*sigh*
Tomorrow - for sure!
For some reason I slept a few hours longer than normal this morning. I didn't wake up till 10:45 am. I think the reason was more than just my early awakening to toss a mouse out of the house. 7:28 am is early. The sun hadn't even risen yet.
I had a suspicion I had a mouse when yesterday I found the peanut butter licked off the mouse trap. This morning - while asleep - I heard rustling in the paper bag I use for my garbage bag in the kitchen. A sign a mouse is in the bag searching or trying to get back out. I got up and tossed the bag outside. After doing so a mouse jumped out of the bag and ran off into the lawn. Or at least until he can find his way back into the house.
After I got out of bed for good this morning I found the mouse had licked the mousetrap clean. The peanut in the trigger's curl was still there. Smart mouse. I put more peanut butter on the trigger and reworked it to have more of a hair trigger. Ready for when the mouse gets back in the house. The best mouse is a dead mouse.
Even with my later start I thought I would finish the new hot water heater install today.
My first clue things would take longer (other than my late start to the morning) was the bricks I planned to set the water heater on didn't work as I thought they would. Three bricks were too large to fit in the closet. Two bricks were not large enough.I ended up cutting some extra boards and placing them around a single brick to make the platform large enough. I still can't explain why I have this compulsion to set my water heater on something.
Hmmm... after 1 pm. Maybe I should eat breakfast. I also need to get to Home Depot to get pipe and wiring. How 'bout if I eat a few pieces of fruit and a cookie on the way?
Home Depot shopping took far longer than planned. When looking for extra wire around the ranch I found a piece of old 10 gauge wire that looked usable. I showed it to the electrician, and while he said he preferred to buy new wire, thought my wire would work. He recommended I splice the two pieces of wire together inside a junction box. He helped me assemble the pieces I needed to do so: the box, cover, romex clamp connectors, and wire connectors. All sold separately.
Then it was on to the plumbing department. I had measured lengths of the pipes needed, and had a few pieces along to show the pipe widths needed, and the plumber helped me assemble what I needed. He was quick about it and in a hurry to move on so I reviewed what I had and my options after he left. I was there a while as the plumbers from the next shift stopped to ask if I needed help. "No, thanks, just thinking."
The plumber told me the cold water line into the water heater usually is 3/4" and the hot water line out is 1/2". Both my copper lines are 1/2". Now it makes sense as to why the previous tank's galvanized pipes to the copper pipes were different sizes. Still I don't know why the previous house owners had a 1/2" cold water copper pipe and not a 3/4" pipe. Since I have a 1/2" cold water line it doesn't matter if I have a 1/2" or 3/4" pipe to my new water heater. In case the copper pipe is ever replaced I decided to get the 3/4" galvanized pipe.
I bought two pieces of flex hose to go from the water heater to the pipes. 18" and 24" as the hot and cold connections are different lengths from the pipes due to how I have to position the tank in order to reach the thermostat and drain value from the closet door.
At home I started assembling the stuff. I attached the junction box to the existing wire and found a stud to nail the box to. I assembled the pipes for the cold water line. Instead of using the 18" flex hose I used the 24" hose. While the hose flexes, they only flex so far before kinking. I needed the 24" hose to prevent a kink.
Now, the 24" hose had been planned for the hot water line. I played around with different configurations of hot water pipes and where to put the reducer that brings the 3/4" pipe down to the 1/2" copper pipe. Nothing worked that would reach or not kink the flex hose.
Back to Home Depot to return the flex hose and a few other pieces that were now extra. I saw another beautiful sunset during my drive. I didn't have my camera to take a photo of it.
They only had flex hose in 15", 18" and 24" lengths. I may be able to make the 15" length work. It was getting late and my thought processes - slow to begin with - were breaking down. So while it doesn't prevent another trip to Home Depot, I also assembled galvanized pipe in the lengths I think I need, along with a union. I will not make the same mistake the previous owners made in not putting a union in the galvanized pipe to allow the pipe to be taken apart later. I bought both styles of piping and will see which actually works.
I looked at drip pans now as I had forgotten to do so during my first visit. I found the pan wouldn't help as the pan needed a drain nearby to funnel the water that may leak. I also found Home Depot sold a foam insulating circle on which to set electric hot water heaters. Now, I discover this, after I made my little pad and put together the cold water pipes. No way am I gonna switch now.
By the time I got gas for my pickup (all this driving!), and came home it was near 8 pm. Lack of eating caught up to me and I decided to call it a day and make supper. I'll finish my water heater tomorrow! For sure!
Besides, I'm running out of clean dishes!
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