Thread: Water heater date

I have looked at this one and can't convince myself of the correct date, anybody? I know it is simple, but I am having a mental block.
Thanks, Jim

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A picture would help!

Looks like it says 01 18 at the beginning of the serial number, which would be 2001, 18th week (I believe).

May 07...

American Water Heater Company

American Water Heater Company, manufacturer of 52 separate brands of water heaters, uses a 10-digit serial number with a year/week code in the first four digits of the serial number. The year of is the first two digits followed by the two digit week of the year. For example,the serial number 0602****** indicates that the water heater was manufactured the second week of 2006. A complete list of brands manufactured by American is contained in the decoder chart linked to this article.

Age = 2001

Answer is derived from the serial number, which (to me) looks like it is the 0118107702 number, hence 2001, 18th week.

HOWEVER, because that photo is washed out by the flash at that critical spot, *IF* the serial number is the 0720670 number, it would be 2007, 20th week, which was just two months ago.

SO, I'm sticking with my first assumption that the 011807702 number is the serial number.

Maybe Jim can clear that up.

Originally Posted by David Banks

For example,the serial number 0602****** indicates that the water heater was manufactured the second week of 2006.

David,

Did you use that as an example out of thin air, or are you referring to the numbers on that photo label?

I'm confused (unless it was just an example you pulled out of thin air).

Jerry sorry for the confusion. My whole post is a quote from an article on American water heater ages. It is just an example on how to decipher the age.

You are correct. Serial number starts with 01. Product number starts with 07. Quite clear on my new wide screen 20 inch monitor.

The small print in between the serial and product number says “week and year” but does it refer to the 0118 of the serial number above or the 0720 of the product number below.
I am leaning toward the 0720 which would be made just a few weeks ago. The heater does look newer (a sealed combustion unit), but does have a dust coating on the top of the heater which would seem to be more than just a few weeks old.

20th week of 2007 would make that May 07...
(see previous post)

RR

Jim here is a water heater reference sheet that I use sometimes. You can print it off and use it if you would like to. Hope this helps. http://www.reporthost.com/refWaterHeaterDates.asp

Trent, I tried your link and did not see anything but a report host login screen. Thanks for the effort though.

Try this one. Same info.

Thanks everyone, I am going with the 2001 date from the serial number. It seemed the most reasonable from the start, but I questioned myself and needed some different eyes.

Originally Posted by David Banks

Quite clear on my new wide screen 20 inch monitor.

I'm only working with two 19" displays, side-by-side, working together and *I* *still* cannot read what it says before those two numbers.

Maybe I need to get a smaller display?

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Thanks everyone, I am going with the 2001 date from the serial number.

Also, that is the 10 digit number, the other number (with the 0720) is less than 10 digits. That water heater date code page states they use a 10 digit number for the serial number.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

I'm only working with two 19" displays, side-by-side, working together and *I* *still* cannot read what it says before those two numbers.

Maybe I need to get a smaller display?

I think it is a resolution thing. New monitor is 1680x1050.Whatever that means.

Here is what I can read on the data plate:

Model Number:G61-50T40-3NV

Serial Number:0118107702

Product Number:0720670

According to David's information:

"American Water Heater Company, manufacturer of 52 separate brands of water heaters, uses a 10-digit serial number with a year/week code in the first four digits of the serial number. The year of is the first two digits followed by the two digit week of the year."

So . . . it would appear the water heater was manufactured in the 18th week of 2001 (the digits '01' are followed by '18' in the S/N).

The date code is in the serial number, not the product number. A product can span over several years without the product code changing and the product code will be the same on all like products produced over that time span. Serial numbers are unique so it is logical to imbed the date code in the serial number.

Seems pretty simple and straighforward to me. But maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks Bruce, your conclusions echo and help confirm my original thoughts.

Originally Posted by Bruce Breedlove

But maybe I'm missing something.

Nope, but what I could not read were the words "Serial Number" and "Product Number", too washed out for my eyes, I guess.

Thus, I was guessing at which was which. Guess I guessed right.