What are water heaters worth? - Page 2

Originally Posted by DakotaRog

What's a "drinking fountain" called in your area? I have a friend at work that grew up in Wis. (which isn't that far away from here) and they call them (I think) "water bubblers". I would have looked at him blankly if he would have asked me that one...

P.S. Anyone ever use the term "owly"?? Another colleague who grew up in Vermont was fasinated when his daughter who was in high school here used that term. He had never heard of it. He must have asked about a dozen people at work and only those generally from around here knew what it meant. Do you??

Sorry for the hijack but why not...???

Bubbler is a brand name, just like "crescent wrench" alot of sailors say Bubbler because guess what brand of drinking fountains end up on ships. of course the proper term is scuttlebutt.



V/r HT1

What are water heaters worth? Right now, like all light iron:

CRAP!

Although, like others before me have stated, any brass fittings as well as the (dirty) aluminum control box are still relatively valuable, just not near where they were over the last five years, but certainly better than light iron by leaps and bounds. Yeah, it sucks but unfortunately scrap metal is a commodity, and commodity prices (and this goes for ALL commodities) vary based on supply and demand and the demand overseas that fueled the formerly high prices is just not there right now, leaving an excess supply which caused prices to plummet like a falling comet. Hopefully things improve soon...

I scrapped an on demand hot water system.. if you get inside of the box that is the unit, there is this foam ring thing.. just leave that foam ring alone I guess that's similar to the foam cylinder inside the water heater. Other than the foam ring, there is lots of #1 copper. This unit I picked up even came with maybe 12' of #1 copper plumbing.. lol... I lucked out on that one.

I scrap them when they come my way, usually illegally dumped and a couple of plumbing contractors bring them to us. Like everyone has said I take any brass, copper and aluminum off first, Then add it to the light steel pile, only pennies a pound now, but those pennies will add up to dollars, water heater $2 to $4 in light steel.

Ironically mine went out Saturday morning, so I installed the new one Saturday night. The new one has electronic ignition with automatic pilot light system to light the main gas burner (pilot light only on demand), microprocessor-controlled electronic gas valve for precise operation microprocessor-controlled electronic gas valve has more precise operation, with electronic sensors that supposed to save energy and water. A little different than the old one, seemed a bit odd plugging a gas water heater to a 110 outlet. I hope it just last as long as the old one (21 years).

As this thread brought up the subject of how different things are called, in different areas. I'll add a couple from growing up in rural Arkansas. “fixin’ to.” Has nothing to do with fixing anything, Simply means I’m fixin’ to go somewhere or do something. A "turtle hull" refers to the trunk of a car (never understood that one). The very confusing, "over yonder", with a person almost always pointing or looking in a certain direction, but meaning anywhere but here!

So "Hot water heater" or "water heater" could all depend on where you come from!

Originally Posted by newattitude

Instead of the grammar police we have the ''technical'' police? I've called them 'hot water tanks' all my life, is it really worth splitting hairs over? that wasn't the OP's question anyways (what to call them). For cripes sake.

Lighten up Francis...its called "interjecting some humor into a topic" and I answered the question. BTW, "hot water tanks" is perfectly acceptable, as it is an exact description of what it is. Keep up the good work.

I can see "turtle hulls" from what cars very late 30s and after WWII looked like with be rounded tops and backs (did you know there was almost no cars made for the general public during 1942-1945?). Would some cars still qualify as "turtle hulls" today??

Thought I would post the weights from the old water heater I just replaced. Took about less than a hour to remove, about a hour to scrap it and much longer installing the new one. The old one was 21 years old and a 30 gallon tank, these are the scrap metals and their weights: Light Steel 118.5 Lbs., Aluminum (cast & MLC) 2 1/2 Lbs., Yell. Brass 14 1/4 Oz., Copper (1 & 2) 2 1/2 Oz., SS 1/4 Oz.

With the price of scrap metal right now I defiantly wouldn't go out of my way to get a water heater. If someone brings to me, or it was included with big load of other scrap metal, or like me had a old one that I had to deal with well by all

Water heaters and appliances are a waste of time unless you repair them and resell them I know a few who have made small fortunes doing this

I love waterheaters......i get alot from my plumbing contact. Some times 5, 6 ,or more a week. The bigger the better

I saw their structure, as I understand it is great, but a lot of work with them.