[OT] Fast, Fun Unclogging
Winston
Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
--Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
--
Congratulations Robert Piccinini and Steven A. Burd, WalMart Publicists of the Year!
TwoGuns
Go easy on the Burritos with extra cheese and avoid the clogs period.
DL
Winston
> On Dec 28, 1:20 pm, Winston <Wins...@bigbrother.net> wrote:
>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>>
>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>>
>> That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
>>
>> --Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
>>
>> --
>
> Go easy on the Burritos with extra cheese and avoid the clogs period.
I could. But then life would have no meaning. :)
--Winston <-- A Foodie *before Foodies were cool*
David Lesher
>I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
I've been warned such may melt the wax ring seal...
--
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
Larry Jaques
<Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>
>Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>
>That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
Ooh, filing that procedure in mind for later retrieval and use. But
just for shits and grins (note the master pun there) has anyone trying
this ever cracked their terlit bowl from the thermal shock of 212F
water hitting the 40F ceramic? That would be worse than working with
Mr. Auger, methinks.
>--Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
Erm, isn't that what CAUSED the clog? ;)
--
"I believe that sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, wholesome things
that money can buy." --Tom Clancy
Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
>I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>
>Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>
>That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
>
>--Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
Don't try that if you aren't prepared to replace it - Thermal Shock
and unequal thermal expansion stresses can do wonderful things to
ceramics...
--<< Bruce >>--
Winston
> Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net> writes:
>
>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>
>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>
> I've been warned such may melt the wax ring seal...
I'm sanguine on that point.
Wax melts if held above ~140 F for many seconds. I poured ~ 4 cups of
180 F water into a ceramic bowl containing ~8 cups of 60 F water and uh,
'solids'. I guess that the resulting mixture peaked at an average of
~120 F for a couple seconds before the ceramic began sinking heat away,
cooling it. Several seconds later, the bowl was 1/3 full of 60 F
water. I figure my one minute average temperature rise was about 20 F.
I'm within SOA (even after lunch at Pedro's).
--Winston <-- Owns a Liberal Loo
Winston
> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, the infamous Winston
> <Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>
>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>>
>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>>
>> That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
>
> Ooh, filing that procedure in mind for later retrieval and use. But
> just for shits and grins (note the master pun there)
Good one. (Mumble)
> has anyone trying
> this ever cracked their terlit bowl from the thermal shock of 212F
> water hitting the 40F ceramic? That would be worse than working with
> Mr. Auger, methinks.
The bowl warn't empty, Larry. It already had half a gallon of 60 F
water in it. I poured down the middle of the existing water so's
temperature moderated before hitting the bowl walls.
Your mirror is more likely to shatter by spraying it with cleaner
in the summer. That don't happen, either.
>> --Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
>
> Erm, isn't that what CAUSED the clog? ;)
Hey life is a compromise. If lunch occasionally results
in a 'three flusher', that's between me and the Water Co. yes?
--Winston
Winston
Modern facilities are 'way stouter than that.
I've spalled ceramics before. It took > 3000 F for several seconds
concentrated on ~ 1" square.
+60 F pk evenly applied over ~ 60 square inches for ~ 10 seconds is
hardly in the same ballpark, yes?
If it was, one would expect to see pots exploding underneath
people all the time. (No, I'm not going to do those experiments.)
--Winston
TwoGuns
Your experience reminded me of my first time working away from home.
When I was a kid I loved Salami. Since it wasn't in the budget at home
I could never get enough of it. With my first paycheck on my own I
bought a ten pound roll of Salami and about three pounds of cheese,Rye
bread,onions and a jar of Miracle Whip. I was set for a week. I had
Salami, cheese and onion sandwiches topped with a generous amount of
Miracle Whip for breakfast lunch and supper for about six days. On the
following Sunday morning as I rolled out of bed to get ready to go to
Church the sudden urge hit me. Oh man did that hurt! Not wanting to
get too graphic but I have heard women talk about the pain of
childbirth. Childbirth could not be much worse than what I went
through that morning. When I finally finished I couldn't flush the
toilet. I didn't have a plunger so I had to call the Landlord who
happened to be a plumber. He wanted to take it to a taxidermist at
first. He said he had never seen one that big. I finally talked him
out of it but hindsight being what it is maybe I should have kept it.
That might have been my only chance for the Guiness Book of World
Records.
DL
Winston
I was laughing *with you* just now.
