.
I made plans as if I was going to get to them. I had no idea if I would, could. While stumbling around I made it to the basement for the hose, got that up here, and... figured out part of my problem with lifting the old water heater. Oh, it has plenty of water in it. And it does have some heft all it's own. But too, and primarily as it turns out, it has a vent that goes through the floor. It isn't just passing through, though, either. It was pretty much wedged in that hole. So... after trying to cut the pipe, and that failing, I couldn't get the clamping pipe cutter close enough or a hacksaw in there, a closer inspection showed that the pipe was bolted in. Now, getting a wrench in there was a trick. And it was one slow fifth of a turn per run... after I figured out, mostly, which was was tight, then which way was loose. I just don't get that natively yet. Done. And the thing is draining as well. In an half hour I'll check it. If light enough I will remove it. Then to get the new one unpacked and in there, to just see if it will even fit. Gosh I hate this not knowing part.
I will have to go to town. I need a multimeter. While pricey, this one or this one looks about right for my needs, and is class IV, true RMS, and a few other tiddlies, just in case. Are they the best? Look, I tried to dig into the topic and came up with a bunch of suggestions that don't exist on even $400 devices. Either that or I am told the cheaper the better. When you do just a bit more digging, you find out why the "cheaper the better" will just as likely get you killed as not. Many of the cheap ones do not even have fuses for the 10 amp. What? Never mind, just... look... if you are a pro, and doing little stuff, then you know what you are doing and can probably get away with some of the safety features. Or if you are working on battery powered things, where you won't blow your hand off accidently. If you are a noob, you wear the good, and right, armor. N'kay? I had planned at starting looking in the $100 range. I looked on Amazon, and other places. But I need this now. At least with this store, they might have it in stock. Or the other big box might have similar or better. Amazon has lost it's price edge, in many areas, as well. It's great for those things that are hard to track down, or an occasional deal, but...
Yes, I'm... most likely... going to get some things done today. Although I've got to admit, if I have to take this water heater back, I might be in energy exhaustion again before I can get the one I buy to replace it in place. That is a beast to haul around, especially being... oh... so... careful! Argh but I hate that part. Updates later.
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I did get it drained. I finally got it out. It was pretty nasty, so I put cardboard underneath then backpedaled the thing through the whole house and out the back door. I tipped it so as to let anything remaining drain out, or so I hope. Next, to get the new water heater carefully unpackaged and in there, oh so carefully. But first I want to clean that area a bit. Someone was saying they had helped install it twenty or thirty years ago, and I think they were right. This thing is truly ancient. I wondered why I couldn't find even the make and model, let alone the company names on it... now I know. All good though. It did not have an anode, and was a small cheapy, essentially a smaller tank size but similar price range of the replacement.
See, this is the part I hate. I know I have to do all this work just to see if I can fit the thing in. And I really can't know until it is in. Measurements just aren't enough with the experience I have to know, or figure out how to measure accurately enough to know. Trial and error. If it does fit, I still have to go to town for a few things. What was it again? A dmm, strapping wire and concrete screws... milk but that's something else... wasn't there something(s) else I needed from the hardware side of things? Ackh! Whatever the case, after towing the thing in, fit or not... If it needs to go back I may try to box it up. After fit and rebox if necessary, a nap I think. I just hope I wake in time to make it in to town yet tonight. They are open until 22:00, should work, if I don't tarry and my nap is short enough.
Hey, at least I'm back to work. I'm not moving fast, but some movement is better than none. I'll take it. Later.
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Yes! Eureka!
The water heater fits, and well. I think I was way over worrying. It might actually fit just as far back in. I was thinking it had a larger diameter, by just a bit, than the old one. Regardless of what my measurement of the old one and the box of the new one indicate, I think the new one is slimmer. Now, as I was putting it into the bathroom it seemed... almost too snug to get in. Oh was I sweating things at that point! Yes, yes, I put the cinder blocks down first. Though I may have to adjust them a bit. I think the whole thing can go back another six inches. But I haven't dealt with removing some fixtures and refitting for the height of the new water heater. I actually feel better just having that major concern lifted.
I did clean up the bathroom, as well as I could. I'm just a man, and maybe not even that. Ogre, nephilim, giant... it's not our area. Oh, and the other toilet just arrived. As soon as the water is flowing in there I will be able to install the new toilet post haste. Yum! Then I can shower, shave, and do my duty, free of any entanglements with guests. I know I can do that part, assuming the toilet is whole, intact after shipping. The water heater, though, is what was giving me motivational constipation. I just... didn't want to know... in case... or something. I am sure I can get the sweating done, too. The one thing I need to add to the shopping list... well several things... is galvanized pipe, two pieces which I will need measurements, and an elbow join for those. That will be my new vent. I will also need to drill a new vent hole. The old water heater required a 1/2 pipe, this one, if I had to guess, will require 3/4", though I will at the manual first. Now I am quite disappointed about one thing. The box said 40 gallon. I didn't notice until I got home, but someone had penned "50 gallon" on the side of the box. I did not see this until just today. Sure enough, I have two 50 gallon water heaters. There wasn't that much extra cost, or electric per year, but enough. I am going to check the receipt and raise a little heck if they charged me for what was written and not what was printed. A little peeved, I am... But I'm not taking the damn thing out, boxing it, and then taking it back. I will simply expect them to make good on it.
