plumbing problem with water heater

[greybeard]

disclaimer--I am NOT an "inside" type plumber.

I need to replace the hot water line on my water heater. Hot water side. The original line, was 3/4" flex line with the braided stainless mesh around it, and even tho no kinks, it started leaking badly last night--what a mess! The leak was in the middle of the hose, not at the connection. It was 6 years old, installed by lic plumber when the house was built. Looks like this:

The mating surfaces are flat--no flare of any kind--metal to metal seal it seems--was there supposed to be a washer inside the couplings?


I have the following plumbing interface.
out of the wall:
3/4" galv nipple to 3/4" galv female ell to 3"x *3/4" galv nipple*
on the water heater:
3/4" male/male dielectric nipple to 3/4" brass balll valve, to 3/4" (looks like sch 80) 3/4" nipple.
*the 3/4 nipple coming out of the ell at the wall is corroded on the thread end that the flex hose connects to if I can get it out of the ell.

I do NOT want to go with sharkbite or gator connections or sweated connections. "Could" go with rigid hot water approved PVC, but prefer not to...
Is there a better or equal option to the stainless flex line?

How good do these hold up?

Do they mate straight up to the male nipples or do I need some sort of transition/adapter connections to use on these?

 

[M5farm]

That will work fine IIRC the HWH connection is standard 3/4 pipe fitting all you will need is the correct nipple for each end. (pipe Thread)

 

[M5farm]

You will also need Teflon tape or putty which ever you prefer

 

[Rafter S]

I have the type in your second picture. They haven't given any problems. I'm not a plumber, but I'm pretty sure that water heater fittings are standard pipe threads (not flared or other type of specialty fitting), so they won't require a washer. You might want to put some of the white Teflon plumber's tape on the threads, but it shouldn't be necessary.

 

[greybeard]

That will work fine IIRC the HWH connection is standard 3/4 pipe fitting all you will need is the correct nipple for each end. (pipe Thread)

Since the inside of that flex pipe nut is just flat where it mates up to the nipple, are galv nipples cut flat, smooth, and true enough to get a good seal without some kind of a washer between the generic nipple and flex line?

 

[Rafter S]

Since the inside of that flex pipe nut is just flat where it mates up to the nipple, are galv nipples cut flat, smooth, and true enough to get a good seal without some kind of a washer between the generic nipple and flex line?

The threads stop the water, not the flat surfaces of the pipe and fitting.

 

[Nesikep]

On a swiveled fitting you need a washer, or machined flat surface.

Pipe threads do not need this because they're cut on a taper and tighten, but they don't have swivels

Can you remove the old adapters, or whatever, and get the correct fitting to use with the crimpy looking copper line?

Home Depot might be the place to ask about it too (if you find someone who actually knows there)

 

[dun]

A gasket would probably deteriate over time from the heat.

 

[M5farm]

On a swiveled fitting you need a washer, or machined flat surface.

Pipe threads do not need this because they're cut on a taper and tighten, but they don't have swivels

Can you remove the old adapters, or whatever, and get the correct fitting to use with the crimpy looking copper line?

Home Depot might be the place to ask about it too (if you find someone who actually knows there)

When he goes to buy the line he can dry fit all of the parts there , they have a floor model hot water heater if you need to make sure your nipple fits

 

[lavacarancher]

Grey, the hose you posted pictures of are designed to screw directly onto a 3/4" pipe thread nipple. The "flexible" copper line also shown here has the same type of connection. The seal is made by way of a thick rubber washer inside the female threaded portion of both the SST line as well as the copper line. No other sealing method is needed nor warranted. Simply screw the threaded hose ends on the 3/4" nipples sticking out of the water heater and the 3/4" nipple sticking out of the wall. Make sure the rubber washer is in place on BOTH ends of the replacement hose before connecting. Just for S's and G's I like the SST hose better than the "flexible" copper pipe type.

 

[greybeard]

Grey, the hose you posted pictures of are designed to screw directly onto a 3/4" pipe thread nipple. The "flexible" copper line also shown here has the same type of connection. The seal is made by way of a thick rubber washer inside the female threaded portion of both the SST line as well as the copper line. No other sealing method is needed nor warranted. Simply screw the threaded hose ends on the 3/4" nipples sticking out of the water heater and the 3/4" nipple sticking out of the wall. Make sure the rubber washer is in place on BOTH ends of the replacement hose before connecting. Just for S's and G's I like the SST hose better than the "flexible" copper pipe type.

