# 800 Pound Commercial Gas Heater



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

So tomorrow morning at 7 AM me weighting in at 170 lbs 5'4 and another plumber is going to install a new gas water heater for a commercial restaurant, the existing one is in a pan, what are the odds two of us lifting this old heater out and getting the new one in without someone getting hurt?

Split the weight between the two of us and that's 400 pounds split, thats over twice what I weigh. Should we be concerned?


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

I would think so!
Slow and steady.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

I carry one of these for that situation.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

We only have to 11AM till the door is to open, using that KTS is out of the question, my main concern is lifting and clearing threshold of the pan without crushing the edge, I guess the pan can be reshaped if it comes down to it.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

What kind of pan is it? Unless it's made of gold I would say rip the heater out and if the pan is damaged, replace it. Are there any over head structures above the heater that would support its weight? If so, pulleys are nice for certain situations.

If a new pan is not an option and neither is an over head pulley, try this:

Put 2 ratchet straps on the heater. One at 1/3 the way up, the other at the 2/3. slide 2 pieces of 3/4 pipe in each strap and tie them into a loop before installing the straps on the heater. You should end up with 4 handles. you will also need a 1x12 piece of lumber and a strip of EPS foam board of the same size. Strap the foam and board to the heater with the foam side on the heater. Use a saw hoarse as a fulcrum point behind the heater once in position for the lift. You can strap the hoarse to the heater if you don't have a 3rd person to keep it from being pushed over. Tilt the heater back onto the hoarse with the foam and board in-between to guard against dents. Once the bottom of the heater is higher than the pan, slide the heater slide down the hoarse diagonally into the pan and you got it.


If the pan has plenty of space around it to tilt the heater past the pan, then rollers are an option as well.


Good luck and be safe!


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

If there is overhead structure a come along and a tag rope will get er out.

1 man operation...


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

we just put 2 100 gal water heaters in the other day. it only took 4 of us to get it in the pans on 8 inch blocks. good luck.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Was going to rent a Genie Lift but they won't support that much weight.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

No usable overhead for that type of operation, the heater set inside a set of French doors right off of the main dinning room, so care for the carpet area is also a concern, but that's what drop cloths are for.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Keep us posted


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

have a little car jack? that might work to pick it up enough to get the pan set


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

muck said:


> have a little car jack? that might work to pick it up enough to get the pan set


Thats a thought, but have to keep in mind any pressure being apply to the bottom of the heater can damage the burner unit. The heater cost us $3300 bid it out at $5500


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Hire this guy for a day Ron!


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Get this the water coming in is 1" and the water going out is 3/4" is that wild or what?


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Strange!
Must have passed code that way when installed. Usually in commercial it is always 1" in, and 1" out to a point at which it is then reduced to 3/4", but never right at the heater


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Well it's at the wall. It will get a minor label permit.


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

Good Luck, Be Safe And If Possible Get A Third Person.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I do these all the time with one other plumber. It's always done on overnights. The heaters are BTR 365's or BTR 500's. We use brute strength and a furniture dolly. The heaters are in a room that opens to the outside with double doors. We have to tilt them back to get them under the header, while getting them over the threshold, nice. Good luck. My body is usually one big ache for the next week.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Yes, we always did these at night as well so there'd be no interruption of service.


We always put bricks inside the pan so the edges would crush down, either leave them in which doesn't hurt a thing or take them out once your in the pan.


I did one commercial heater at a pizza restaurant this year, 82 gallon A.O. Smith that had my hemmorhoids hanging as low as my nutbag. Yeah, think about that for a minute.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Done and not as difficult as thought, we had extra help, just bent the edge of pan to get it set in place.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Good! Always nice to hear something worked out well, and everyone is safe!


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I was wrong it did have 1" hot and cold stubs at the wall, the 3/4" that was there was for the bathrooms which had the thermo mixing valve.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> I was wrong it did have 1" hot and cold stubs at the wall, the 3/4" that was there was for the bathrooms which had the thermo mixing valve.


That sounds more like it!


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

Good Job Ron! I knew you could get the install done o.k. I was worried about the carpet.:thumbsup:


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

para1 said:


> Good Job Ron! I knew you could get the install done o.k. I was worried about the carpet.:thumbsup:


Oh no! Not the carpet! Say it aint so Ron!


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