--Winston <-- It sure as hell wasn't funny at the time, though.
jbsl...@gmail.com
wrote:
Errr.... The bathroom sink (the one you run hot water in to shave) is
likely made by the same people that made the "throne". Are we to stop
shaving with hot water because of "thermal fear"? Or, perhaps the
threat of fracture is being over stated?
Regards,
J.B.
Wes
>I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>
>Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>
>That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
Plungers work rather well. Storing them near by is a bit nasty.
Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller
Larry Jaques
<bruceNOSP...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:
Great minds think alike, Bruce. ;)
Someone else (David Lesher) mentioned wax rings. Those probably aren't
compatible with boiling water, either, even if they're not made of
real wax. Has anyone tried melting one?
--
It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars.
-- Garrison Keillor
Larry Jaques
scrawled the following:
>Errr.... The bathroom sink (the one you run hot water in to shave) is
>likely made by the same people that made the "throne". Are we to stop
>shaving with hot water because of "thermal fear"? Or, perhaps the
>threat of fracture is being over stated?
If you have -instant- 212F water from your bathroom faucet, JB, you's
in a -heap- o' trouble, even if it doesn't hurt the fixtures.
Mine takes 2+ minutes to come up to the water heater's temp of 120F,
if ever.
Phil Kangas
"Winston" <> wrote in message
braggart........;>))
Winston
Heh! I'm in Beef Chimichanga Nirvana!
--Winston
Winston
> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:10:37 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
> wrote:
(...)
>> If it was, one would expect to see pots exploding underneath
>> people all the time. (No, I'm not going to do those experiments.)
>>
>>
>> --Winston
>
>
> Errr.... The bathroom sink (the one you run hot water in to shave) is
> likely made by the same people that made the "throne". Are we to stop
> shaving with hot water because of "thermal fear"?
> Or, perhaps the
> threat of fracture is being over stated?
I believe that is the case.
Winston
> Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net> wrote:
>
>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>>
>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>>
>> That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
>
> Plungers work rather well. Storing them near by is a bit nasty.
Hey, I've used plungers.
No plunger worked as quickly and neatly as the 'hot
water' treatment did. Was no more than 10 seconds
ISY not.
--Winston
Winston
Aw, come on Larry. :)
Was no more than ~120 F for about 10 seconds.
I'm at 230 ft ASL so this is not 'boiling' temperature by a long shot.
--Winston
Stormin Mormon
I think the coffee pot in the original post was probably
150F or so?
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
<jbsl...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:bpjij5tsjsoftqn87...@4ax.com...
Stormin Mormon
someone had left a solid which was far larger than the drain
opening. A bucket of hot water from the custodian closet,
and when I went back, the bowl was clear. Someone else must
have flushed, and sent the offending material down the
drain.
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Winston" <Win...@bigbrother.net> wrote in message
news:hhb0e...@news3.newsguy.com...
Bruce L. Bergman
Odds are long, but it could happen - Toilets usually don't get
thermally stressed at all, and if there is a hidden defect under that
glaze it could be just enough...
And we keep the back water heater at 160F - better for the clothes
washer and the dishwasher and the kitchen sink, you don't have to run
the electric booster in the dishwasher.
--<< Bruce >>--
Phil Kangas
"Winston" <> wrote in message
> Phil Kangas wrote:
>> "Winston" <> wrote in message
>>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of
>>> hot water into the bowl.
>>>
>>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's
>>> magic on
>>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying
>>> manner.
>>>
>>> That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr.
>>> Auger.
>>>
>>> --Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Congratulations Robert Piccinini and Steven A. Burd,
>>> WalMart Publicists of the Year!
>>
>> braggart........;>))
>
> Heh! I'm in Beef Chimichanga Nirvana!
>
> --Winston
Written on a stall wall:
"All turds longer than six inches must be lowered in
by union personnel."
Winston
> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:39:28 +0700, jbsl...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:10:37 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>>> wrote:
(...)
>>> If it was, one would expect to see pots exploding underneath
>>> people all the time. (No, I'm not going to do those experiments.)
>>>
>>>
>>> --Winston
>>
>> Errr.... The bathroom sink (the one you run hot water in to shave) is
>> likely made by the same people that made the "throne". Are we to stop
>> shaving with hot water because of "thermal fear"? Or, perhaps the
>> threat of fracture is being over stated?
>
> Odds are long, but it could happen - Toilets usually don't get
> thermally stressed at all,
They are under daily thermal stress, yes?
