ri702bill 7,319 #26 Posted January 29, 2023 11 hours ago, lynnmor said: The one thing that is universally ignored is the anode rod, again things vary but it needs to be checked regularly to determine a replacement frequency Ever try to break one of those loose?? NOT the easiest thing - 1/2" breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it for leverage - barely got it to come loose... Bill 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 7,319 #27 Posted January 29, 2023 12 hours ago, Horse Newbie said: Do any of you fellows drain/ flush your water heaters at the recommended 6 month intervals to remove sediment build up ? Actually, yes. Maybe not every 6 months, but once a year. Funny with the newer models - you need to relieve the pressure in the tank BEFORE you open the drain - and don't open the T&P valve to do so - they almost always leak if disturbed. Funny story about tank designs. The standard 6 year warranty tanks are the most prone to buildup. The "improved" 9 and 12 year models have a built-in turbine gizmo inside - the incoming cold water hits it, swirls up the sediment and is self cleaning. Guess where all that sediment goes??? Yup, it clogs ALL the faucet aereators and the dishwasher inlet screen..... I could not wait for that one to die... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 59,720 #28 Posted January 29, 2023 42 minutes ago, ri702bill said: Actually, yes. Maybe not every 6 months, but once a year. Funny with the newer models - you need to relieve the pressure in the tank BEFORE you open the drain - and don't open the T&P valve to do so - they almost always leak if disturbed. Funny story about tank designs. The standard 6 year warranty tanks are the most prone to buildup. The "improved" 9 and 12 year models have a built-in turbine gizmo inside - the incoming cold water hits it, swirls up the sediment and is self cleaning. Guess where all that sediment goes??? Yup, it clogs ALL the faucet aereators and the dishwasher inlet screen..... I could not wait for that one to die... Funnier thing about Bradford White tanks. The 6 year and 10 year builds run down the line together. The 6 year is the standard warranty. The 10 year gets a fancy label. Nothing more. Built to Be the Best! 53 minutes ago, ri702bill said: Ever try to break one of those loose?? NOT the easiest thing - 1/2" breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it for leverage - barely got it to come loose... Bill @ebinmaine preaches this, as do I. Most often, especially on a tapered pipe thread, if you cannot loosen a fitting, you can almost certainly tighten it. Crank it 1/4 turn in, it’ll twist right out. I carry a 24” pipe wrench max and can’t recall a time I needed cheater pipes on one. The Bradford White anode is generally the outlet nipple. They do have some hex head anodes, but try to keep tank protrusions (potential leak points) to an absolute minimum. Can’t get a pipe wrench on the nipple you say? Run a pipe tee down onto the nipple and crank that tight until the nipple turns also. Back it out and likely the nipple will come with the tee. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 7,319 #29 Posted January 29, 2023 The replacement anodes are not a one piece rod as the original - they are 3 pieces joined with chain - great for low overhead access like I have..... 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,926 #30 Posted January 29, 2023 Working nights. Probably 2nd month on the job. PM'ing 80 gal commercial AO Smith Cyclone water heaters. Both stand side by side. Shut the first one down and valved it off. Opened the drain and green water came out along with chunks of something black. Wonder what the black stuff is. close the drain and it doesn't seal. The black stuff was the seal packing of the valve! Well no way I'm getting this valve out of this 10yr. old tank. I searched the shops for 2 hrs. until I found another shut off valve. Stole the guts out of it and put them in the tank valve. I made sure I had another spare valve before I did the other one. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 59,720 #31 Posted January 29, 2023 1 hour ago, ri702bill said: The replacement anodes are not a one piece rod as the original - they are 3 pieces joined with chain - great for low overhead access like I have..... They are easier indeed, but I’m not a fan of their performance. The solid rods have just that- a solid core that makes the anode work. Any calcium, corrosion of the connection or otherwise, and electrolysis doesn’t let the second or third or more links do their thing, 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 10,277 #32 Posted January 29, 2023 15 hours ago, squonk said: Copper line looks puny and is in an area where it could get damaged. Every nat gas line here in NY is black iron. No brazing soldering, flaring or compression fittings. Drip pan is nice but it that thing lets go the that pan will stop working in about a minute. Typically the drain pan will have a connection for a pipe to be run to a drain or sump pump. Here one is required in certain installations. I think I see the drain pipe running out at about 2 o'clock and dumping into the vented soffit. I guess that would work. The flexible appliance connector (FAC) is similar to corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) but different and have different code requirements. Usually a fac is required and typically have about 150% of the rating of the average home water heater. CSST has some advantages over iron pipe in that there are fewer fittings and in earthquake prone areas. It does have a lower capacity so simply size it accordingly. Bonding requirements apply. Yes, the copper looks small but remember it's a higher pressure line. Think OHM's law but for gas lines. Personally I would replace it because of the damage potential. 