I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.

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For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/how-long-do-electric-water-heater-elements-last-841338-.htm

On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 01:01:15 +0000, TexasPoonTappa
<b56b8f2fb27ec7d843dcd71d79efc0c2@example.com> wrote:

>I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.
Maybe he had a tank woth "strap-on" or "band" elements. Unlikely at
this point in time, but possible. I remember our old water heater at
home had strap-on elements. I HAVE also seen lowere insert elements
changes without draining and only a gallon or two of water escaped.
Just turn off the water supply. With no pressureized water coming in,
if air can't get in, water can't come out. if the only place air can
get in is also the only place water can get out you just need to be
faster than the bubble(s). (My dad was an electrician and got pretty
good at changing them with the tank full)

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:17:27 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 01:01:15 +0000, TexasPoonTappa
> <b56b8f2fb27ec7d8...@example.com> wrote:
>
> >I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.
> Maybe he had a tank woth "strap-on" or "band" elements. Unlikely at
> this point in time, but possible. I remember our old water heater at
> home had strap-on elements. I HAVE also seen lowere insert elements
> changes without draining and only a gallon or two of water escaped.
> Just turn off the water supply. With no pressureized water coming in,
> if air can't get in, water can't come out. if the only place air can
> get in is also the only place water can get out you just need to be
> faster than the bubble(s). (My dad was an electrician and got pretty
> good at changing them with the tank full)

Sounds like something that would work, until it doesn't and then you
flood the customer's basement. Like the new one won't go in right or
there is a faucet somewhere left open somewhere or the kid upstairs
opens one, etc. Wasn't your father charging by the hour? I'd be
draining the tank on the clock.

On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:25:36 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
<trader4@optonline.net> wrote:

>On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:17:27 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
>> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 01:01:15 +0000, TexasPoonTappa
>> <b56b8f2fb27ec7d8...@example.com> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.
>> Maybe he had a tank woth "strap-on" or "band" elements. Unlikely at
>> this point in time, but possible. I remember our old water heater at
>> home had strap-on elements. I HAVE also seen lowere insert elements
>> changes without draining and only a gallon or two of water escaped.
>> Just turn off the water supply. With no pressureized water coming in,
>> if air can't get in, water can't come out. if the only place air can
>> get in is also the only place water can get out you just need to be
>> faster than the bubble(s). (My dad was an electrician and got pretty
>> good at changing them with the tank full)
>
>Sounds like something that would work, until it doesn't and then you
>flood the customer's basement. Like the new one won't go in right or
>there is a faucet somewhere left open somewhere or the kid upstairs
>opens one, etc. Wasn't your father charging by the hour? I'd be
>draining the tank on the clock.

You might find out it won't drain and the drain cock won't close. The
scale in the heater could be above the bottom element and that is what
caused it to blow.
BTDT trying to help a neighbor with a quick fix. I ended up there for
hours.
I should have just capped the hose bib on the tank and disconnected
the bottom element. She really needed a new water heater but she was
broke. One old lady might not notice she was only getting 10 gallons
of hot water.

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 10:59:17 PM UTC-4, gfre...@aol.com wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:25:36 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
> <tra...@optonline.net> wrote:
>
> >On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:17:27 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
> >> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 01:01:15 +0000, TexasPoonTappa
> >> <b56b8f2fb27ec7d8...@example.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.
> >> Maybe he had a tank woth "strap-on" or "band" elements. Unlikely at
> >> this point in time, but possible. I remember our old water heater at
> >> home had strap-on elements. I HAVE also seen lowere insert elements
> >> changes without draining and only a gallon or two of water escaped.
> >> Just turn off the water supply. With no pressureized water coming in,
> >> if air can't get in, water can't come out. if the only place air can
> >> get in is also the only place water can get out you just need to be
> >> faster than the bubble(s). (My dad was an electrician and got pretty
> >> good at changing them with the tank full)
> >
> >Sounds like something that would work, until it doesn't and then you
> >flood the customer's basement. Like the new one won't go in right or
> >there is a faucet somewhere left open somewhere or the kid upstairs
> >opens one, etc. Wasn't your father charging by the hour? I'd be
> >draining the tank on the clock.
> You might find out it won't drain and the drain cock won't close.

