Connecting water heater to house pipes
edwardh1
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Do any of you ever use flex (either copper or stainless) to connect the water lines directly to a short nipple coming straight up from the water heater?
almost all the installations I see- have a short nipple coming from the heater, , then a 90 degree elbow, another short copper piece, then the threaded threaded copper pipe connecting to the flex.
If you just screw a iron nipple into the top of the heater, is the end of that too rough for the flex to make up to?
Replies
Flex is normally used for areas with seismic or earthquake requirements. As long as both fittings are NPT or national pipe thread, you should be fine.
Keep in mind that you shouldn't mix galv pipe and copper/brass. Use a brass nipple.
No problem, really. Use one of those ... special fittings for copper/galv connections ... forget the name. I've used the flex copper routinely ... try to get a full heat trap type bend to limit the convective thermosyphon heat loss affect.
Or just install heat trap nipples which provide the non-galvanic nipple and do the heat trap with one stone thrown.
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. --Wilhelm Stekel
When is galvanic protection (nipple) needed? the stainless flex connector people make it sound like you do not need it if using stainless.And do the heat trap nipples with the round ball in them work ok? or do the ball wear and get loose in the pipe?
a dielectric fitting should be used whenever you have two dissimilar metals in contact with each other. If you don't use them, you can look at a galvanic chart http://www.repwars.com/inreport/galvchart.html ; and pick materials that are closer together rather than further apart on the chart. Brass can erode (Not corrode) quicker than other metals. This may or may not be an issue for you.
Obviously,I'm not a plumber. I know what a nipple is, but what is a heat trap njpple?
It's a nipple with a heat trap in it, to keep heat from escaping up the pipes by convection. They come in pairs, one for in and one for out.
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. --Wilhelm Stekel
DanH. Thanks for the reply. I sorta figured that out, but what's in it that makes it work? Are we talking about heat from/though the water or heat conduction though the piping. I'm guessing it's the latter. Maybe I should go down to the local big box and look at one .Oops
I just reread your reply and got the answer. I guess you could say I just wasn't listerning
Edited 11/23/2008 7:00 pm ET by oops
The heat traps are basically just one-way valves that convection currents are not strong enough to force open.
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. --Wilhelm Stekel
They are a simple device, I recall. VERY simple. Don't recall the exact way they work, but it's like a ball inside that is boyant and plugs the flow when no water is flowing. One nipple is made for the cold water inlet and the other for the outlet (since their flow is opposite each other. Amazingly simple devices. You can probably look them up on line and see exactly how they work. They've been out a long time, surprised more people don't know they are around. You can get them at the big box stores.
Absolutely correct.