Hi everyone, I’m looking for a simple fix to an annoying little prolem. My nine year-old oil-fired hot water heater (John Wood JWF 507) is shedding little bits of white plastic which I suspect are crumbs from the dip tube which is committing suicide. The problem is that these little fragments block up the valve body in my shower resulting in drastically reduced hot water flow. At some point, there isn’t enough pressure for the diverter to even engage to send water to the shower head. I’ve been reduced to dismantling and cleaning out the hot side of the valve every week or so and this is getting tedious. I loathe the idea of disposing of an otherwise perfectly good hot water heater at a cost of $1 500.00. I thought of filtering the hot water immediately downstream of the tank, but am afraid that I will only have to be doing my weekly visits in the furnace room instead. Does anyone know of a way to simply replace the dip tube? What would happen if it were removed altogether? Any ideas?
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Replies
Check with your manufacurer for a recall or at least a replacement. I saw one manufacturer--I think Ruud- put out a recall notice aprox. 5-6 years ago for faulty plastic dip tubes and they switched back to metal. Your dip tube is on the supply (Cold) side and causes the cold water to enter the bottom of the tank. If the the tube was broken or absent, the water would have a tendancy to follow the path of least resistance to the discharge (Hot) side without a chance to gain any heat.
Cold water goes to the bottom, mixes, gains heat then heat rises--discharges to hot water system-- Very inefficient without it.
Edited 1/11/2006 2:38 pm ET by Boats234
"Does anyone know of a way to simply replace the dip tube?"
A. Remove supply nipple that goes into top of tank.
B. Insert dip tube removal devise (pinky finger, minus your pinky ring)
C. Lift out tube - they're not threaded, soldered etc.
D. reverse procedure for installation
Thanks. Have you done this before? Why is everyone trying to sell me a new tank?
while you've got the water shut off, replace the sacrificial anode in the tank - the water heater should last longer doing that "they" want to sell you a new water heater since there's a bigger profit - routine maintenance and longer lasting heater won't promote company growth
In mid 70's when the plastic tubes first came out- I screwed a couple up by soldering the cold side with the plastic dip tube still in place. Never knew I had a problem- tube melted and fell off. I don't remember why I went back to check-- I think it came up in an afterhours discussion at my dads shop. Any way located the problem and fixed it.
I mentioned this thread to a plumber friend of mine and he thought there was a class action settlement--9 yr old burner- check and you might get a rebate or heavy discount on a new unit with the class action.
Yes, there was a class action settlement.That has expired long about (about 3 or 4 years) ago.The particular WH companies might offer some relief.
Just a bit of levity today,
why do they call them hot water heaters? Does hot water get heated????
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WWPD
Edited 1/11/2006 11:35 am ET by Sailfish
>>why do they call them hot water heaters? Does hot water get heated????Actually, except for when it is first turned on or run completely out of heated water, the heating elements/burner are heating hot water which has been cooled somewhat by incoming cold waterSo they should really be called "mainly hot water heaters, sometimes warm water heaters, and every now and again cold water heaters" <G>
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
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Easily replaced as the other have said. Yes you need it, otherwise the cold water just travels the few inches from the inlet to the outlet and you'll have cold showers after only a few minutes, and you'll waste money heating water that won't come out of the heater.
You can flush some of the plastic from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Sooner or later all of it will be gone and you won't have to keep cleaning your shower valve.
If you wish, rather than install a filter, you could install a brass Y strainer in the water heater outlet. The strainer is cleanable by opening a drain plug and you won't have to change filters. The mesh of the strainer is more free flowing than the cartridge of a filter. A brass strainer will take the heat, unlike a plastic filter housing.
I have one that was doing just that...Plugged the screen on the back of a stacked w/d in a closet...A PITA royal...Replaced tube (only about a foot left) then went and got a 3/4"brass nipple and a 3/4" brass lever ball valve...filled and drained it about a dozen times and finally got most of it...I still get a bit of stuff in the screens after 6 mo or so but better than a new one...
Bud
Ie replaced the drain valve....
Edited 1/11/2006 9:59 pm ET by seb