water heater: dip tube questions

Our house has a "Craftmaster" gas water heater (c 2000), which acts like it has a broken dip tube - the hot water is lukewarm, even though the gas does come on from time to time.

I removed the inlet pipe. I can see (and feel) what seems to be a black plastic hose extending down from the inlet nipple. It doesn't feel at all free.

  1. Do I need to remove the (galvanized) inlet nipple to get the tube out?

  1. Inside the tube, there was a plastic strip, about 4" long, with two magnets in it. It was a snug fit, but it pulled out without excessive force. What is this?

TIA, George

Reply to
George
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Yes, you have to remove the nipple, then the dip tube will pull out.

The plastic strip with magnets sounds like it could be part of an anti-thermosyphon valve in a "heat saver nipple" used to prevent warm water (which is less dense than cold water) from climbing upward into the uninsulated pipes and wasting a little energy during long periods when hot water isn't being used.

HTH,

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Thanks for that. The nipple thing is still confusing. It looks a lot like it's really part of the tank, based on the color and the shape. And, it's recessed below the sheet metal - so much so that I don't see how I could get a pipe wrench on it.

Might there be some other construction here?

Thanks again, George

Reply to
George

Sorry I misunderstood what you were describing as the "inlet nipple", I thought you meant a male-male nipple about three inches long, often located between the lower half of a pipe union and the tank boss.

Sound like it's got one of those plastic dip tubes which can be "damn near impossible" to remove.

Before you go nutso over it, have you ruled out a thermostat problem?

With the tank full and that inlet disconnected, after the burner shuts off, If you drain water from the clean out hose bib at the bottom of the tank is the water which comes out hot or warm? If it too is only warm, I'd look for a problem with the thermostat before accusing the dip tube.

HTH,

Jeff Jeffry Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE) The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Yeah, well, maybe, did I check the temperature setting? No need to do that. But, there it was, set to "warm". Oops. Someone must have broken in and changed it.

At least I didn't break anything.

Thanks for your replies, George

Reply to
George

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