Hot water tank explosion

[synolimit]

So my hot water tank is exploded. I removed the old one, what’s the sealant they use in between the units flange and the side of the RV? It’s still sticky and elastic so it’s not a drying caulk of some sort. Anyone??

[TCNashville]

It's probably butyl tape. Widely used in the RV industry.

[Jagiven]

X2 on Butyl tape.


May I ask what caused the water heater explosion? The safeties should have prevented any type of explosion.

[Tunce the traveler]

So what was it, an explosion or just a leak.

[synolimit]

Hard water built up around the heating rod and got stuck in between the 2.5” gas tube and in between the tank wall. The calcium/whatever couldn’t go anywhere and it must have expanded with heat and blew the side of the tank out and blew off the door and stuff of the heating rod element on the outside. Nice fun clean up at 10pm! Luckily I had duct tape and 2” foam panel I sealed the side off with and ripped it out fast.

[JimD]

Lucky it wasn't one of those MythBusters tank explosions!

This is the tape I used when installing my water heater.

[synolimit]

Originally Posted by JimD

Lucky it wasn't one of those MythBusters tank explosions!

This is the tape I used when installing my water heater.

Exactly! Just a 2” by 1/4” hole that blew the door off

[us71na]

Originally Posted by synolimit

Exactly! Just a 2” by 1/4” hole that blew the door off

Why didn't the safety valve open to relieve the pressure. That is what it is there for. Did someone remove it or plug it?

[synolimit]

Originally Posted by us71na

Why didn't the safety valve open to relieve the pressure. That is what it is there for. Did someone remove it or plug it?

Because I don’t think the tank was over pressured. It was a massive chunk of calcium/iron/magnesium/manganese etc that was jammed in between the wall, the gas pipe and the electric rod. It was probably expanding with heat and the ball couldn’t go anywhere. The aluminium tank was the weak link as that gas tube is 1/8” thick and way stronger.