I feel like a king! But, yeah, a shower then a nap, or such. Hopefully up in time to get my shopping list filled before the stores close. Hmm, I'll skip the shower until after my nap, actually. Never the who. Later!
I look at the pricey ones, and then buy the $12 basic model. For most of my uses I can't see paying more.
ReplyDeleteOh, I... knew that. I put that out as bait a couple of times... just to see if you would take it. *bzzzbzzzbzzz* May be half crazy, but at least part of it is like a fox. Not one great in fiscal- or diy-fu, but... *bzzzbzzzbzzz*
ReplyDeleteYou're not going to be sticking your fingers in any 480 volt boxes. The worst that happens (having anything to do with the meter at least), is you fry the $12 meter, throw it away and buy another $12 meter.
ReplyDeleteBells and whistles are nice if you're a professional and need the speed that a digital, autoranging multimeter gives you.
As for drawing me out, whatever floats your boat... :P
First? Sometimes I don't think you read here. If it is possible, no matter how unlikely, I may end up doing... almost anything. And since I haven't done that before my guess is 480 plus volts is in my future. Just... Yeah.
ReplyDeleteSecond. *smile* You are like the only big brother who knew more and use logic. I had one brother that had a wisdom to his soul, and some brains and such, but he was much older unfortunately. The rest of my brothers are rocks. I loved some of them, next up more so, but... rocks. Plus... the younger brothers, youngest worst of all, have a reputation for floating our boats. That's why mom always had to make the older ones take us anywhere. I'm glad you have matured beyond that, because I haven't. :p
The good news for you then, is that you don't have any 480 volt power in your house. (Unless you take apart an old tube-type TV and muck about near the flyback transformer...)
ReplyDeleteNot saying 240 volt can't do some harm (in the right circumstances it can kill you), but 480 to 600 is the really dangerous range. 480 volt is found in industrial settings, or (in my case) well and booster sites. I was poking around some 480 volt on a project once, before I realized how dangerous it was... It was a stupid design (not mine), because the raw 480 volt terminals were in the same cabinet (unprotected) as some potentiometers that needed adjusting to make the booster run right. Not the way it should be, to say the least...
I only had a younger brother--ten years younger. He was the "booger brat", and I still think of him as being a spoiled little shit.
ReplyDeleteBooger Brat? My word, someone has that worked out. Oh, never actually fear. I'm not quite that bad. Then again, if you were the eldest, my guess is you have... issues all your own, even just being the eldest son grants troubles. Most of the various children have... little... problems. I think the middle daughter(s) have it the worst unless they are exceptional (same for any child placement... true exceptionalism grants a pass, if acknowledged by the parents). I've been in five different sibling arrangements. While that doesn't make my thoughts and what I believe sure... it is more experience than most will know. I was always the "booger brat", by the way.
ReplyDeleteAnd, as for the 480, probably right about not finding it in my home, if I still won't hold my breath that it is in there somewhere. It depends on if someone wanted it here for any reason whatsoever. People, hereabouts, do what they damn well please, and have a way of just doing it, somehow. Then again, where is that different? The difference is these people are usually, or were, more entrepreneurial and a bit more technical. Then again, if I had 480-600, somewhere hereabouts... I might have to consider how to... use it.
The other thing is, who said it would be in my home that I would find it. I seem to almost trip on weird new stuff. What doesn't nearly choke my life off seems to be really interesting. If I dig deep enough it almost always attempts to kill me... I dig deep if I get to a point where I can and the opportunity remains long enough for me to wake to tinker. Then again, I think most people are totally unaware. They don't want to know. Even your woman can be a live wire, lethally. And even a little thing might bring her closer to that than you know. *zap* The whole world, it almost seems, was designed to kill.
I'm not sure if those who dig deep are any more in harms way, or if they are just more aware of what is down there. I'm not a great adventurer in the scope of the number of holes I dug, just in the depths. Illness has barred my opportunity though. *whines - not fair whimpers* *laughs* All I am saying is... Well? You stumbled upon it, almost blindly, and very dangerously. Why would you think I wouldn't, or couldn't... somewhere. Not in my sheds though, or garage.
Oh! Uhrm. Morning blathering. Don't even bother reading. I think I was half dreaming while writing that. I have to hope it is even all in English. Can't really edit, not awake.
ReplyDelete