# Kaboom!



## MSilver (Nov 15, 2011)

100 Gals. 88,000 btu's; check vave & no expansion tank. TPR failed...


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

That actually exploded? Pretty cool.







Paul


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## Nate21 (Nov 25, 2011)

Damn, that's crazy! Good thing no one got hurt!


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

The surprise is that the water heater was still in the house or that there was even a house left.

This was a regular 40 gal resi. in Scottsdale.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

And I bet that unlicensed hacks did both of those installs.


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

Wow that's crazy, I never saw that happen and hopefully never will.That's a good example to show people why a licensed plumber should install there water heater and have it inspected.


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## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

Wow!!! Are these both the same heater?


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## MSilver (Nov 15, 2011)

different water heaters...

Well. sometimes HO playing plumbers found really easy to install a plug in the TPR valve, quick and cheap way to stop a leak, also easy way to kill somebody...


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

Think there insurance covered that?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

In 1982 just NE of OKC an 80 gal water heater went through the roof of the mechanical room and landed 135' outside the building. The mechanical room was adjacent to the cafeteria at Star Elementary School in Spencer OK.

The brilliant maintenance man had plugged the leaking T&P outlet and put a used gas valve on the heater from another salvaged unit. For fear that there might be a problem with the lack of a T&P valve, he put one further up the line on a hot water pipe. But to get it to fit into the tee, he cut off the probe.

A little after 12 noon the heater went off like a rocket. It laid the brick wall of the mechanical room down on a table of 6 kids and one teacher. 

7 Dead, 36 others injured.

Like I said, I am shocked the room is still there in the OP. I've seen a lot of water heater explosion pictures but I have never seen drywall, 2x4's, and hollow core doors survive.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

So the T&P wasn't plugged right?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

He put a plug in the T&P outlet of the tank. Then broke the probe off the T&P valve and relocated it to a tee on the hot water line above the tank. Breaking off the probe probably contributed to the valve not opening under pressure.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> He put a plug in the T&P outlet of the tank. Then broke the probe off the T&P valve and relocated it to a tee on the hot water line above the tank. Breaking off the probe probably contributed to the valve not opening under pressure.


 




That's why plumbing codes state that the T&P relief valve "shall be installed in the shell of the water tank" and "shall be so located in the tank so as to be actuated by the water in the top 6 inches of the tank served."

I am no physicist, but I remember reading somewhere that when water is heated in a closed pressurized vessel, the energy is tremendous. In some cases it's equal to several sticks of dynamite.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Tommy plumber said:


> That's why plumbing codes state that the T&P relief valve "shall be installed in the shell of the water tank" and "shall be so located in the tank so as to be actuated by the water in the top 6 inches of the tank served."
> 
> I am no physicist, but I remember reading somewhere that when water is heated in a closed pressurized vessel, the energy is tremendous. In some cases it's equal to several sticks of dynamite.


When water turns to steam it expands 1700 times... Doesn't take much to get water in a tank to boil... Especially gas hwt. If all the safeties are plugged off... That's exactly what happens. It's awful people had to die. But our trade can be a dangerous one at times


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## The real E.P. (Aug 9, 2011)

Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68p4ngS-yME&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

The real E.P. said:


> Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68p4ngS-yME&feature=youtube_gdata_player


 




Wow. Thanks for posting.


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

The real E.P. said:


> Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68p4ngS-yME&feature=youtube_gdata_player


That was like a rocket.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Plumber patt said:


> When water turns to steam it expands 1700 times... Doesn't take much to get water in a tank to boil... Especially gas hwt. If all the safeties are plugged off... That's exactly what happens. It's awful people had to die. But our trade can be a dangerous one at times


If I recall my physics class super heated water will flash to steam and the steam will take up 10 times the space of water does.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Here is a story about a high school that had a 5 gallon water heater blow, plenty of pictures. http://www.masterplumbers.com/plumbnews/2001/dec/avon.asp

And here is the report on the elementary school http://www.combustionsafety.com/secured/pdf/safetyalerts/star_spencer_lesson.pdf


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

SewerRatz said:


> Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pVQryuKMj8
> 
> If I recall my physics class super heated water will flash to steam and the steam will take up 10 times the space of water does.
> 
> Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpjYgQURQ7o


I was always taught water will expand 1700 times when heated to 212 fahrenheit or 100 Celsius learned that in trade school and high school science class


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Plumber patt said:


> I was always taught water will expand 1700 times when heated to 212 fahrenheit or 100 Celsius learned that in trade school and high school science class


 Ok after some googling, I seem to have forgotten what I learned in my physics class 20+ years ago. Never to big of a man to admit I am wrong.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for posting Sewer Ratz, I have seen that old vintage Watts video before, but forgot alot of the information. 

I liked the part where they had 500 psi in a tank and then a man pierced the tank with a sharp sledge hammer and it didn't explode; the tank just let out the pressure. But with water heated above 212 degrees F and under pressure, you have a tremendous explosion.

Great video.


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