If we've really lowered our threshold to include stress produced
by a diffuse transition of +60 F over a period of 5 seconds
(12 F per second), then the +39 F transition concentrated in a
much smaller area over a period of 50 mS or so (780 F per second!)
involved in the famous "#2 operation" must endanger our commodes
every morning.
> and if there is a hidden defect under that
> glaze it could be just enough...
Meh. I don't buy it, Bruce. :)
--Winston
--
And yet, she does not explode! <-- Attributed to Galileo
Winston
(...)
> Written on a stall wall:
> "All turds longer than six inches must be lowered in
> by union personnel."
And to think I've been employing untrained grunts...
--Winston
Larry Jaques
<Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>Larry Jaques wrote:
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:51:41 -0800, the infamous Bruce L. Bergman
>> <bruceNOSP...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:
>>
>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I unclogged a toilet just now by dumping a coffee pot of hot water into the bowl.
>>>>
>>>> Took about 10 seconds for the heated water to work it's magic on
>>>> the clog. Then the flush completed in a very satisfying manner.
>>>>
>>>> That was 'way faster and more fun than getting out Mr. Auger.
>>>>
>>>> --Winston <-- Going back to Pedro's for lunch!
>>> Don't try that if you aren't prepared to replace it - Thermal Shock
>>> and unequal thermal expansion stresses can do wonderful things to
>>> ceramics...
>>
>> Great minds think alike, Bruce. ;)
>>
>> Someone else (David Lesher) mentioned wax rings. Those probably aren't
>> compatible with boiling water, either, even if they're not made of
>> real wax. Has anyone tried melting one?
>
>Aw, come on Larry. :)
>Was no more than ~120 F for about 10 seconds.
OK, so it wasn't boiling water, just 180F. Still, pouring it in one
location (I'm sure you didn't just sprinkle it on top of the entire
pool) would bring it up pretty quickly, so I'll bet it topped 120 at
that point. And since the wax ring area isn't underwater, it likely
wouldn't have received much of the heat, either. Flushing after it
cleared the clog cooled things down in a hurry, too. Have you checked
your ambient terlit water temps, Winnie? I'll bet they're cooler than
you think.
>I'm at 230 ft ASL so this is not 'boiling' temperature by a long shot.
Grok that.
Winston
> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:57:14 -0800, the infamous Winston
> <Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>
>> Larry Jaques wrote:
>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:51:41 -0800, the infamous Bruce L. Bergman
>>> <bruceNOSP...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>>> wrote:
(...)
>> Aw, come on Larry. :)
>> Was no more than ~120 F for about 10 seconds.
>
> OK, so it wasn't boiling water, just 180F. Still, pouring it in one
> location (I'm sure you didn't just sprinkle it on top of the entire
> pool)
Quoting me from yesterday:
"I poured down the middle of the existing water so's
temperature moderated before hitting the bowl walls."
> would bring it up pretty quickly, so I'll bet it topped 120 at
> that point.
That's a worst-case guess. (180 - 60 = 120).
Multiply this difference by the percent of hot water and you get 60 F
temperature rise if equal quantities of water were involved.
60 F bowl water + 60 F temperature rise = 120 F
However,
Two thirds of the water started at 60 F, so the new equilibrium was
probably closer to 100 F (= 60 F + (33.3% * 120)).
This is 40 F below the melting temperature of the wax ring and
no significant thermal stress to the porcelain.
I see no issue with doing this at my historical rate of once
every 3 years. Call me crazy!
> And since the wax ring area isn't underwater, it likely
> wouldn't have received much of the heat, either. Flushing after it
> cleared the clog cooled things down in a hurry, too. Have you checked
> your ambient terlit water temps, Winnie? I'll bet they're cooler than
> you think.
Tank water would have equilibrated close to the surrounding air temperature
over night. Call it say, 60 F.
After that morning flush, the water in the tank would've been somewhat
colder. It makes no nevermind to the issue, however because most of that
water wouldn't see the bowl until it had thermally equilibrated.
I agree that some of the chillier water entered the bowl through
the ring wall flush.
--Winston <-- Wants to think about something else
--
At a local restaurant, us patrons are given a tall glass tumbler
full of ice cubes and a carafe of hot tea.
We pour the hot tea down the middle of the ice cubes. Shortly,
we have a glass full of ice tea in cubes.
