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Has anyone taken apart an Electric Water Heater?

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Has anyone taken apart an Electric Water Heater? Bud 03-22-2007
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Posted by Bud on March 22, 2007, 10:49 am


I had to replace my 30 years old elec. water heater and need to
dispose of it. The recycling center takes metal scrap for free but
charges for full water heaters.

I'd like to cut up the old water heater into small sections for metal
recycling. My biggest question it what's the main storage tank made
of. Is it steel? If it's glass lined does this cause any problems in
cutting it up?

Does a sawsall work OK or would a cutting torch work better. I'm just
not sure what to expect once I peel off the steel shell.

TIA


Posted by Roger Shoaf on March 23, 2007, 2:05 am



> I had to replace my 30 years old elec. water heater and need to
> dispose of it. The recycling center takes metal scrap for free but
> charges for full water heaters.
>
> I'd like to cut up the old water heater into small sections for metal
> recycling. My biggest question it what's the main storage tank made
> of. Is it steel? If it's glass lined does this cause any problems in
> cutting it up?
>
> Does a sawsall work OK or would a cutting torch work better. I'm just
> not sure what to expect once I peel off the steel shell.

Tin on the outside with a wrap of fiber glass insulation. To cut the tank a
torch will work fine or a skill saw with a metal cutting blade will work
also (gloves face shield and long sleeves)


--
Roger Shoaf
If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent.


>
> TIA
>



Posted by mm on March 23, 2007, 4:44 am


On 22 Mar 2007 10:39:59 -0700, scott21230@gmail.com wrote:

>Plenty of people take water heaters apart. One fo the reasons why they get
>taken apart is because often sediment builds up in it and it gets too
>heavy to remove it. So cutting it into smaller pieces often helps
>(that and usually when it's removed it's taken up stairs).

I wish I had thought of that.

I took off the top of my electric water heater, and it didn't look
easy to take apart, so I and a 140 pound woman continued to struggle
to get it up the stairs.

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on March 23, 2007, 7:37 am


-snip-
>Does a sawsall work OK or would a cutting torch work better. I'm just
>not sure what to expect once I peel off the steel shell.

Sawsall with the right blade-- But even if you have a sawsall, it's
cheaper to use a $5 plywood blade in a skilsaw. It starts slow-
but once it gets going it melts its way through. I've used the
same $5 blade to chop up two 275gallon oil barrels and 3 hot water
tanks so far-- since it is 'cutting' mostly by friction heat it
seems like the smoother it gets the faster it cuts.

!!!Be sure to use eye and respiratory protection!!!!

Jim

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on March 23, 2007, 7:46 am


-snip-
> A really old Hot water heater will be made of copper and copper = $$$$
> The newer ones are made from Galvanized steel though ...I've

The world is a very big place- but outside of museums I haven't seen a
copper water heater.

Where have you seen a copper [or even copper lined] one. Had to
be pre 1920's at least, wasn't it?

Jim


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