This /\ is what I went with. The original evidently was 'supposed' to have neoprene looking washers, since I found them on top of the water heater. Also replaced the 3/4 nipple that looked pretty ragged.
Not a bad job except the top of the doorframe was much lower than top connection on the wall. I'm too old to be a contortionist.

Thanks all.

 

[lavacarancher]

Grey, the hose you posted pictures of are designed to screw directly onto a 3/4" pipe thread nipple. The "flexible" copper line also shown here has the same type of connection. The seal is made by way of a thick rubber washer inside the female threaded portion of both the SST line as well as the copper line. No other sealing method is needed nor warranted. Simply screw the threaded hose ends on the 3/4" nipples sticking out of the water heater and the 3/4" nipple sticking out of the wall. Make sure the rubber washer is in place on BOTH ends of the replacement hose before connecting. Just for S's and G's I like the SST hose better than the "flexible" copper pipe type.

This /\ is what I went with. The original evidently was 'supposed' to have neoprene looking washers, since I found them on top of the water heater. Also replaced the 3/4 nipple that looked pretty ragged.
Not a bad job except the top of the doorframe was much lower than top connection on the wall. I'm too old to be a contortionist.

Thanks all.

Know exactly what you're talking about being a contortionist. I just finished replacing all the galvanized pipe in the ranch house with PEX. Not fun crawling under the house.

 

[greybeard]

I would have rather worked under my house--it's on pilings with the top of the finished 1st floor 5' from the ground.

 

[fitz]

Grey, the hose you posted pictures of are designed to screw directly onto a 3/4" pipe thread nipple. The "flexible" copper line also shown here has the same type of connection. The seal is made by way of a thick rubber washer inside the female threaded portion of both the SST line as well as the copper line. No other sealing method is needed nor warranted. Simply screw the threaded hose ends on the 3/4" nipples sticking out of the water heater and the 3/4" nipple sticking out of the wall. Make sure the rubber washer is in place on BOTH ends of the replacement hose before connecting. Just for S's and G's I like the SST hose better than the "flexible" copper pipe type.

This /\ is what I went with. The original evidently was 'supposed' to have neoprene looking washers, since I found them on top of the water heater. Also replaced the 3/4 nipple that looked pretty ragged.
Not a bad job except the top of the doorframe was much lower than top connection on the wall. I'm too old to be a contortionist.

Thanks all.

Know exactly what you're talking about being a contortionist. I just finished replacing all the galvanized pipe in the ranch house with PEX. Not fun crawling under the house.

Isn't that pex something? I'm using it more every time something comes up.

 

[lavacarancher]

Yes sir, Fitz. Very easy stuff to work with. So far I've made about 200 connections using PEX and not one leak. If I could figure how to post pictures I could show you two jobs I've just completed using the copper manifolds.

Nice looking place, Grey. Is that a Fiero sitting under there?

 

[greybeard]

Yep, Indy Fiero pace car. That pic was back before I closed in the underside of the house to keep varmints out--I just parked the car there as a joke photo op--to see if it would fit. I had 2 of thos Indys--just sent the last one down the road yesterday to new owner. First time since 1999 that I haven't owned one, but I'm done with them now--got too old to get in and out of them. You wear them moreso than you drive them. It was a fun hobby while it lasted tho.

Been thinking I might get into older cars next--50s something flathead Ford of some kind. Easier to work on and I can fit in em easier.

 

[bball]

I got to this post way too late, but just in case someone else reads it...when you replace those nipples in hwh, use brass ideally, second choice would be poly lined galvanized nipples.. .the gasket between tell copper flex and the galvanized nipples also helps with dielectric connection.

 

[quinzswein]

Hi, I would like to get suggestion on my water heater problem. It was working fine till this week. Now the central heating is working fine but the hot water is no longer runs hot. I am totally confused why this hell happens . One of my friends suggested me to contact Brothers Plumbing as they had a good experience with their service and I decided to contact them. Has anyone got any ideas what this could be?

 

[dun]

Hi, I would like to get suggestion on my water heater problem. It was working fine till this week. Now the central heating is working fine but the hot water is no longer runs hot. I am totally confused why this be nice happens . One of my friends suggested me to contact Brothers Plumbing as they had a good experience with their service and I decided to contact them. Has anyone got any ideas what this could be?

If it's electric and you have hard water it could be the elctrodes are so buried in minerals in the tank that htey can't heat the water.