[edit: i can't find a 'reply' button, so Ive added extra info at the bottom of this post]


Hi all.

I'm in the middle of a DIY electric water heater installation, and everything was going well.. except for a (slow) leak out of the hot water outlet, where the nipple meets the 'right angle bit'. Not sure what to do now.

Possibility 1:
I used about 5-6 'circulations' of the teflon tape (yes in the right direction).. but I should have used more. Try 8-10, and try again.

Possibility 2:
Replace the brass fittings. I assumed they were 'fine' but they *are* worn.. maybe they aren't usable, regardless of how much tape I use. Ive attached a close up pic.

Attachment 46838
Your feedback welcome

Thanks

Andrew
Ps I'm am newb, so if anyone can suggest a better/clearer title, I'm happy to change it.

UPDATE:
Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated. I assumed the (25 year old, heavier) brass fittings would be superior to the lighter, newer, 'Made In China' ones (the 'they dont make 'em like they used to' theory), but it seems pretty unanimous that the brass should be replaced.

First, please reduce the size of your pictures. Nice to see the details but the size is making the post to hard to read.

Second, those are threaded male reducing nipples.
The standard pipe size for a residential water heater is 3/4". What is the circumstance that you have to use a reducing nipple.
I see remnants of solder on the threads of both. I also see signs of a pipe wrench being used on the threads of both.
Teflon tape and pipe dope are not sealers. They are lubricants that enable you to tighten the fitting tighter.
They are not that expensive.
Replace

Yes, very poor condition. With all the nicks on the thread body, not surprised it leaks.

I agree with both experts, the threads are damaged on both fittings change both of them to standard water heater nipples you can use (brass nipples, Thanks.

John

Install new dielectric nipples and then transition over to the pipe using newer flexible water heater connectors. The dielectric nipples reduce the electrolytic effect of depositing minerals onto the water heater tappings and the flexi. connectors make the rest of the job DIY friendly!

Good luck!

Mark

Wow why would you use a flair elbow for the T&P valve.

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Install new dielectric nipples and then transition over to the pipe using newer flexible water heater connectors. The dielectric nipples reduce the electrolytic effect of depositing minerals onto the water heater tappings and the flexi. connectors make the rest of the job DIY friendly!

Good luck!

Mark

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Hi Mark.
I can't find any reference to 'dielectric' in the entire catalog of Bunnings (Australian Hardware and Plumbing megastore), I'm still looking into this.

Re: "flexible water heater connector" are you suggesting I should replace the elbow with what this guy calls 'flexihose'?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by afaroo

Wow why would you use a flair elbow for the T&P valve.

John

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Hi John,
Here's a pic of the 'arrangement' (as setup by the previous owner in 1989), before I removed the old Rheem:
Attachment 46842
Ps. The rag is there to draw the leaking water into the bowl
Pps yes I did unplug the power :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

First, please reduce the size of your pictures. Nice to see the details but the size is making the post to hard to read.

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Done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Second, those are threaded male reducing nipples.
The standard pipe size for a residential water heater is 3/4". What is the circumstance that you have to use a reducing nipple.

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I'm replacing the water heater, and the (original) idea was to leave everything else 'original. This is how the (25 year) old unit connected to the hot water outlet (the cold water inlet has the same configuration):
Attachment 46841

Btw, here's the release valve.. it was 'ready to go', but now Im thinking of undoing it, and replacing EVERYTHING with new fittings:
Attachment 46840

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

I see remnants of solder on the threads of both. I also see signs of a pipe wrench being used on the threads of both.
Teflon tape and pipe dope are not sealers. They are lubricants that enable you to tighten the fitting tighter.
They are not that expensive.
Replace

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Thanks, the call to replace seems unanimous.

Sorry Andrew... None of the pictures above loaded up when I first saw this thread. Now that I see pictures I'm pretty sure the new water heater will have new brass nipples ( could even be dielectric nipples)... they usually accompany a new water heater. You just need to transition from the nipples to those old flare fittings and you should be all set here!

Good luck

OK, thanks for the pics, now we understand what you are doing.
However , as John pointed out that elbow is a flair fitting. At least the male end is. Don't know if the female end is a flair or not.

Can't really tell what size the soft copper discharge line is but apparently the reducing nipple was used so the ell could be used. That all fine except that discharge line should not have any pressure on it. Meaning it should not leak even if you have a poor connection. Are you sure the discharge line is not blocked?
Even if the discharge line is blocked, it should not leak unless the T&P valve is open, which it should not normally be.
Makes me question where the leak actually is actually occurring. Is it at the fitting or is it from the connection of the T&P to the tank?

Wouldn't worry about the "dielectric". Mark was assuming, as we all were, that you were referring though the hot water out piping.

There seems to be a delay before you can reply to a post.

HKstroud: just to clarify, the leak/drip was coming from the hot water out piping, between the nipple and the elbow.

I only included the pic of the T&P valve to answer afaroo's question, i.e. to explain why it used an elbow