Exploding Water Heater

[Billy_Bob]

In the past here, we have discussed the importance of having a pressure relief valve on water heating systems in case the water boils (212 deg. F.)...

Well here is a video of a water heater exploding...

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee286/ronaldrc/?action=view&current=Water_heater_exploding.flv

 

[Patrick62]

Goes off pretty good!

Temp & Pressure valves are a good idea. Not terribly likely on a typical domestic water heater. A closed system... yep, it could go off.

-Pat

 

[avalancher]

I happened to watch that episode yesterday on Mythbusters, not that I am in the habit of watching that show.
it was something else to watch that thing take off like a rocket. They plugged off the relief valve and removed the thermostat and hit the juice to it and thirty mintutes later it was lift off!
Next time I find an old water heater at the dump......

 

[tatra805]

Have a friend who is a firefighter. one day they had an intervention where a boiler went of. quite impressive pictures.

Valve and thermostat stuck. Boiler installed in storage room under wooden stairs. Old house with wooden ceiling. Boiler went through roof leaving a nice hole all the way up....... :jawdrop:

Nothing special if you know they still launch fighterjets with expanding steam... quite powerfull stuff

 

[Mike Van]

Billy Bob - Good video That heater in slo-mo looked like a little Saturn rocket leaving the pad at Cape Caniveral

 

[savageactor7]

The History channel had a plumbing show that showed a water heater blowing through a house roof and going about 100' in the air.

Apparently in those early years a few people did die from exploding water heaters.

 

[PA Plumber]

I happened to watch that episode yesterday on Mythbusters, not that I am in the habit of watching that show.
it was something else to watch that thing take off like a rocket. They plugged off the relief valve and removed the thermostat and hit the juice to it and thirty mintutes later it was lift off!
Next time I find an old water heater at the dump......

I've got an 80 gallon, that is only 9 months old, Sitting out back. Upper t-stat failed and it melted down.

The unit is sound and in good shape. You are welcome to it.