Need info on Rheem water heater

[<nospam]

Great info and help. Thanks Lefty.

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

If that's the case- then don't dick around with anything. Buy a brand-new high-efficiency model and be done with it. If your propane is that high, the payback period ought to be pretty quick.

Jim

[Nonny]

Jim, that'd be my suggestion as well. Just go to Sears or a plumbing supply place and get a new heater. There comes a time when fiddling with replacement parts, digging, scraping, and all that mess just isn't worth it. FWIW, in many installations I've seen, there wouldn't be room above to get a replacement plunge tube in without disconnecting and tipping a drained tank, anyway.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've replaced a couple dip tubes. Would you like to hear what worked for me?

[<nospam]

Chris, yes. I meant to thank you along with Lefty in my last post.

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks for the field report. Boots on the ground is always more useful than a monkey at a keyboard. Hey, you got any bananas?

[Stormin Mormon]

Well, that's a blast of fresh air. Someone wrote a kind word?

Hope it works out well, for you.

[Stormin Mormon]

On the off chance that "Chris, yes..." meant to write what I learned. Read everything before doing anything.

Tools: Pipe wrench, torch, flux, solder (no lead, please), finger, Rectorseal #5, pipe cutter.

Parts: Dip tube, copper union.

Procedure:

• Shut off the water to the WH! Usually a faucet on the cold water side.

• Turn down the heat (usually clockwise) so the burner doesn't kick on while you're working.

• About half way between the shut off valve and the top of the WH, cut the tubing. Use some copper wire, to hang the water supply tube up a little, so it doesn't get in your way.

• Use the pipe wrench, to turn the big nut where the cold supply comes into the top of the WH. That should break the old Rectorseal, and the length of copper tubing threads out.

• stick finger in the hole, and see if the old dip tube is still there. It probably is not.

• Slip the new dip tube in. If you don't have a lot of head room, don't worry. You can angle the tube in, and straighten it later. I've put dip tube in application with not much head room.

• Cut about 3/4 of an inch of tubing off either the stub you just cranked out, or the pipe hanging down.

• Lay the pipe stub horizontal, on something fireproof like a brick. Sand, wire brush, flux, and solder half the copper union onto the pipe stub. Yes, you can put it back on the WH and solder it there. But soldering uphill is a PIA.

• Paint the exterior threads of the pipe stub with Rectorseal, and thread it back into the top of the WH. Crank it down, snug but not tight.

• Shake the cold supply tube to dry it out. Wire brush, sand, flux, the other half of the union and the tubing. Be sure to slip the big nut on first, and use some copper wire to keep it out of your way.

• Release the tubing that's held up by copper, and rest the two parts of the union together. Torch, sweat, and solder that joint.

• Some plumbers teach to Rectorseal the mating surfaces of unions, and also the threads. Can't hurt. Use two pipe wrenches to tighten the union. Cross brace the union so you put the turning torque only on the fitting.

• Say a prayer to the gods of plumbing, and then turn on the cold water supply. VERY little bit, and wait for it to come up to pressure. Wait a while, and see if it looks like it's leaking.

You just saved $325 in labor charges from a plumber, and you get to keep the tools. A copper union costs 3 bucks, a sweat coupler costs 30 cents. But, the next time you work on the WH, you can change the dip tube with just wrenches and rectorseal.