I am hooking up a new water heater using stainless steel flexible hoses to copper pipe. Do I need to consider dielectric unions or is this not a problem with stainless?

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Originally Posted by rfb7908

I am hooking up a new water heater using stainless steel flexible hoses to copper pipe. Do I need to consider dielectric unions or is this not a problem with stainless?

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Any connection between to different metals can produce electrolysis. A dialectic union's needed here to be on the safe side. Good luck, Tom

Any two dissimilar metals will produce a current with water present. Only other option is to install some CPVC like a valve. I'd stick with Dielectric unions simply because that's the way I have always done them, just got to break the contact between the two.

Don't complicate the matter with di-electric fittings. Get 2 copper corrugated water heater flex lines and return the s.s. supplies.

Milo. Doers corregated copper fit with your strict CA codes. You guys are always shaking and moving and such.

Yes, corrugated copper w/h flex lines are actually preferred here.

We have s.s. supply lines here too. My company doesn't use them because they crack in the folds. Also, they don't seem to flex as well as copper. However, on positive side, s.s. w/h supplies come in large sizes ( 1" and up ). So if needed, we are forced to use them.

How do you like the braided SS lines?

Great stuff - but unfortunately the hot side kinks... We use copper

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Originally Posted by Milo Dolezal

Don't complicate the matter with di-electric fittings. Get 2 copper corrugated water heater flex lines and return the s.s. supplies.

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Milo, the fittings on the heater are not copper so how does this help? Doesn't it just move the point of dissimilar metal contact?

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Originally Posted by rfb7908

Milo, the fittings on the heater are not copper so how does this help? Doesn't it just move the point of dissimilar metal contact?

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The copper flex lines have brass nuts. End of copper flex line has rubber washer at the point of contact with galvanized pipe. Brass nuts act as di-electric fitting. They are perfectly OK for your application.