First time poster here. I'm fairly adept at doing my own
home repairs but this one has me stumped. I searched the
google archives and found nothing on this one.

My mother found some clear gelatin on the inside of her
electric water heater when she pulled the elements to clean
the scale from them. I've never seen anything like this and
can't find the magic combination of keywords for google to
help.

The specifics a
Very hard well water.
125 degree temp setting.
No hydrogen sulphide smell.
The gelatin is colorless and will easily rinse off with cold water.
The heater is about 2 years old.
Piping from the well to the heater is PVC.

Does anybody know what this stuff is? Is it unhealthy?
What do we need to do to prevent this stuff from forming?
I'm assuming that a sufficient build up will cause the elements to
burn out.

Thanks in advance.
Oscar

Resident wrote:
First time poster here. I'm fairly adept at doing my own
home repairs but this one has me stumped. I searched the
google archives and found nothing on this one.

My mother found some clear gelatin on the inside of her
electric water heater when she pulled the elements to clean
the scale from them. I've never seen anything like this and
can't find the magic combination of keywords for google to
help.

The specifics a
Very hard well water.
125 degree temp setting.
No hydrogen sulphide smell.
The gelatin is colorless and will easily rinse off with cold water.
The heater is about 2 years old.
Piping from the well to the heater is PVC.

Does anybody know what this stuff is? Is it unhealthy?
What do we need to do to prevent this stuff from forming?
I'm assuming that a sufficient build up will cause the elements to
burn out.

Thanks in advance.
Oscar

depending on what type of water heater you have. Some have silica gel
bands in them, which over time deteriorates and starts leaking. Sounds
like the hard well water could have eaten away at the gel band. I'm not
an expert at this, this is mostly from listening to my hubby and
buddies talking about water heaters. If it were me, i would replace the
heater.

"Resident" wrote in message
...
First time poster here. I'm fairly adept at doing my own
home repairs but this one has me stumped. I searched the
google archives and found nothing on this one.

My mother found some clear gelatin on the inside of her
electric water heater when she pulled the elements to clean
the scale from them. I've never seen anything like this and
can't find the magic combination of keywords for google to
help.

The specifics a
Very hard well water.
125 degree temp setting.
No hydrogen sulphide smell.
The gelatin is colorless and will easily rinse off with cold water.
The heater is about 2 years old.
Piping from the well to the heater is PVC.

Does anybody know what this stuff is? Is it unhealthy?
What do we need to do to prevent this stuff from forming?
I'm assuming that a sufficient build up will cause the elements to
burn out.

Thanks in advance.
Oscar


I have seen it too.

Pat wrote:
My mother found some clear gelatin on the inside of her
electric water heater when she pulled the elements to clean
the scale from them. I've never seen anything like this and
can't find the magic combination of keywords for google to
I repaired a gas water heater that had the classic dip tube breakdown.
When I flushed it the water came out like gray Jello. These were made '
93-'95
This pdf from A. O. Smith says the gel could be Aluminum Hydroxide
caused by hard water reacting with the aluminum anode:
http://www.ho****er.com/lit/training/tc049r2.pdf
"In a few isolated parts of the United States where the water supply
has a relatively high pH (8+),
water conditions will react with the aluminum anode to form excessive
amounts of aluminum
hydroxide on the anode and in the bottom of the tank. Aluminum
hydroxide looks like "jelly
beads" or a green, blue or gray gel like substance in the heater
drain or at faucet aerators."
It goes on to detail how to correct the problem. Hmm learned something
here!
Richard

wrote in message
ups.com...

Pat wrote:
My mother found some clear gelatin on the inside of her
electric water heater when she pulled the elements to clean
the scale from them. I've never seen anything like this and
can't find the magic combination of keywords for google to
I repaired a gas water heater that had the classic dip tube breakdown.
When I flushed it the water came out like gray Jello. These were made '
93-'95
This pdf from A. O. Smith says the gel could be Aluminum Hydroxide
caused by hard water reacting with the aluminum anode:
http://www.ho****er.com/lit/training/tc049r2.pdf
"In a few isolated parts of the United States where the water supply
has a relatively high pH (8+),
water conditions will react with the aluminum anode to form excessive
amounts of aluminum
hydroxide on the anode and in the bottom of the tank. Aluminum
hydroxide looks like "jelly
beads" or a green, blue or gray gel like substance in the heater
drain or at faucet aerators."
It goes on to detail how to correct the problem. Hmm learned something
here!
Richard


The original poster and I found a clear jelly on the element. I assumed it
was caused by the local water not the tank and ignored it. This was located
in Grand Ronde, Oregon and was the only instance that I have done work on
their water system.

Our case is in Prescott Valley AZ and the jelly is on the bung
of the heating element and inside of the tank, not the actual heating
element itself.
Oscar

"Pat" wrote in message
...

[snip]

The original poster and I found a clear jelly on the element. I assumed it
was caused by the local water not the tank and ignored it. This was located
in Grand Ronde, Oregon and was the only instance that I have done work on
their water system.

replying to Resident, Edjustment wrote:
It is called aluminum hydroxide. It is formed as a result of the aluminum
anode (or sacrificial rod) reacting with the chemicals in the water. The
anode breaks down due to the electro chemical process in the water to protect
the tank from rusting. Oddly enough aluminum hydroxide is used in makeup.

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