Dang Water Heater

[Janderso]

I know there is a difference in quality.
Price point is a factor.
We replaced our 22 year unit which was not leaking with a Rheem Classis professional series.
It wasn’t cheap but it’s what our plumber recommended.
I tried to find a link but they no longer offer natural gas in this model.

Why dud we replace it? We travel, I didn’t want to worry about it

 

[woodchucker]

I know there is a difference in quality.
Price point is a factor.
We replaced our 22 year unit which was not leaking with a Rheem Classis professional series.
It wasn’t cheap but it’s what our plumber recommended.
I tried to find a link but they no longer offer natural gas in this model.

Why dud we replace it? We travel, I didn’t want to worry about it

really, California is banning natural gas too ? what about food?

 

[Janderso]

really, California is banning natural gas too ? what about food?

We can get beef flavored tofu

 

[woodchucker]

when I was young all the car magazines showed the cars from California, they were awesome. My friend and I talked about moving there. We thought it was the place to be. I have enjoyed the weather out there anytime I was there. BUT... homes became pricey... outrageously pricey. And some things just ****** me off.... hint Things like Known to the state of California to cause cancer... (ON EVERY DAMN THING)..
Then there were the mud slide, and earth quakes, and THE TRAFFIC. YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE without being on the parking lot highways....

So while there were some great things out there, I'm glad I stayed on the east coast..

 

[MikeInOr]

It is a special fitting for the water heaters. They used to come with the heaters, but not this one. Seems to be NPT but also has these washer seals.

A straight thread fitting looks just like a NPT (taper thread) fitting and will even screw into a NPT fitting... but they won't seal because NPT relies on a taper that seals the tighter it gets.

A straight thread fitting seals by forcing the female end against a washer in the male end. The male end has a flat(ish) bottom for the washer to push against. OVERTIGHTENING these fittings will make the female side cut into the washer and cause leaks. If you have these fittings and they are leaking you need to replace the washer. Flattening the end of the female fitting with a file will give you more surface area to push against the washer which can help with sealing.

You can really torque down on taper threads and they will continue to tighten up (until the threads break or strip). You can NOT heavily torque down on straight threads. You have to tighten them enough but not too much (How is THAT for helpful?).

If you try to mate a taper threaded fitting with a straight threaded fitting they will never completely seal no matter how much teflon tape you try to wrap the female thread with.

There are adapters that will allow you to go from a straight thread to a tapered thread.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089D8NF7H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IJ9HI6M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8

BSPP = British Standard Pipe Parallel = straight thread = G

Make sense?

 

[CJ5Dave]

Yeah I know what NPT is.

 

[MikeInOr]

really, California is banning natural gas too ? what about food?

Burning natural gas --> heat water --> create steam --> turn turbine --> generate electricity --> push through power lines into house --> heat electrical coils --> heat water
is SO much more efficient than burning natural gas in the house to heat the water.... RIGHT???? It HAS to be better for the environment!

 

[Weldingrod1]

Interestingly enough, the fuel energy to hot water ratio is better for gas vs electric (direct hot element). A heat pump water heater comes out on top!

The issue is the stack of losses in the gas to shaft work to electrical power, then transmission losses. The final electrical heating is 100%.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

 

[Dhal22]

I don't know, all the plumbers talk about how bad cpvc is. They say they fail , it's just a matter of time. I have copper and don't have a problem sweating new fittings.

I’m at 39 years in the plumbing business. NO CPVC in my house.

 

[Dhal22]

Electric water heater started leaking this weekend and I changed it out today. 9 years old so I guess I should not fuss. Found out my suppliers’ heaters have a 6 year tank warranty. The other 3 suppliers here only have a 1 year warranty and all similar prices. My guy said AO Smith makes them all, and rebrands them. My problem is leaky fittings. My heater is tied to a Hardy wood heater, and the water comes through the Hardy preheated before the electric heater, with valves to bypass if needed. Many PVC fittings, elbows, valves, etc up there. There are 2 threaded PVC fittings that thread onto the copper heater inlet and outlet, and have rubber washer seals in them to seal to the copper. Both are leaking. They always leak. I tightened them as firmly as I dared with channel locks. Not sure if they are supposed to be lightly tightened or tighter than I did. Gotta cut out the PVC and start over. And the water heater is in the lowest place in the basement, so water never stops dripping to glue it. I put bread in the fitting this time that dripped. No glued joints dripped. Anybody know the correct way to install the threaded/washered fitting?

I’ve been to the State/AO Smith factory and they do rebrand for several names but not all.