Hot Water Heater - Replacing Part(s)

ETHICS05

Please open file and see the copper part at the drain portion of the h/w htr. Usually there is a spiket there, but the house has a heat recovery unit, so he had to T off the bottom of the h/w htr so the cold supply comes in through the bottom and the spiket is after the T.

Its only 2 years old and I think when that part was connected to the drain piece, the wrong material was used on the threads to seal properly. Maybe not, anyhow, its leaking, needs to be taken off cleaned up or probably replaced.

2 Questions:

1) What's the best material to seal the threads properly when the part is replaced back onto the drain?

2) To properly get h/w htr ready for shutdown to replace the parts please check my list and add as needed or change ok:
- turn off breaker
- shut off cold and hot supply valves
- shut off house master water valve
- put hose on spiket at bottom and drain out water first

Any other thoughts or advice welcome!

Thanks!

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JamesNLA

Oh boy.....
umm, I dunno where to even start.
Why is there a Galvinized nipple in there?
ok...replace nipple with either a brass one or a hose bib that has a long enough throat with male threads.

If you are wanting to recirculate potable water back through the heater, that's fine but it's out of code.

When you start to drain the HWH remove supply lines....allows tank to vent and won't take 5 days to drain!

As far as the leak.....2 things - the original pipe fitting was done like crap, or bozo over tightened the CPVC adapter and cracked it.

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ETHICS05

JamesNLA.....I had a feeling someone would really "like" that picture. Speaks volumes doesn't it?

Any other suggestions how to do it right - I'm open.

Grumpyplumber

I'd dump the CPVC until you're at least a couple of feet away...my code requires all plastic pipe to be at least 24" away from wtr htr's boilers ...etc.

That galvy nipple was likely on the heater from the MFG...they come with a plastic sleeve inside and they're horrendously inadequate, (brass IS best) but from the looks of the small rust circle I'd be inclined to agree that maybe the plumber didn't use teflon...maybe just dope..seems like a small leak has slowly worked through the threads.

KillerToiletSpider

Why is that a code violation in LA?

We pipe recirc lines similar to that all the time, on both pumped and gravity systems.

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MechanicalDVR

A galvanized nipple coming out of a steel hotwater tank isn't a problem until you put a brass fitting on it and the electrolisis rots the nipple out. That is why so many factory drain connections rot out right at the end of the nipple. I think the whole piece should have started with a brass nipple and copper pipe from there out. I hate to see plastic of any type for domestic water.

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boman47k

Whats wrong with just closing the inlet valve and opening the relieve valve for on a single story in order to drain the tank?

rex

cause most of the time on a older heater if you open the T&P its not gonna re seal and it will leak after you service it.....also if you open the dielectrics it will help it vent better....if you really want to blast the water out of it hook a compressor to the feed....

JamesNLA

True True!

It vents faster, which keeps me working quickly to have everything set to go after it's drained out. What I usually do is connect a hose to the lower bib and hit the cold ball valve on and off a few times to blow any sand or crap right out of the bottom, than I remove the supply lines. I just got back from doing one tonight, took 15 minutes to drain after doing that!

And as for the TnP, I was taught if someone ever flips it than it needs to be changed out. Alot of times it may reseat but runs a much higher risk of failing.

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"....And then we all switch places when I ring the bell"
-Adrock

boman47k

I guess I may have learned something here. I thought I had read somewhere that the suggestion that they needed to be opened now and then. Thanks for the update. I may beed to check a couple of mine. Have never noticed any leaks.