No one has lost an eye yet. It's fun to do, in a proletariat way.
Stormin Mormon
Thread drift!
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Winston" <Win...@bigbrother.net> wrote in message
news:hhe41...@news6.newsguy.com...
Larry Jaques
<Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>Larry Jaques was heard to opine:
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:57:14 -0800, the infamous Winston
>> <Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
>>
>>> Larry Jaques wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:51:41 -0800, the infamous Bruce L. Bergman
>>>> <bruceNOSP...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:
>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>
>(...)
>
>>> Aw, come on Larry. :)
>>> Was no more than ~120 F for about 10 seconds.
>>
>> OK, so it wasn't boiling water, just 180F. Still, pouring it in one
>> location (I'm sure you didn't just sprinkle it on top of the entire
>> pool)
>
>Quoting me from yesterday:
> "I poured down the middle of the existing water so's
> temperature moderated before hitting the bowl walls."
I didn't see that but it seems that the hot water getting down as fast
and as far as it could would be the smart usage. YMOV.
>I see no issue with doing this at my historical rate of once
>every 3 years. Call me crazy!
_Reckless_, more like. <bseg>
>> And since the wax ring area isn't underwater, it likely
>> wouldn't have received much of the heat, either. Flushing after it
>> cleared the clog cooled things down in a hurry, too. Have you checked
>> your ambient terlit water temps, Winnie? I'll bet they're cooler than
>> you think.
>
>Tank water would have equilibrated close to the surrounding air temperature
>over night. Call it say, 60 F.
So the honest answer to the question "Did you MEASURE?' is a
resounding "No."
House ambient: 69F
Terlit ambient: 55F (warmer than I expected)
Water ambient: 48F
>--Winston <-- Wants to think about something else
No shit? (Pardon my pun.)
RBnDFW
toilet. Typical grease clog in the kitchen sink, it's just right.
Winston
> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:22:17 -0800, the infamous Winston
> <Win...@bigbrother.net> scrawled the following:
(...)
>> Quoting me from yesterday:
>> "I poured down the middle of the existing water so's
>> temperature moderated before hitting the bowl walls."
>
> I didn't see that but it seems that the hot water getting down as fast
> and as far as it could would be the smart usage. YMOV.
It worked quickly, safely and conveniently. MM didn't V :)
>> I see no issue with doing this at my historical rate of once
>> every 3 years. Call me crazy!
>
> _Reckless_, more like. <bseg>
No really, call me crazy. (Ill pay).
>>> And since the wax ring area isn't underwater, it likely
>>> wouldn't have received much of the heat, either. Flushing after it
>>> cleared the clog cooled things down in a hurry, too. Have you checked
>>> your ambient terlit water temps, Winnie? I'll bet they're cooler than
>>> you think.
>> Tank water would have equilibrated close to the surrounding air temperature
>> over night. Call it say, 60 F.
>
> So the honest answer to the question "Did you MEASURE?' is a
> resounding "No."
The water was neither frozen or boiling, so your answer is:
Yes. The water was at 122 F (+- 90 F). :)
> House ambient: 69F
> Terlit ambient: 55F (warmer than I expected)
> Water ambient: 48F
Ok. If my water temperature had been 16 degrees colder than that,
it would have been frozen. If it had been 52 degrees hotter than
that, I would not have had a clog, prolly. (Viscosity, dontchaknow)
Conclusion: Who Cares?
In the former case, I might have to replace the john anyway, but
not because of anything I did. In the latter case, I wouldn't
have discovered this quick, safe way around this particular prob.
(...)
> No shit? (Pardon my pun.)
Oof.
Winston
> I've used boiling water on clogged drains for years, but never on a
> toilet. Typical grease clog in the kitchen sink, it's just right.
I'm guessing it's a viscosity thing.
I assume you didn't have to replace drain pipes melted by the
scorching hot water. :)
Hey, it could happen. Teakettle at 50 KSI?
Stormin Mormon
down the line. But, that can be a good thing. Move the clog
from the 1 1/4 inch drain to the 6 inch drain. Carry on.
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"RBnDFW" <burkh...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:hhg8ht$kgb$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
>Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
>> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:39:28 +0700, jbsl...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:10:37 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:20:46 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>
>(...)
>
>>>> If it was, one would expect to see pots exploding underneath
>>>> people all the time. (No, I'm not going to do those experiments.)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --Winston
>>>
>>> Errr.... The bathroom sink (the one you run hot water in to shave) is
>>> likely made by the same people that made the "throne". Are we to stop
>>> shaving with hot water because of "thermal fear"? Or, perhaps the
>>> threat of fracture is being over stated?
