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Thread ID: 83669	2007-10-09 06:25:00	Frugal: Questions About Hot Water Cylinders	MeOldMate (12871)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
599599	2007-10-09 06:25:00	1. I've seen advice to the effect that the hot water cylinder ought to be drained occasionally to remove the gunk that will accumulate around the element. Has anyone done this? I'm not sure how to go about it. 2. I've also seen, on American sites, talk of a timer you can put on the cylinder so that it's off while you're out at work and turns on in time to heat the water ready for you when you get home. Has anyone had this done? 3. My hot water cylinder is not too old (less than 10 years). The sides are not warm to the touch, which is supposed to be a sign of inefficiency. However, it does have uninsulated copper pipes coming out the top that are hot to the touch. I'd like to insulate these. Actually it's one pipe that branches soon after leaving the cylinder. Each branch has a wire clamped to it (earth?) and I'm a bit wary of moving/undoing these, but they are right in the way of an insulation job. Any ideas? 4. (Lastly) I had a bad habit (since curbed) of running the hot tap to rinse things out or warm a cup, or whatever, thereby repeatedly introducing cold water into the cylinder and warming/cooling the pipes leading from it. Now I use a thermos for those little shots of hot, but that's only a litre and it loses a million degrees (approx) every time I open it. Has anyone seen a big thermos with a tap on it? Say, 2 to 5 litres?	MeOldMate (12871)
599600	2007-10-09 06:33:00	Have you ever considered a hobby?	Metla (12)
599601	2007-10-09 06:42:00	It's all down to a change of circumstance and reduction of earnings. I did say in the first thread of this series that those not interested in the subject could avoid these posts as they would be marked as "Frugal:" I realise it's not everyone's cup of tea.	MeOldMate (12871)
599602	2007-10-09 06:47:00	Oh, I'm interested, Just thought I would ask a question.	Metla (12)
599603	2007-10-09 06:56:00	A Hobby? Come & do some house painting for me. Then you really will be a Mate!!!! PJ:rolleyes:	Poppa John (284)
599604	2007-10-09 07:16:00	OK. I get the message.	MeOldMate (12871)
599605	2007-10-09 07:25:00	OK. I get the message. What message?...That was only friendly banter. I'm sure someone will post some real info, There are a couple of plumbers around here.	Metla (12)
599606	2007-10-09 07:25:00	Answering your points :- 1) never heard of this, if you are in a city area gunk build up should not be a problem. 2) Can't see point of timer, if tank is well insulated as yours appears to be heat loss, hence power use should be minimal. 3) if they are earth wires they can still be moved, as long as they remain on the same length of pipe, however again as you appear to use so little hot water, your savings would be minimal if you insulate the pipes and you will lose the benefit of having a hot cupboard to air clothes and dry towels.	tutaenui (1724)
599607	2007-10-09 07:26:00	10 year old HWCs ARE old! According to our plumber once upon a time the things would last 20 to 25 years, these days it is 10 to 15 if you are lucky. And when they go they have a nasty tendency to take out odd things like the floor, particularly if it is particle board. At least older houses have joists made of treated timber which tend to survive. Who knows how much damage they cause to untreated timber? (Landord here. Just for a change our latest drama doesn't revolve around a HWC. A joint on a pipe sprung a leak and softened some of the floor. A couple of square metres to be replaced next week - under walls and all. And the lino is only 3 years old!) Just wait and insulate it when you do the cylinder.	Mercury (1316)
599608	2007-10-09 07:27:00	Here in Wanganui lime build up can ruin a hot water cylinder in a very short time. Though, We don't qualify as a city.:lol: And just to contest my own comment, the cylinder I had replaced in my house was the original, 1967. Plumbers would offer comments along the lines of...Holy ****, This was made before I was born. It eventually tried to kill me by continually boiling and then venting, The idea being that the $600 power bill would leave no money for food.	Metla (12)
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