What I found while looking for a new water heater...big brother wants control of everything.

[JohnnyMac]

So my water heater is 16 years old and I thought I'd replace it rather than clean up the mess it makes in the next year or two and then replace it. In Washington (Oregon and Kalifornya as well) you can't buy one unless it has a "Demand Response" device connected to it so that the PUD? Local Govt.? Somebody anyway, can shut it off if they deem the power grid having too much demand on it. All it does for me is cost me about $300 bucks more for the same water heater I want in a "WA Approved" model. When does it stop?

I'm thinking that we'll just take an RV trip here soon and swing through a state that doesn't require DR and pick one up and bring it home. I'm going to install it myself anyway.

RCW 19.260.080: Electric storage water heaters.

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[Andy54Hawken]

Well if it does get shut off....
At least you won't be in hot water....

I have no issue with going out of state and buying a non-Demand Response water heater...
However it may become an issue if you try to sell your house.
Andy

 

[JohnnyMac]

Well if it does get shut off....
At least you won't be in hot water....

I have no issue with going out of state and buying a non-Demand Response water heater...
However it may become an issue if you try to sell your house.
Andy

I guess it would depend on year of manufacture maybe... My current heater doesn't have it, but I'm guessing likely grand-fathered. Good food for thought sir.

 

[Alexx1401]

How nice. Wonder how hard it would be to disable the damn thing after install ?

 

[JohnnyMac]

How nice. Wonder how hard it would be to disable the damn thing after install ?

Well, it says if it's not connected, the water heater will act like a normal, standard water heater...but still costs three hundred extra bucks if I use it or not. I was actually looking at a model that had wifi connection and you could use an app to adjust heat, check on the hot water available, set a timer etc... but I'm not gonna go that direction if it means I have to also connect to SkyNet....

 

[Lazyfaire]

So my water heater is 16 years old and I thought I'd replace it rather than clean up the mess it makes in the next year or two and then replace it. In Washington (Oregon and Kalifornya as well) you can't buy one unless it has a "Demand Response" device connected to it so that the PUD? Local Govt.? Somebody anyway, can shut it off if they deem the power grid having too much demand on it. All it does for me is cost me about $300 bucks more for the same water heater I want in a "WA Approved" model. When does it stop?

I'm thinking that we'll just take an RV trip here soon and swing through a state that doesn't require DR and pick one up and bring it home. I'm going to install it myself anyway.

RCW 19.260.080: Electric storage water heaters.

Replace the anode rod (and the 2 elements if you want) and put a hose to it to drain it. Then refill

Not a plumber BTW,

 

[Nosferatu]

I can't say I'm surprised. I'd buy one on one of my MT trips before getting one here.

If I were forced to get one here, I'd make sure that device has a static IP and all traffic to the 'net gets dropped at the router. No phoning home for that nonsense.

 

[TTSX]

I bought a water heater recently and so did my friend and neither of them had one of those units. In fact, I can't recall any in the store having them. You could even buy the cheapo ones that look like they came from 1988 if you wanted. All at Lowe's and home Depot

 

[Alexx1401]

I bought a water heater recently and so did my friend and neither of them had one of those units. In fact, I can't recall any in the store having them. You could even buy the cheapo ones that look like they came from 1988 if you wanted. All at Lowe's and home Depot

I looked at the Home Depot site and they "offer" tanks that do not have this BUT, they all say they will not sell those tanks in WA state.

 

[TTSX]

Here comes the water heater black market

 

[Alexx1401]

Here comes the water heater black market

Remember the toilets from Canada? WA is not new to this. Long ago they did away with toilets that used too much water. Great idea but the early models did not work worth crap as a toilet. So the Home Depot in Canada was doing a booming business with people driving up there to buy toilets that worked. Voters here prove over and over they learn nothing.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Replace the anode rod (and the 2 elements if you want) and put a hose to it to drain it. Then refill

Not a plumber BTW,

Yah, after 16 years, and the first 10 by an old man that didn't do any maintenance to the house, I'm inclined to start anew. I think I'll buy out of town.

 

[Alexx1401]

Yah, after 16 years, and the first 10 by an old man that didn't do any maintenance to the house, I'm inclined to start anew. I think I'll buy out of town.

Yep you are right to change it out soon. The damn things have a habit of failing when you are not home.
Last time one failed at a place Wife and I were living I just got lucky. It sprang a small leak that I happened to see right away and shut it off. They can make one hell of a mess if they let go and no one is home.

 

[Lazyfaire]

When we were just moving into our first house we were inside when there was a BIG BANG. Rushed out to find the water running down the driveway. Luckily it was easy to get the water shut off but its always something that I learn where the various water shutoffs are located. Plus it was an electric unit and was able to change it out myself.