On Sat, 18 Oct 2014 18:23:15 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Oct 2014 17:55:41 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:

The Sears model number will tell you who made it.

There are numerous Sears manufacturers lists available online. Many
have missing prefix numbers or only include specific classifications,
such as power tools. If you can't find your model number prefix, just
try a different list:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~gbishop/Public/SearsSourceCodes.htm
http://vintagemachinery.org/craftsman/manufacturers.aspx?sort=1
http://www.asecc.com/data/sears.html

Well I went to all three pages, and searching on smith, none listed
a.o.smith at all.

But I remember the clincher reason I thought that's what it was. The
first owner of the house left me the owners manual for the original
water heater, by aosmith, and the manual was amost identical to the one
that came with both of my Sears water heaters. Same text, same fonts,
same graphics



On some serial numbers, you can extract the date of manufactu
http://www.electrical-forensics.com/MajorAppliances/ApplianceManufacturers.html

http://www.electrical-forensics.com
Incidentally, the above web site has some rather interesting photos of
appliance related fires. For example, hot water heaters do NOT start
fires:
http://www.electrical-forensics.com/Ho****er/Ho****erHeaters.html
and portable electric heater misuse hazards:
http://www.electrical-forensics.com/Heaters/ElectricHeaters.html

I'll check these out.