My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. They are about two years old. As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

I figure I need to:

- shut off the cold water intake, outflow to the heater that will be
shut down
- shutoff the crossover valve that connects it to the other heater
will will leave in use
- drain the unused heater

Anything else I should do?

Thanks....

W

wrote:
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. They are about two years old. As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

I figure I need to:

- shut off the cold water intake, outflow to the heater that will be
shut down
- shutoff the crossover valve that connects it to the other heater
will will leave in use
- drain the unused heater

Anything else I should do?

Thanks....

W

Turn off the electric to the unused heater - running the elements
unsubmerged = fzzt.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

wrote in message
...
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. They are about two years old. As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

I figure I need to:

- shut off the cold water intake, outflow to the heater that will be
shut down
- shutoff the crossover valve that connects it to the other heater
will will leave in use
- drain the unused heater

Anything else I should do?

Thanks....

W

Be sure the first thing you do, is kill the electric to the heater, and do
so in a way that it can't accidentally be turned back on, or in mere moments
the elements will be toast

On Mar 16, 12:21*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
wrote:
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. *They are about two years old. *As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

I figure I need to:

- shut off the cold water intake, outflow to the heater that will be
shut down
- shutoff the crossover valve that connects it to the other heater
will will leave in use
- drain the unused heater

Anything else I should do?

Thanks....

W

Turn off the electric to the unused heater - running the elements
unsubmerged = fzzt.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would shut off the electric, then after it's cooled, shut off the
water lines and leave it full. At least until you decide that it
works for you, which I guess it should. After that, still not sure if
I would drain it as it going to be nearly impossible to get all the
water out anyway and a tank full of water is less likely to rust than
one with a little water and lots of air.

On Mar 16, 11:18*am, "
wrote:
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. *They are about two years old. *As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

I figure I need to:

- shut off the cold water intake, outflow to the heater that will be
shut down
- shutoff the crossover valve that connects it to the other heater
will will leave in use
- drain the unused heater

Anything else I should do?

Thanks....

W

If they are hooked up so hot water from one goes into the other one
then only turn off the power on the first one and use it to temper
incomming water to the second one. Incomming water is colder than your
basement.

wrote:
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. They are about two years old. As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.
....

For the test period to determine if one alone is adequate, all you need
to do is cut the power to it and close its discharge valve.

Once you determine whether its and extra you can then decide whether to
do more or not.

For the long run if it isn't needed (and I'd have a hard time thinking
50-gal wouldn't cover anybody's ordinary needs, family or no), then I'd
probably go to the trouble of draining the other tank entirely as
leaving it indefinitely w/ water will inevitably end up w/ sour water
such that it will not be useful if/when wanted as the replacement.

It could be "abandoned in place" as an eventual replacement, however.

As someone else noted, of course you'll want to ensure the power is off
at the breaker and perhaps even make a hard disconnect so it couldn't be
accidentally powered on while empty while in disuse for the duration.

--

On Mar 16, 12:07�pm, dpb wrote:
wrote:
My wife and I recently moved into a house that has two 50 gallon
electric water heaters. �They are about two years old. �As it is just
the two of us, I would like to turn one of them off and see if one
heater can meet our needs.

...

For the test period to determine if one alone is adequate, all you need
to do is cut the power to it and close its discharge valve.

Once you determine whether its and extra you can then decide whether to
do more or not.

For the long run if it isn't needed (and I'd have a hard time thinking
50-gal wouldn't cover anybody's ordinary needs, family or no), then I'd
probably go to the trouble of draining the other tank entirely as
leaving it indefinitely w/ water will inevitably end up w/ sour water
such that it will not be useful if/when wanted as the replacement.

It could be "abandoned in place" as an eventual replacement, however.

As someone else noted, of course you'll want to ensure the power is off
at the breaker and perhaps even make a hard disconnect so it couldn't be
accidentally powered on while empty while in disuse for the duration.

--

turn off power and forget it, use first tank as pass thru tempering
tank, so water wouldnt get yuk.......

if you drain the tank the remaing moisture and air will make it leak
faster, rust just loves oxygen.

this is one that the simplest solution is likely the best