At least then presumably you have a hose connected and aren't going
to flood the customer's basement like you could by taking the bottom element
out of a full tank. Aren't there caps you can get to seal off a leaking hose bib?
A cap with garden hose threads?
Even if draining the tank caused further problems, if I was a plumber I'd rather
deal with that than pay for a flooded basement. It also obviously depends on
the basement. If it's empty with a sump pit nearby it's different than a finished
basement or one full of stuff.

The
> scale in the heater could be above the bottom element and that is what
> caused it to blow.
> BTDT trying to help a neighbor with a quick fix. I ended up there for
> hours.
> I should have just capped the hose bib on the tank and disconnected
> the bottom element. She really needed a new water heater but she was
> broke. One old lady might not notice she was only getting 10 gallons
> of hot water.

On Thu, 21 Oct 2021 06:28:58 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
<trader4@optonline.net> wrote:

>On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 10:59:17 PM UTC-4, gfre...@aol.com wrote:
>> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:25:36 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
>> <tra...@optonline.net> wrote:
>>
>> >On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:17:27 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
>> >> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 01:01:15 +0000, TexasPoonTappa
>> >> <b56b8f2fb27ec7d8...@example.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >I'm not sure what kind of water heater old boy is using but it is not a tank. Try pulling the lower element out of a 30 gallon or 60 gallon tank water heater without draining it and tell me little to no water comes out. Your home doesn't work on a vacuum but by pressure, that's why you gauge GPM along with pressure. That's why people ask "how is the water PRESSURE?" That original post is by someone that doesn't know what they are doing or talking about.
>> >> Maybe he had a tank woth "strap-on" or "band" elements. Unlikely at
>> >> this point in time, but possible. I remember our old water heater at
>> >> home had strap-on elements. I HAVE also seen lowere insert elements
>> >> changes without draining and only a gallon or two of water escaped.
>> >> Just turn off the water supply. With no pressureized water coming in,
>> >> if air can't get in, water can't come out. if the only place air can
>> >> get in is also the only place water can get out you just need to be
>> >> faster than the bubble(s). (My dad was an electrician and got pretty
>> >> good at changing them with the tank full)
>> >
>> >Sounds like something that would work, until it doesn't and then you
>> >flood the customer's basement. Like the new one won't go in right or
>> >there is a faucet somewhere left open somewhere or the kid upstairs
>> >opens one, etc. Wasn't your father charging by the hour? I'd be
>> >draining the tank on the clock.
>> You might find out it won't drain and the drain cock won't close.
>
>At least then presumably you have a hose connected and aren't going
>to flood the customer's basement like you could by taking the bottom element
>out of a full tank. Aren't there caps you can get to seal off a leaking hose bib?
>A cap with garden hose threads?
>Even if draining the tank caused further problems, if I was a plumber I'd rather
>deal with that than pay for a flooded basement. It also obviously depends on
>the basement. If it's empty with a sump pit nearby it's different than a finished
>basement or one full of stuff.
>
Yup I have a big bag of hose thread caps and I should have just used
one but you know how good deeds get punished
Fortunately no basements here and the water heater was in a utility
room near the door outside. I could prop up a piece of K-gutter I had
behind the shed and let it drain all night. The next day when I pulled
the bottom element I could see how much trouble I was in and there was
still about 10 gallons of water in there. I sent most of it down the K
gutter too. I made a tool from some 3/4" and got as much scale out as
I could. I replaced the bib with a pipe nipple and a cap and replaced
the element. I told her to start saving her lunch money for a new
water heater. She did get another year or two out of it.
>
>