MythBusters - Exploding Water Heater experiment site (Alameda, California)

USA / California / Alameda / Alameda, California
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Episode #0516 The MythBusters blow up several water heaters, to prove whether or not an exploding water heater will blow through the roof of a house. The heaters that worked correctly (exploded that is), utterly destroyed the little house that Jamie and Adam built. (To California building code, by the way.)

The largest heater was a 52 gallon unit, which flew -very- high. That particular explosion was not aired. It was, however, viewable on the MythBusters web site. The guys disabled all of the safety features of the water heaters, filled them with water, plugged the pipes, turned on the power and waited for the inevitable.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythbusters
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Coordinates:   37°46'51"N   122°18'21"W

Comments

  • The MythBusters received a smattering of applause from a number of workers at the hanger immediately to the north. I don't understand why they didn't include the 52 gallon water heater explosion in the show, as it was clearly the best of the bunch.
  • When I first tagged this spot, I had zeroed in on the precise location by viewing the Mythbuster's program and correlating, objects in the back and foreground. That was fun to do. I still try to do the same type of spotting with locations I can find, in other Mythbuster's shows. Often, there isn't enough data to accomplish it. I am still trying to find the location of the quarry where they blew up the cement truck. It is in Calaveras County and I have found a couple of likely prospects, but I can't be certain yet. If anyone knows, please drop me a note.
  • To Xantrex: http://wikimapia.org/#lat=38.0222498&lon=-120.5025744&z=19&l=1&m=b
  • Jamie kept saying, "Hot water heater", there is no such thing. It's just a water heater, Jamie!
This article was last modified 9 years ago