On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:08:43 -0700, Bob F wrote:
Have you tried tightening it? Sometimes things will break loose when turned the
other way.

Heck, that was a quick reply

Just gave that one a go - no luck unfortunately...

Have you tried the hammer and screwdriver at an angle trick on the nut to try to
turn it with impact?

Not yet - I suppose that should be my second-last-resort to drilling the
darn thing out, as it might damage the nut and make it impossible to get
the socket on...

Have you tried a pipe on each end of the bar to double the force before
the bar bands?

Sadly I can't as it is right now; whoever installed the thing fitted it
against a wall with the access panels on the left and pointing slightly
toward the wall - I'd have to cut the pipes and take the whole tank out to
get at it like that.

(although I do want to cut the cold feed pipe anyway so I can put a
shut-off valve in, so I suppose it'd only be one extra pipe and I could
re-route things easily enough - I'll have a think about that!)

Oh, can't see a sign of a washer on that lower element, unlike the upper
one - makes me wonder if it doesn't have one and it's just been
gooped up with who-knows-what to seal it. Grr!

cheers

Jules