Any ideas on how long it will take a 40 Gal electric water heater to
have a problem with the water supply shut off, pipes drained but water
heater full, and electric still on? Or will it not be a problem at all
if the water heater was not drained? What would be the worst case
consequences?

I'm 4 hours away or I would just shut the power off.....

Thanks for any input, Rich

"Rich" wrote in message
ups.com...
Any ideas on how long it will take a 40 Gal electric water heater to
have a problem with the water supply shut off, pipes drained but water
heater full, and electric still on? Or will it not be a problem at all
if the water heater was not drained? What would be the worst case
consequences?

I'm 4 hours away or I would just shut the power off.....

Thanks for any input, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

"Rich" wrote in message
ups.com...
Any ideas on how long it will take a 40 Gal electric water heater to
have a problem with the water supply shut off, pipes drained but water
heater full, and electric still on? Or will it not be a problem at all
if the water heater was not drained? What would be the worst case
consequences?

If the pipes are drained the air in the pipes will compress as much as
necessary, so nothing at all can happen. Well, at least nothing more than
normal.

Thanks Edwin.... All I did was drain the water in the pipes by opening
a lower level sink faucet and venting from 2nd floor so I am pretty
sure the water heater is still full. Don't think it could have
syphoned the tank. The property is in cold country and I wanted to
shut off the water and drain the pipes in case the heat went off so I
would only have to deal with the water in the house if there was a
problem. I was in a rush and said to myself, I'll leave the water
heater on so I don't cause thermal expansion and contraction which I
was afraid might lead to cracks in pipes that have been hot for 20
years. Half way to our destination.... I started to think about the
tank loosing water from heating with none to replace it. I can drive
up and back tomorrow (8 hours) if I have to but can't go back until
after Christmas if I don't go tomorrow. Do you think it would hold for
5 days?

Thanks, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

"Rich" wrote in message
ups.com...
Any ideas on how long it will take a 40 Gal electric water heater to
have a problem with the water supply shut off, pipes drained but water
heater full, and electric still on? Or will it not be a problem at all
if the water heater was not drained? What would be the worst case
consequences?

You're worrying too much. I live in Montana and when I go on vacation (two
weeks long this past Thanksgiving; it got to -10 here then), I just turn the
water main off and set the (gas) water heater control to "pilot". The house
is kept at 55 during that time and in the unlikely event that a pipe does
break, the water is shut off so there won't be much damage.

Thanks for all the input.... and you're right, I probably do worry too
much. We just bought this house last June and it's in NY on the
Canadian boarder so it can get cold up there too which is why I shut
the water off to minimize damnage if the power goes out and we have no
heat.

From the responses here, I'm feeling pretty confidnet that all will be
well with the power to the water heater on. I was worried about the
water in the water heater vaporizing and emptying itself but in the
essentially closed system it really has nowhere to go, the air in the
pipes will compress a bit from the vapor pressure and everything should
be fine.

For the future, for week long trips.... after turning the water to the
house off and draining the pipes.... better to leave the power to the
water heater on - or shut it off??? What do you think?

By the way... your responses have saved me a very long day, Thanks!

Rich
============================

Bob M. wrote:
"Rich" wrote in message
ups.com...
Any ideas on how long it will take a 40 Gal electric water heater to
have a problem with the water supply shut off, pipes drained but water
heater full, and electric still on? Or will it not be a problem at all
if the water heater was not drained? What would be the worst case
consequences?

You're worrying too much. I live in Montana and when I go on vacation (two
weeks long this past Thanksgiving; it got to -10 here then), I just turn the
water main off and set the (gas) water heater control to "pilot". The house
is kept at 55 during that time and in the unlikely event that a pipe does
break, the water is shut off so there won't be much damage.

Rich wrote:
Thanks Edwin.... All I did was drain the water in the pipes by opening
a lower level sink faucet and venting from 2nd floor so I am pretty
sure the water heater is still full. Don't think it could have
syphoned the tank. The property is in cold country and I wanted to
shut off the water and drain the pipes in case the heat went off so I
would only have to deal with the water in the house if there was a
problem. I was in a rush and said to myself, I'll leave the water
heater on so I don't cause thermal expansion and contraction which I
was afraid might lead to cracks in pipes that have been hot for 20
years.

How is leaving the water heater on going to have any effect on pipes
which are 20 or 40 ft away and full of air? Hopefully, all the water
heater is doing is keeping the water in the tank hot, with some waste
leakage to pipes within a few feet. I would have just shut it off.





Half way to our destination.... I started to think about the
tank loosing water from heating with none to replace it. I can drive
up and back tomorrow (8 hours) if I have to but can't go back until
after Christmas if I don't go tomorrow. Do you think it would hold for
5 days?

Thanks, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

Nothing to do with the pipes, keeping water heater on and ready when
we get home and preventing joints in the water heater which have been
hot all their life from cooling and heating up again which might
(unlikely but) develop leaks after they contract when cooling and then
expand again when re heated.

Rich
================================================== ====
wrote:
Rich wrote:
Thanks Edwin.... All I did was drain the water in the pipes by opening
a lower level sink faucet and venting from 2nd floor so I am pretty
sure the water heater is still full. Don't think it could have
syphoned the tank. The property is in cold country and I wanted to
shut off the water and drain the pipes in case the heat went off so I
would only have to deal with the water in the house if there was a
problem. I was in a rush and said to myself, I'll leave the water
heater on so I don't cause thermal expansion and contraction which I
was afraid might lead to cracks in pipes that have been hot for 20
years.