>>
>> Odds are long, but it could happen - Toilets usually don't get
>> thermally stressed at all,
>
>They are under daily thermal stress, yes?
Yes, but when the furnace kicks on the heat is diffuse enough to
gradually raise the temperature of the water closet over the course of
an hour, at a slow rate and evenly all over.
You are heating the inside only, and at a very high rate. It's not a
given, but I can see an occasional toilet failure you could trace back
to this practice...
>If we've really lowered our threshold to include stress produced
>by a diffuse transition of +60 F over a period of 5 seconds
>(12 F per second), then the +39 F transition concentrated in a
>much smaller area over a period of 50 mS or so (780 F per second!)
>involved in the famous "#2 operation" must endanger our commodes
>every morning.
>
>> and if there is a hidden defect under that
>> glaze it could be just enough...
>
>Meh. I don't buy it, Bruce. :)
Fine, don't. But when you pee the liquid isn't nearly as hot
(around 95F), and in a far smaller stream which limits the BTUH input
raise over a minute or more. And unless you have the unerring aim of
a laser beam, you will be spreading that heat around to many points
inside.
Dumping in a kettle-full of almost-boiling water from the stove is
going to throw in a whole lot more BTUs (guessing 10X to 50X) and over
a period of a few seconds than almost a minute.
The wax ring is probably okay for one pot of hot water, but if you
add much more heat than that it could melt. They are only beeswax. I
certainly wouldn't do something rash like stuff the wand from a steam
pressure washer down the main trap and let it rip.
--<< Bruce >>--
William Wixon
"Bruce L. Bergman" <bruceNOSP...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:siaoj5lq1nechia3u...@4ax.com...-snip-
>
> Fine, don't. But when you pee the liquid isn't nearly as hot
> (around 95F), and in a far smaller stream which limits the BTUH input
> raise over a minute or more. And unless you have the unerring aim of
> a laser beam, you will be spreading that heat around to many points
> inside.
>
> Dumping in a kettle-full of almost-boiling water from the stove is
> going to throw in a whole lot more BTUs (guessing 10X to 50X) and over
> a period of a few seconds than almost a minute.
>
> The wax ring is probably okay for one pot of hot water, but if you
> add much more heat than that it could melt. They are only beeswax. I
> certainly wouldn't do something rash like stuff the wand from a steam
> pressure washer down the main trap and let it rip.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
>
i've been trying to not reply to this thread because what i have to say
isn't important, only, what you all keep talking about keeps reminding me of
a trivial incident from my past. i thought this thread would've died
already.
1986, backpacking around china, was in beijing. saw a western style
restaurant ("Maxim's") and went in to use their bathroom. the plumber who
had plumbed the place had hooked a hot water line to the toilet, the flapper
valve leaked and so hot water was constantly dribbling into the bowl, the
water in the bowl was constantly being refreshed with HOT water. was
"restaurant temperature" water, steam was wafting out of the bowl. was
uncomfortable to sit on the toilet. i'd never seen that before or since,
where someone accidentally plumbed the hot water line to a toilet, *and left
it that way*. the entire toilet was scalding hot. something i'll never
forget, was funny and weird.
b.w.
Winston
> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:01:38 -0800, Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net>
> wrote:
>
>> Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
(...)
>>> Odds are long, but it could happen - Toilets usually don't get
>>> thermally stressed at all,
>> They are under daily thermal stress, yes?
>
> Yes, but when the furnace kicks on the heat is diffuse enough to
> gradually raise the temperature of the water closet over the course of
> an hour, at a slow rate and evenly all over.
I was delicately referring to the process of defecation.
It's 98.6 F over a couple square inches for more than 10 seconds.
You consider that a large temperature gradient. I don't.
The porcelain does not shatter.
> You are heating the inside only, and at a very high rate. It's not a
> given, but I can see an occasional toilet failure you could trace back
> to this practice...
Nonsense. Toilets fail due to worn plumbing parts in the tank.
They don't crack even when we take a dump in mid winter temperatures.
Consider the porcelain spark plug. It sees a 200 F to 3500 F to 200 F
transition every other revolution. My cars go 100,000 miles between
plug changes. The old plugs come out looking moderately worn but
still quite serviceable. The plugs don't crack in normal use.
