My Water Heater Burst Open (help)

[onlinebiker]

This is not a good situation.  First of all, that heater should be on it's on circuit, and I would definitely turn it off.  Here's the good news.  You can turn off the circuit just long enough to remove both of the heating elements (I assume there are two), then safely turn the breaker back on.  It will require a wrench that is made specifically for that, but they are not expensive.

Now on to the leak.  You are going to have to replace that tank.  The likely cause is a buildup of scale and if its bad enough to burst, then it's done.  But here's the good news.  If you are any good with tools, you can easily replace it yourself or with the help of a friend.  You can buy a new one at any home store, haul it home or get it delivered, remove the old one and install the new one.  It'll take an afternoon but you'll save a couple hundies.  If you are unsure, just Google the procedure for replacing a water heater.  It's really not that hard.

Also, I would go ahead and replace your pressure relief valve.  That should have opened up to relive the pressure.  It sounds like it didn't, which suggests that its bad.

Now, after you've replaced it, I would recommend you get an electrician and get that thing on it's own breaker.

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Thanks for the advice, everyone. It's electric. The thing is shot, so I'm not worried about the elements burning out or anything.

I turned on the breaker to make some food and turned it back off again. I'm not gonna worry too much about it. I'll just turn the breaker on when I need the stove, and turn it off afterward. If anything, just to not use electricity I don't need. Glad there's no safety issue.

As for a replacement, I just want something that heats water and won't break the bank. This shit is expensive!

That's some janky electrical you've got there.  Your stove should be on it's own breaker as well.  All big appliances should have their own breaker.

You ain't seen janky til you seen my house...

Originally a whopping 30 amp service... A whole 2 glass fuses. A combination of individual wire and tar braid casing. Wired in 1939 by a high school student.

I have redone it - 400 amp service into the garage - then the house is a 100 amp sub-panel - and the kitchen, bath and utility room is a 100 amp sub- sub panel.

The barn and outbuildings are a separate sub- panel from the garage.

At least now we can run the air conditioner and the microwave at the same time.