pressure to lawn sprinkler to 80 Lbs. and two expansion tanks .
TPR needs 150 psi or 210 degrees to open.
As Chuck pointed out an expansion tank is required on a closed system.
Marcel properly defined that as one with a pressure regulator between the house and the city supply. Water cannot expand back into the city supply line.
Wells are closed loop systems where water is pumped into the pressure tank and held at a working pressure till used. Water cannot expand back into the well.:mrgreen:
But the well system already has an 80 gallon expansion tank 
