Water Heater Connections (Water) - Braided SS, Copper Flex, SS Flex, Hard Pipe?

22rifle

This is one I am not quite satisfied with yet.

I have went through a stage where I hard piped every single WH I installed. (At one time I worked for a company that forbid me to even use a union.) But now that I have switched almost exclusively to PEX (Rehau or Uponor only, thank you very much!) hard piping is no longer an option.

Then I went to braided SS. But then I look at the ID and I just don't like them anymore for that reason.

So recently I have used a few copper flexes. A few years ago I would have laughed in your face if you had told me I would ever use that "crap". But right now it seems to make the most sense. But I hate myself every time I buy a set and even more every time I install them. I feel like I am putting in crap.

Any ideas?

And please don't beat me up too bad for using copper flexes. I already am doing a fine job of that myself.

Ron The Plumber

I use copper flexes all the time, nothing wrong is there use.

neolitic

Channeling Yoda out there are we?

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threaderman

I use the copper as well , swt x Fip.I like to plumb them in hard in earthquake and hurricane areas but here in tornado alley the whole structure is going bye-bye anyways

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smellslike$tome

Cold side from top of tank: di-electric union (if you're convinced they don't work, I don't care, because it's what the IPC calls for), followed by sweat copper to a tee, from top of tee hard copper to another di-electric union to recieve expansion tank, from side outlet of tee hard piped to cold water inlet isolation valve (ball valve only), from inlet of isolation valve either hard piped the rest of the way or pex sweat adapter transitioned to pex.

Hot side from top of tank: di-electric union to hard copper or sweat pex adapter transitioned to pex.

I've never used flex lines for this simple reason; after the ho sees the flex lines installed he will think to himself something like, "this is good, the next time I have to change out this tank all I have to do is unscrew these flex lines, set the new tank in place and reconnect the flex lines" and although that is not completely true it's not far from being true.

This is the same reason that I do not use flex lines as faucet supplies, or toilet supplies, or dishwasher supplies, or refrigerator supplies, or anything else except for washing machine supplies. This and the fact that I have seen a dishwasher ss braided supply line blown completely apart except for a few strands of ss on one side of the line. The house was flooded and I have never trusted them since. I use them on clothes washers because as of now there is no better alternative.

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smellslike$tome

Before someone says it just let me add that with the unions, yes, it is possible that they could do the same thing as long as the new tank is the exact height of the old tank. Also, generally, if it's a pex install, I will use a brass threaded pex adapter on the hot side and eliminate that union.

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KillerToiletSpider

We pipe all the way to the washer in copper, with unions on it so you can disconnect it.

For water heaters, 8" brass nipple on the hot and cold, a brass union, and copper from there.

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PARA1

[quote=KillerToiletSpi;443564]We pipe all the way to the washer in copper, with unions on it so you can disconnect it.

WHAT?

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22rifle

That's what I said.

KillerToiletSpider

Two years ago we had a washer hose let go a month after the trim was done, on the 28th floor of a high rise co-op building, no one was home so it ran for almost a half hour till the valve got shut off. It did almost 10 million dollars in damage to the units below, luckily we used the hoses supplied with the machine, so Miele got stuck with the liability for the damage. Now we don't take chances, we pipe them in copper and use vibration unions.

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22rifle

I spec a shut off valve if I install a washer above the first floor. Been awhile since I did that so I don't know if they are still on the market.

Teetorbilt

What happens when the HO decides to wash the floormats and the washer goes into the spin cycle with a wildly out of balance load?

My wife does this all of the time and the macine usually moves a few inches before you can get it shut down. I think that this would be a LOT of stress on the plumbing if it was hard plumbed plus you have altered the manufacturers design so if anything cuts loose it's your nickle.

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22rifle

Good point.

KillerToiletSpider

We use vibration unions, the same ones used on machinery, but we probably don't need too, the washers we install are all front loads.

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22rifle

Why so? Do you spec the washers?

KillerToiletSpider

No.

95% of our work is very high end co-op and condo work, the designers always spec stackable washer dryers to save room, as they are getting put in a closet or under a countertop. I fight with inspectors all the time because the WMOB is installed to low, because the designer wants it under the countertop height so that it is not seen.

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Grumpyplumber

THere is NO try, just DO!

neolitic

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PARA1

Well I don't know too much about much, but this is the prefered washer for our TX low end low risers.

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thom

We are required to use a flex to the water heater. I hard plumbed my own house and it failed. I argued with the inspector, didn't matter. Water heaters must be connected with flex and unions.