Can someone help me identify this?

[surfer23505]

Ran across this in an old house that a friend of mine bought, it was leaking and need to fix it but first wanted to get a second opinion on what exactly it is. Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[Mr_David]

How old do you think this thing might be. Maybe it's a very old expansion tank.
If you don't know what it does maybe you can take it out and plug the line what kind of system is it on? is it near a water heater?

take it out and separate the 2 halves and see what's inside. maybe just a diaphragm and no parts

 

[Chris]

Kind of an odd looking creature you have there.

 

[surfer23505]

I believe the house was from the 40's or 50's, so possibly as old as that. There are actually two of them, that one was on the hot output side of the water heater and there is a similarly installed one next to it on the cold input side of the water heater. Best guess of everyone I've talked to locally can come up with is that it is some sort of old style water hammer arrestor.

 

[frodo]

I believe the house was from the 40's or 50's, so possibly as old as that. There are actually two of them, that one was on the hot output side of the water heater and there is a similarly installed one next to it on the cold input side of the water heater. Best guess of everyone I've talked to locally can come up with is that it is some sort of old style water hammer arrestor.

does it still have the handcuffs ?
ba ba bum!!

 

[KULTULZ]

I believe the house was from the 40's or 50's, so possibly as old as that. There are actually two of them, that one was on the hot output side of the water heater and there is a similarly installed one next to it on the cold input side of the water heater.

Best guess of everyone I've talked to locally can come up with is that it is some sort of old style water hammer arrestor.

If @ WH, possibly heat traps?

Only thing to do is remove and bypass, then dissect...

Can you provide a wider photo showing both and the WH?