13 hours ago, Kenneth R Cluley said: Sediment doesn't come in from outside, it is a by-product of heating elements. Especially in electric heaters. Not sure about gas. Minerals, etc.in water collect on elements and flake off as heat and cool cycle occurs. They build up in bottom of tank and eventually cover lower element. Then it fails. Draining a few gallons once in a while is important. Mainly just to get it out of there but I figure on a gas unit it sorta insulates the bottom from the heat source. Not so much on electric because the elements are up off the bottom. If the crud gets to the lower element yes. I almost said but who would let it get that bad but thought better. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 6,859 #33 Posted January 29, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, ri702bill said: Ever try to break one of those loose?? NOT the easiest thing - 1/2" breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it for leverage - barely got it to come loose... Bill Plus my water heater is so close to the roof I would not be able to slide the rods up to get them out without disconnecting the water heater and moving it. Then where am I going to find a go-rill-a to hold the water heater while I pull on the breaker bar ? Nevermind… just seen post # 29… Edited January 29, 2023 by Horse Newbie 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 6,777 #34 Posted January 29, 2023 2 hours ago, ri702bill said: Ever try to break one of those loose?? NOT the easiest thing - 1/2" breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it for leverage - barely got it to come loose... Bill I have learned to ALWAYS remove the anode rod from a NEW water heater and reinstall it using Teflon tape and not tighten it excessively. My lesson was the time it took a 3/4" impact driver to remove one. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 6,777 #35 Posted January 29, 2023 1 hour ago, ri702bill said: The replacement anodes are not a one piece rod as the original - they are 3 pieces joined with chain - great for low overhead access like I have..... Just because Home Depot quit selling one piece anode rods doesn't mean they aren't available. I guess they want to minimize inventory and also avoid returns because folks couldn't get the long ones in. If at all possible, I will never use the hot dog strings after spending half a day trying to get one out. My wonderful former tenant took it upon herself to have one of those things installed. The hot dogs split and spread their legs so that they could not come out the hole, the harder I pulled, the more they spread. Lower the water heater, raise the ceiling, get a shorter water heater or cut some off a solid one, but never use the hot dog style. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,341 #36 Posted January 29, 2023 Man, this has turned into a really good thread! We have an old water heater at our place in Virginia that's holding on for dear life, and there's so much here that we can use when it comes time to replace it. Lots of information, different perspectives, and a good healthy discussion, I love it! Thank you gentlemen! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 10,277 #37 Posted January 29, 2023 43 minutes ago, tunahead72 said: Man, this has turned into a really good thread! We have an old water heater at our place in Virginia that's holding on for dear life, and there's so much here that we can use when it comes time to replace it. Lots of information, different perspectives, and a good healthy discussion, I love it! Thank you gentlemen! Yes, it sure did. But, did we ever get @Horse Newbie original question answered? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,926 #38 Posted January 29, 2023 19 minutes ago, Racinbob said: Yes, it sure did. But, did we ever get @Horse Newbie original question answered? Yes. Condensation 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 6,859 #39 Posted January 29, 2023 Yep… I believe condensation was what I was hearing dripping and hitting the burner making a “sssss” sound when it hit. Also could see through the sight glass that the drop of water hitting the burner would momentarily make the flame flicker… got up to temp, all seems normal now. Don’t know what caused the pilot to go out in the first place though… maybe an interruption in gas supply ??? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 203 #40 Posted January 29, 2023 I don't have anything useful or constructive to add. I just wanted to pop in and say, this is why I love this place. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 59,720 #41 Posted January 30, 2023 7 hours ago, Horse Newbie said: Don’t know what caused the pilot to go out in the first place though… maybe an interruption in gas supply ??? I can tell you one thing. When someone tells you the wind blew it out, they don’t realize that is nearly impossible! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
