On Dec 12, 11:46�am, Tony wrote:
mcp6453 wrote:
My State Industries electic, low profile, 40-gallon, six-year water
heater is almost 10 years old. I'm going to replace it before I have a
failure.

Are the water connections on the top of the unit standard spacing? I'd
like to install the replacement without having to do any plumbing. The
spacing appears to be the same as the ones I've seen at Lowes, but it's
really hard to tell for sure. The water heaters at Home Depot were in
cardboard boxes, so I could not see the connections.

Are the State units any better or worse than others?

I was doing a job for a friend and the new heater was about 1.5 inches
taller. �The bad part is that almost immediately after attached to the
old heater, the hot pipe had a T in it so I couldn't just cut the pipe
and raise the fitting. �There wasn't an easy fix (I should have taken a
picture). �I ended up making a double U up and down to the new heater.
Sure wish I would have known about those flexible hoses, although I
don't think there was enough clearance for the bottom hose or pipe to
flex enough without a kink anyway.

Must be something about trailers, my house trailer has one flex copper
pipe, and an old camper trailer had the same thing but the local
plumbing supply at the time said they never saw one. �(the old one in
the camper had froze and burst before I bought it).

upside down U sss are ideal heat traps. heat only rises, saves some
energy.

solid copper is a bit more work but does help support the tank.

i have seen tanks with flexible lines rock easily just by touching.
motion might cause a flex line blow out