How is leaving the water heater on going to have any effect on pipes
which are 20 or 40 ft away and full of air? Hopefully, all the water
heater is doing is keeping the water in the tank hot, with some waste
leakage to pipes within a few feet. I would have just shut it off.





Half way to our destination.... I started to think about the
tank loosing water from heating with none to replace it. I can drive
up and back tomorrow (8 hours) if I have to but can't go back until
after Christmas if I don't go tomorrow. Do you think it would hold for
5 days?

Thanks, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

For what it's worth, I have a beach house and an electric water heater.
I always turn off the water, drain the pipes, and leave the water
heater on.

Never had any problem. And I have been known to leave it that way for
months at a time.

I wouldn't worry about it.


Rich wrote:
Nothing to do with the pipes, keeping water heater on and ready when
we get home and preventing joints in the water heater which have been
hot all their life from cooling and heating up again which might
(unlikely but) develop leaks after they contract when cooling and then
expand again when re heated.

Rich
================================================== ====
wrote:
Rich wrote:
Thanks Edwin.... All I did was drain the water in the pipes by opening
a lower level sink faucet and venting from 2nd floor so I am pretty
sure the water heater is still full. Don't think it could have
syphoned the tank. The property is in cold country and I wanted to
shut off the water and drain the pipes in case the heat went off so I
would only have to deal with the water in the house if there was a
problem. I was in a rush and said to myself, I'll leave the water
heater on so I don't cause thermal expansion and contraction which I
was afraid might lead to cracks in pipes that have been hot for 20
years.

How is leaving the water heater on going to have any effect on pipes
which are 20 or 40 ft away and full of air? Hopefully, all the water
heater is doing is keeping the water in the tank hot, with some waste
leakage to pipes within a few feet. I would have just shut it off.





Half way to our destination.... I started to think about the
tank loosing water from heating with none to replace it. I can drive
up and back tomorrow (8 hours) if I have to but can't go back until
after Christmas if I don't go tomorrow. Do you think it would hold for
5 days?

Thanks, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

For the future, for week long trips.... after turning the water to the
house off and draining the pipes.... better to leave the power to the
water heater on - or shut it off??? What do you think?

By the way... your responses have saved me a very long day, Thanks!

Rich


What hPPENS IF A ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HAS A LEAK with no incoming
replacement water? I assume the elements would burn out?

Great to have a response from someone actually doing it this way with
no problems.... Exactly my situation.

Thanks, Rich
====================================

wrote:
For what it's worth, I have a beach house and an electric water heater.
I always turn off the water, drain the pipes, and leave the water
heater on.

Never had any problem. And I have been known to leave it that way for
months at a time.

I wouldn't worry about it.


Rich wrote:
Nothing to do with the pipes, keeping water heater on and ready when
we get home and preventing joints in the water heater which have been
hot all their life from cooling and heating up again which might
(unlikely but) develop leaks after they contract when cooling and then
expand again when re heated.

Rich
================================================== ====
wrote:
Rich wrote:
Thanks Edwin.... All I did was drain the water in the pipes by opening
a lower level sink faucet and venting from 2nd floor so I am pretty
sure the water heater is still full. Don't think it could have
syphoned the tank. The property is in cold country and I wanted to
shut off the water and drain the pipes in case the heat went off so I
would only have to deal with the water in the house if there was a
problem. I was in a rush and said to myself, I'll leave the water
heater on so I don't cause thermal expansion and contraction which I
was afraid might lead to cracks in pipes that have been hot for 20
years.

How is leaving the water heater on going to have any effect on pipes
which are 20 or 40 ft away and full of air? Hopefully, all the water
heater is doing is keeping the water in the tank hot, with some waste
leakage to pipes within a few feet. I would have just shut it off.





Half way to our destination.... I started to think about the
tank loosing water from heating with none to replace it. I can drive
up and back tomorrow (8 hours) if I have to but can't go back until
after Christmas if I don't go tomorrow. Do you think it would hold for
5 days?

Thanks, Rich

If the water is still in the tank, there should be no problem at all.

You are probably right but I would choose a burned out element instead
of a flood as long as it didn't start a fire.

Thanks, Rich
===============================
wrote:
For the future, for week long trips.... after turning the water to the
house off and draining the pipes.... better to leave the power to the
water heater on - or shut it off??? What do you think?

By the way... your responses have saved me a very long day, Thanks!

Rich


What hPPENS IF A ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HAS A LEAK with no incoming
replacement water? I assume the elements would burn out?

On 22 Dec 2006 13:50:48 -0800, "
wrote:

For the future, for week long trips.... after turning the water to the
house off and draining the pipes.... better to leave the power to the
water heater on - or shut it off??? What do you think?

By the way... your responses have saved me a very long day, Thanks!

Rich


What hPPENS IF A ELECTRIC WATER HEATER HAS A LEAK with no incoming
replacement water? I assume the elements would burn out?

Probably. But it might just sit there and glow
like a stove element for a month or so, until you get
your next bill and wonder why it's $13,276 US.