# Whoa this thing is old..but how old is it??



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

This is a water heater I replaced the other day, it predates the old white and green AO Smiths from the early 80's. It has to be mid 70's I would say. I kept the plate as a keepsake, Ill put it on my wall or something..You dont run in to them this old much anymore..Any idea just how old it is? I cant seem to make out any date in the serial number, or maybe Im too young to know how to read it:laughing:

50k btu..nice!


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

I replace a water heater that was installed in the crawl space of my last home.
It was the original water heater installed in 1954 !
It didn't leak but it kept eating the heating elements every 3 months .
Not sure what manufacture it was, but thats one hell of a tank.

Its still under the house , as I was to lazy to drain it and try to pull it out of the crawl.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> I replace a water heater that was installed in the crawl space of my last home.
> It was the original water heater installed in 1954 !
> It didn't leak but it kept eating the heating elements every 3 months .
> Not sure what manufacture it was, but thats one hell of a tank.
> ...


This was from a 12/2009 post https://warranty.hotwater.com/Heater...terSearch.aspx?
__________________


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> This was from a 12/2009 post https://warranty.hotwater.com/Heater...terSearch.aspx?
> __________________


I dont understand , are you saying I posted this in 2009 ?


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> Its still under the house , as I was to lazy to drain it and try to pull it out of the crawl.


That goes well with my rubber and hose clamp on my hot water line above my water heater:laughing:


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> I dont understand , are you saying I posted this in 2009 ?


No that post was made by Ron Hasil, but you should be able to Google 
AO Smith for a site showing date codes and serial numbers or a least what the numbers mean.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Plastic drain valve.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I'm not 100% sure but is the serial number 

1144Y0-1G19549



If that's right, it doesn't show up on A.O. Smith's phone app. to check warranty status. 








Paul


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## Smitten_kitten (Sep 8, 2011)

the 11th month in 1944 really that old maybe serial numbers are read differently nowadays


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

rocksteady said:


> I'm not 100% sure but is the serial number
> 
> 1144Y0-1G19549
> 
> ...


 H4470-1g19549 is what's on the plate


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> H4470-1g19549 is what's on the plate


Manufactured the 44th week of 1970. The numbers after that is location than its consecutive built number in order


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

ZL700 said:


> Manufactured the 44th week of 1970. The numbers after that is location than its consecutive built number in order


I've never seen that style plastic drain cock on a tank that old.

Do you think mebbe it was retrofitted in later years to flush it?


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

A friend of mine lives in a house that is on it's second water heater. House was built in 1906. Copper heater. I told him 30 years ago when we did a repipe that he's probably heating more rust than water, but because he only has two people in the house and never runs out and the unit is in the basement where a flood wouldn't do much damage, he says he'll wait until it takes a crap.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Plumbus said:


> A friend of mine lives in a house that is on it's second water heater. House was built in 1906. Copper heater. I told him 30 years ago when we did a repipe that he's probably heating more rust than water, but because he only has two people in the house and never runs out and the unit is in the basement where a flood wouldn't do much damage, he says he'll wait until it takes a crap.



Copper heater?? Whoa. I'll Chang that one out when it fails:thumbup:


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> Copper heater?? Whoa. I'll Chang that one out when it fails:thumbup:



You mean so you can give it to your boss right?:laughing:


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## PrecisePlumbing (Jan 31, 2011)

I've seen a few rheem copper-mattic s still ticking along from the late 60s early 70s in a few apartment blocks in st kilda in Melbourne. They damn well don't make em like they used to


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

89plumbum said:


> You mean so you can give it to your boss right?:laughing:



But of course..:no: ha ha ha


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

Widdershins said:


> I've never seen that style plastic drain cock on a tank that old.
> 
> Do you think mebbe it was retrofitted in later years to flush it?


Yea, or its 1984 but they didn't use that style draft hood

Maybe it's a hybrid creature


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

ZL700 said:


> Manufactured the 44th week of 1970. The numbers after that is location than its consecutive built number in order


I knew it was a late 60's-early 70's, I put many of them in...


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Plumbus said:


> A friend of mine lives in a house that is on it's second water heater. House was built in 1906. Copper heater. I told him 30 years ago when we did a repipe that he's probably heating more rust than water, but because he only has two people in the house and never runs out and the unit is in the basement where a flood wouldn't do much damage, he says he'll wait until it takes a crap.


I HAVE CHANGED OUT 3 OR 4 OF THOSE OVER THE YEARS "NOT" BECAUSE
OF TANK LEAKING BUT BECAUSE OF CONTROL PROBLEMS AND PARTS NOT MADE ANY MORE :thumbsup:


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