(...)
> Dumping in a kettle-full of almost-boiling water from the stove is
> going to throw in a whole lot more BTUs (guessing 10X to 50X) and over
> a period of a few seconds than almost a minute.
The whole process was over within about 10 seconds with a
maximum temperature of about 100 F. I showed the arithmetic
in a previous post. There really is nothing to worry about.
> The wax ring is probably okay for one pot of hot water, but if you
> add much more heat than that it could melt.
Wax melts if subjected to temperatures above 140 F for a period of
time. 100 F for 10 seconds just isn't enough to soften it.
If it were, one could retire at 20 years of age just on the income
from replacing melted flange rings in Arizona.
> They are only beeswax.
> I certainly wouldn't do something rash like stuff the wand from a steam
> pressure washer down the main trap and let it rip.
Nor would I. What's your point?
Let's agree to disagree about this, OK? :)
Winston
(...)
> i've been trying to not reply to this thread because what i have to say
> isn't important, only, what you all keep talking about keeps reminding me of
> a trivial incident from my past. i thought this thread would've died
> already.
The thread hasn't drifted into political name - calling yet.
We may have weeks to go.
> 1986, backpacking around china, was in beijing. saw a western style
> restaurant ("Maxim's") and went in to use their bathroom. the plumber who
> had plumbed the place had hooked a hot water line to the toilet, the flapper
> valve leaked and so hot water was constantly dribbling into the bowl, the
> water in the bowl was constantly being refreshed with HOT water. was
> "restaurant temperature" water, steam was wafting out of the bowl. was
> uncomfortable to sit on the toilet. i'd never seen that before or since,
> where someone accidentally plumbed the hot water line to a toilet, *and left
> it that way*. the entire toilet was scalding hot. something i'll never
> forget, was funny and weird.
That is wild. Bet it saved on cleaning.
--Winston <-- Though 'hot pants' was just an expression
Joseph Gwinn
Winston <Win...@bigbrother.net> wrote:
The temperature coefficient of porcelain is quite low, 2 to 4 parts per
million per degree centigrade, which is what allows massive objects
(like sanitary fixtures) to be made cheaply, without having to gradually
cool for weeks after firing at 1500 degrees centigrade.
A useful discussion appears in US Patent 5614448.
I suppose someone could perform the obvious test on a junked bowl and a
large pot of boiling water.
Joe Gwinn
BQ340
> I suppose someone could perform the obvious test on a junked bowl and a
> large pot of boiling water.
>
> Joe Gwinn
I just did a mini-test using a cold ceramic coffee cup & hot coffee....
MikeB
Stormin Mormon
to heated discussion?
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Joseph Gwinn" <joeg...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:joegwinn-8110B9...@news.giganews.com...
Gunner Asch
Are you ok? Did you perform the experiment behind a large sheet of
bullet resistant material?
<VBG>
Gunner
"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the
means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not
making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of
it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different
countries, that the more public provisions were made for the
poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became
poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the
more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Benjamin
Franklin, /The Encouragement of Idleness/, 1766
Winston
:) Thanks Mike.
Winston
(...)
> I suppose someone could perform the obvious test on a junked bowl and a
> large pot of boiling water.
Test? There is a foreign concept. :)
I recognize the need for others to gather data that could
disprove the hypothesis.
Can someone write this up for Mythbusters?
(Registration required)
http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/9701967776
I would write it up, but I am satisfied with the results of
my test. I am always open to new data however. :)
What do you think? Busted? Plausible? Confirmed?
Winston
> Joseph Gwinn wrote:
>
> (...)
>
>> I suppose someone could perform the obvious test on a junked bowl and
>> a large pot of boiling water.
>
> Test? There is a foreign concept. :)
>
> I recognize the need for others to gather data that could
> disprove the hypothesis.
>
> Can someone write this up for Mythbusters?
> (Registration required)
>
> http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/9701967776
>
> I would write it up, but I am satisfied with the results of
> my test. I am always open to new data however. :)
>
> What do you think? Busted? Plausible? Confirmed?
Nevermind! It's been asked and answered, just not as an episode.
http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7501919888/m/1171977979?r=9211978979#9211978979
Forums > MythBusters > Science and Myth Questions > Toilet Bowl Shock
They have one fellow who lived in the 'hottest part of the Arizona desert' for 30 years
and never heard of thermal shock damaging a toilet.