Thread: DHW heat exchanger on very, very old heater

I'll start with pictures:






This is our very old water heater, has worked great for us, can't imagine how much this puppy is costing us for electricity each month, but would it be possible to hook up a wtw hx on this baby. These are the only hookups on it, the cold water is on the bottom with the drain and the hot water comes out the side with the T & P valve. Is it worth it to try or do I break down and get a new one, and if so how would I go about hooking up a HXer to a on demand heater?

Anybody guess what the year is on this thing?

Thanks guys!

replace that old thing before it starts to leak.
You will also need to install a mixing valve for your families safety too. So you might as well start out with that entire unit new. Plus the new unit will likely have more insulation around it too.

I have a collection of old logos, nameplates from old furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters...and a Rheem plate just like yours....that heater dates to the mid fifties, probably has wrap-around exposed elements, and rock wool insulation that dives into your skin....now, for the replacement...
Look at Bradford-White, Ruud, A.O. Smith for an indirect heater (with internal coil), and an electric element. B-W makes a model with a coil, 2 electric elements, not a real smoker in the recovery dept. tho...makes 23 GPH hot water @ 100 deg. temp. rise. Gives you the best of both worlds, but at a salty price...$1K or so, up. Expect to lay out a few hundred for a HX/pump/tempering valve setup.

Search for DHW hookups...plate-type, or thermosyphon types have both been used with success.

We wondered if it was from the fifties, our home belonged to my grandmother-in-law and she swore up and down that the water heater was there when they bought the place in 1955. The thing still works great, I'm not surprised that the element is a wraparound, since it hasn't crapped out after that long with our well water.

I already have all the proper items to do the install it's just a matter of getting a new heater at this point.

Thanks for the info...

Originally Posted by bluestem

We wondered if it was from the fifties, our home belonged to my grandmother-in-law and she swore up and down that the water heater was there when they bought the place in 1955. The thing still works great, I'm not surprised that the element is a wraparound, since it hasn't crapped out after that long with our well water.

I already have all the proper items to do the install it's just a matter of getting a new heater at this point.

Thanks for the info...

PM me when you take it out...would like that nameplate.

will do mikey.

Bang zoom...Send er to the moon!!! Yeah replace it, don't waste time hookin new plumbin to that relic. LOL! Pretty amazing it lasted that long though. It's the ole "they don't build em like they used to" !!!

Originally Posted by bluestem

We wondered if it was from the fifties, our home belonged to my grandmother-in-law and she swore up and down that the water heater was there when they bought the place in 1955. The thing still works great, I'm not surprised that the element is a wraparound, since it hasn't crapped out after that long with our well water.

I already have all the proper items to do the install it's just a matter of getting a new heater at this point.

Thanks for the info...

I was at a friend's son's house last evening to start up a gas-fired steam boiler that had been dormant for 2 yrs...at the bottom of the steps was a Fridgidaire water heater, exactly like that...from the early 50's when GM owned Fridgidaire!...Got that nameplate too.