On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:33:27 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

Hi all,

I've posted before about this. I have an indirect solar water heater in
my basement,

If it's in the basement, it must really be indirect.

I tried having a hydrogen fusion reaction in my basement, and it made
even my first floor too hot to live in.

it appears to be basically a Rheem electric water heater
fitted with a coil of copper tubing around the tank which has an

A standard water heater, with 2 inches of insulation between the tank
and the outside, where the copper coil is? If that's it, I would
think it heats the basement a lot mor than the water.

antifreeze fluid circulated through it by means of an electric pump.
It's toast. It's 20 years old, rusty, and leaking. I've searched
online and it appears that the only product currently available is one
single model of tank (from various suppliers) which runs about $1000.

Could you post a url for that, so we have a better idea of what you
are talking about?

Question: Could I simply purchase a new electric tank of approximately
the same size, disassemble it,

In what way are you going to disassemble it? Take off the top and
slide the coils down where the insulation is now? Maybe, although you
wouldn't have much insulation then for that part of the tank.

reuse the existing copper coil, and
reassemble? There appears to be no issues with the antifreeze/heat
exchange fluid piping, but the water tank itself is done for. I realize
that if I were to do this that there would be no warranty, but for the
$700 plus price difference, I could live with that.

Does this seem feasible, and has anyone done this before?

thanks,

nate