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Ancient Water Heater

NoeVillegas
NoeVillegas Member Posts: 4
in THE MAIN WALL
Ran across this water heater that is still working and fully functional. Anyone know how old this is? Brand is Hoffmann Alumilux.

Comments

  • florenceccollinsc
    florenceccollinsc Member Posts: 4
    More than 50 years old water heater. Great its working after so many years passing
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,293
    Looks the same as a Trageser. Rebranded. I come across those once in a while too, always still running. Some are over 50 years old.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
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  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,599
    Hi, It's interesting to see Clayton & Lambert on the tag as well. I thought they just did torches, but it looks like they bought Hoffman. For what it's worth, Ruud came out with an aluminum tank, I think in the early fifties. It wasn't long before they were acquired by Rheem, so it may be that the aluminum tanks didn't hold up as well as anticipated. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to drink water from an aluminum tank!

    Yours, Larry
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,317
    Larry Weingarten said:

    Hi, It's interesting to see Clayton & Lambert on the tag as well. I thought they just did torches, but it looks like they bought Hoffman. For what it's worth, Ruud came out with an aluminum tank, I think in the early fifties. It wasn't long before they were acquired by Rheem, so it may be that the aluminum tanks didn't hold up as well as anticipated. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to drink water from an aluminum tank!

    Yours, Larry

    Hi Larry,

    I'm curious, why not drink water?
    A lot of commercial kitchen items like pots, pans etc are aluminum.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,599
    Hi, Have a look here: https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/new-resource-post-17/ and see if you feel the same about aluminum after reading this pamphlet from 1932. ;)

    Yours, Larry
    ChrisJ
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,317
    Larry Weingarten said:

    Hi, Have a look here: https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/new-resource-post-17/ and see if you feel the same about aluminum after reading this pamphlet from 1932. ;)

    Yours, Larry

    I'll have a look later tonight.

    I've seen all kinds of bad things about aluminum, but I can't imagine drinking water from an aluminum tank being any worse than using antiperspirant.

    That and I avoid drinking from tank heaters in general. :p

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 902
    I'm thinking about my "travel" coffee mug that I run out the door with everyday. It looks and feels like aluminum, maybe that's why I need to re-write my posts so often....
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,955
    It probably outlived the galvanized pipes attached to it.
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    I remember some discussion somewhere about a suspected correlation between cooking in aluminum pots, and Altzeimers disease.
    I would think it would be unlikely for anyone to be using hot water for anything but bathing.—NBC

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