mgbinspect Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 I saw this beauty through a storefront in Fells Point, Baltimore MD on my way to the Philly Tri-State ASHI seminar, and had to photograph it. Click to Enlarge 88.65 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". As strange as it may sound, I'd love to not only have it, but get it in operation again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 As strange as it may sound, I'd love to not only have it, but get it in operation again. I'd opt for 'operational', instead of 'in operation'. It's a valuable piece of history and should be preserved. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Unfortunately, it wasn't in an antique place. If memory serves, it was a lobby for maybe an insurance or utility company. I doubt they'd part with it, but I do know where it is, if anyone's interested. I can narrow it down to about a six block area in Fells Point for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". I agree it's wicked cool, but if you took it home with you, what would you do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". I agree it's wicked cool, but if you took it home with you, what would you do with it? Tell the grandkids it's a one-eyed cast iron robot. I see an eye and a nose at the top of the pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". I agree it's wicked cool, but if you took it home with you, what would you do with it? My bet would be restoring it to perfect functional condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". I agree it's wicked cool, but if you took it home with you, what would you do with it? I picture it in the corner of the library, but my chair would be displaced. My bet would be restoring it to perfect functional condition. If the wife were to actually let me bring something like that into the house, I better convert it to a coffee maker. Like certain types of historic buildings, adaptive reuse may be a viable method for preserving some of these outdated building components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 That's an amazing find. I would've made an offer. I have a 1916 publication with a full page ad for that exact model. It's the original on-demand water heater (cast iron too). "Can you imagine... turn on any hot water faucet at any time and hot water gushes forth until you turn the faucet off again". Since you have the ad: 1. I gather the unit on the upper left hand side must be a relief valve? 2. The smaller line, apparently to the pilot, is before the larger unit, so I assume it didn't have a thermocouple. But, the pilot does have its own little thumb-screw shutoff at that top elbow. 3. I can't come up with any idea what the unit just below the main shutoff valve is. It doesn't appear to have any controls or other wires or lines going to it. 4. But, apparently this was, as you say, an "on demand" unit, but very primitive temperature regulation - set it and forget it? 5. You fire it up when you want hot water and turn it down to pilot or off, when done? The self closing service doors top and bottom are pretty cool. It's a real beauty. I love old stuff like this - handsome! I have a very old chemical fire extinguisher - all copper and brass. It has full instructions stamped into a large brass plate. The instructions begin, "To play..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 It would also make a dandy coat rack: http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/ ... /ruud.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 It would also make a dandy coat rack: http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/ ... /ruud.html Thanks for that post, Joe. I was wondering how the coils were set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Since you have the ad: 1. I gather the unit on the upper left hand side must be a relief valve? 2. The smaller line, apparently to the pilot, is before the larger unit, so I assume it didn't have a thermocouple. But, the pilot does have its own little thumb-screw shutoff at that top elbow. 3. I can't come up with any idea what the unit just below the main shutoff valve is. It doesn't appear to have any controls or other wires or lines going to it. 4. But, apparently this was, as you say, an "on demand" unit, but very primitive temperature regulation - set it and forget it? 5. You fire it up when you want hot water and turn it down to pilot or off, when done? The self closing service doors top and bottom are pretty cool. It's a real beauty. I love old stuff like this - handsome! I have a very old chemical fire extinguisher - all copper and brass. It has full instructions stamped into a large brass plate. The instructions begin, "To play..." It's a one-page ad, not a manual. I have seen some of these though, in simpler form, made by Humphrey, Hoffman and I think a Rex. Never a Ruud, which is the original automatic water heater. As water flows, it triggers the main gas valve to open. A standing pilot ignites the gas that heats the copper coil. There's an internal temperature regulator that reduces the gas flow when too hot. When the water flow stops, the main gas valve closes. Some areas had "coal gas" and the coils required regular cleaning, thus the doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 When Michael B. brought up this thread in another post, it reminded me that I came across a cool diagram for these old on-demand water heaters. Click to Enlarge 79.21 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 When Michael B. brought up this thread in another post, it reminded me that I came across a cool diagram for these old on-demand water heaters. Click to Enlarge 79.21 KB Thanks Bill, that really helps in understandding how it works. I imagine the only down-side to those units was getting scalded. Since there isn't a tank, I gather there was no need or application for a relief valve. Or, did the unit merely pre-date such valves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Watts has been around since the 1870's, and I think they're combination TPR came out in the early 20th century. So, I don't think it pre-dated TPR's.......but I'm not sure. Beautiful piece of machinery, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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