On Jan 28, 12:34*pm, "Existential Angst" wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Jan 28, 7:40 am, Stanley Schaefer wrote:





On Jan 27, 1:58 pm, "Existential Angst" wrote:

"bob haller" wrote in message

....
On Jan 27, 2:48 pm, "Existential Angst" wrote:

Awl --

From a site I found (and mentioned, iirc, by a poster in the previous
thread), good info.

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag.../Longevity/wha...

Here's a neat alternative to magnesium
anodes:http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag.../OrderPages/XC...

Is this really effectve?
This seems like a perty easy diy electronic project. Could a 12 V
battery
charger be used? what would be the connection points?
Not exactly cheap, either, but anodes for combo-ports (below) are not
cheap
either, up to $160 from Sears.

Note that there are basically two configurations to water heater
anodes:
water heaters with a *separate* port, in which you screw the anode,
and
combo ports (like mine), which accept the anode AND hw connection
(more
expensive).

I think the separate port (3 ports total) is a much better design,
makes
replacing anodes much cheaper, easier. Even the powered anode is
cheaper
for this separate port.
--
EA

the navy uses electronic control of ships to prevent excess
rusting....

but at some point the cost of stuff to make a water heater last longer
will exceed the cost of a brand new unit....

and other things may fail like the main gas valve.

for me its not worth the screwing around to extend the life of such a
cheap device that costs less than 50 bucks a year to buy
================================================== =======

That's a useful perspective on the issue. This powered anode deal would
have to extend the heater life 5 years to pay for itself.

Apparently not a, uh, hot item.... a search reveals no units.

Here's a Kenmore with a built-in powered
anode:http://www.searsoutlet.com/d/product_details.jsp?pid=69223&mode=buyUs...{keywor d}

Also solid-state controls, fan (presumably exhaust -- whazzup wit
dat???),
electronic ignition.
The reviews were inneresting, some locales really hammer the
home-moaner,
installation/permit wise.
Even Trader4 would proly agree, many of these permits are off the wall.
One
reviewer's initial $225 installation charge (which is just pop-on,
pop-off
hoses) wound up being $1,000, for an hour's extra work.... holy ****.....

Must be 'spensive, as you can't even get a firm price on this unit. I'd
get
one, if they gave me lifetime service for the fukn guar-own-teed-to-fail
electronics.... sheesh....
Plus, iffin yer juice goes off, no hw.... altho I think back-up
generators,
once exotic, will proly be *expected* in a home sale.
--
EA- Hide quoted text -

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Yeah, the folks bought into that all-singing, all-dancing unit, but
they really didn't have much choice. The original old-style unit
exhausted into the chimney with the furnace. They got one of those
fancy condensing furnaces that didn't have a chimney and the old brick
item was taken down and blocked(was in very bad shape). So what to
do? Get the fancy unit that exhausts through a PVC pipe through the
basement wall. Doesn't need a draft from a chimney, has it's own
fans. So instead of a soft whump when the thing fired off in the
basement, they got this whining fan for a minute or so while the thing
cleared any possible gas out of the flame chamber, then another whine
while the burner fan whipped up and then finally it lit off. Really
noisy in the middle of the night. So, no hot water during a power
outage, the one place where gas appliances shine. They sell these
things on the basis that the pilot light on the old-style units is
burning money, but you could probably run a pilot light for a hundred
years on the price difference. And the tank is going to go in 10-15
years anyway, that's not been improved at all. But it's
"computerized" so that's OK.

Stan- Hide quoted text -

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I think in addition to saving on the pilot light gas, which I agree
is small, they are also more energy efficient because of the
fact that they rely on a blower to move air through them.
With the blower off, a lot less air moves through than with
a traditional chimney vented unit. * Less air moving through
the core means less heat loss.

But I agree with your overall analysis. *I think if you look at
the price difference, it takes quite a long time to recover
the upfront money. *And if you have to run new venting, that
also drives up the install cost, at least for the first time.
And then you need an outlet close enough to plug it in,
which could mean installing that too. *With a conventional
tannk, my whole gas bill in summer is less than $20,
which includes all the water heated, plus some gas grilling.
So, the energy loss of the tank can't be all that much.
You might never recover the money.
================================================== =====

You are almost guar-own-teed to never recover the $ diff.
How much are those things, anyway?

Dood, you ****ed off clare in CA as well?? *How did you do that??
Oh, Oh, Oh, I know!!!!! * By being a prick!!!!!
Clare is one of the nicer more knowledgeable people around here.
And, hey, didn't YOU once promise to killfile Moi???
--
EA- Hide quoted text -

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You will also find active units for small boats. Mercruiser and Volvo
both make them. I'm not sure it's worth the bother though.