Mythbusters Water Heater - Various Camera Angles

[philip21786]

1:06 houston we have lift off

[Dproud2700]

I hope Buster was watching "Mythbusters" when the tank went through his house.

[mlc4433]

A flex line or something else would burst before a welded steel water heater tank would explode like that.

[mlc4433]

I'm not incorrect. It takes a lot more than capping a t&p to create the explosion that mythbusters created. I repeat: They capped the tank and left it 20% empty so steam pressure could build and bypassed the thermostat. I've seen a water heater rupture, but never have I seen one *EXPLODE*.

@lburk: You've never once seen a water heater blow up like that. Stop making stuff up. @solarcoordinates: I am well aware of the backflow devices on a house.

[Lburk1]

Actually you are quite incorrect in your comment 4433. Once you have a water heater in a house that already has 80psi of pressure, add to that a runaway thermostat gas or electric and a T&P valve that malfuntioned because it 10 years old and wasn't tested every year, you just made a VERY REAL BOMB! I have seen this twice in my 34 years as a professional plumber.

[mlc4433]

Closed system, not connected to any piping or a municipal water supply... just capped off. Also, not full. A water heater in a real situation will not be 20% empty like this one was (hence the space for steam pressure to build). And of course lastly, they removed the thermostat protection.

Not something that will happen by just capping off a t&p valve... they did a HECK of a lot more than just cap a t&p valve.

[SolarCoordinates]

@mlc4433 Houses have backflow preventers to prevent contaminated water from going back into the water supply. (Many water heaters also have check valves installed behind the wall to prevent the water from the water heater from entering the house's cold water pipes.) With no ability to get rid of excess pressure, the water will start to boil if you have a malfunctioning thermostat. Scale build-up can also seal a TP valve shut, which means your last line of defense has failed. BOOM!

[jnehls]

Well THERES your problem! lmfao!!!

[randomvideowatcher]

You could tell the water heater was pissed--it went through the roof. No one knew where the heater would land...it was up in the air for a few seconds.

[coldplasma1]

say nee to the unbelievers 

[scubadan1962]

Wow!!!!! Thanks guys, another bad ass job well done. :)

[thunderbay63]

Amazing!

[cff121]

Love it!!!!! Thanks Adam and Jaime!