Whats best to use on the female threaded pipe threads in the top of tank type water heaters?
Pipe dope or teflon tape?- and if teflon how many wraps? 5?
I wish water heaters has a male threaded connections (installed by the factory) you could attach the screw on flex connectors to.
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Replies
Both.
3 wraps
Liberty = Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
American Heritage Dictionary
You are putting it on the female threads...? I have never doped female threads because it seems to push the dope ahead of the fitting as you screw it in.
I do tape, then dope the male ends....
It's also a violation of the code to dope the female threads.
To ErnieK, some water heaters do come with nipples allready installed.
Use brass, or Clearflow¯ nipples.
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?" Benjamin Franklin
Roger that...I've seen a few. But I have never doped female threads. Repaired too many problems when someone has done that. I rarely use tape and dope unless I anticipate problems.
Now that you are here...I want to use my turbo torch with a small propane tank instead of a 'B' tank. Never tried it but are the fittings easily available? Seems simple enough and propane is definitely cheaper than acetylene. Dragging a 'B' around can be a pain in a cluttered mechanical room. Seems to get knocked over by every pedestrian.
Any suggestions?
Turbo tips are different from acetylene to propane.
Acetylene tips have a nomenclature like A-11 & A-14 etc & propane tips have a nomenclature LP-7 & LP-20.
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?" Benjamin Franklin
Opps...
forgot to read "female"
ugg
Liberty = Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
American Heritage Dictionary
While you're at it, if you are connecting copper to the galvanized, make sure to use dielectric unions.
Pete Duffy, Handyman
Two comments:
Use pipe thread dope!
Buy two short brass nipples, coat the nipples not the female fittings and insert them into top of the heater.
Put a ball valve on both ports (above unions) so you son't have to shut off the water when replaceing.
Mike
I was told by a plumber replacing my water heater a few years ago, that it's against code (at least in Chicago) to put a valve on the outlet of the water heater, something to due with thermal expansion.
I know of no place in the code that says you can't put a valve on the outlet.
If you think about it a standard system has a bunch of valves on the outlet side, one at every fixture.
On the cold side it is required that a valve be there according to the code.
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?" Benjamin Franklin
BillYou have to realize that when it comes to codes and Chicago area they don't follow any national standard. Specially the electrical codes. I think that Chicago has written there own. And one of the subburbs I saw still used a 1990 NEC with lots of modifications.And one city does not allow any materials are practices that wheren't common in the 1890's. (No SIP, ICF's, PEX, PVC/ABS, etc). I think that they still require runs for gas lighting..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
"And one city does not allow any materials are practices that wheren't common in the 1890's."Do they extend this madness to forbid the use of plywood in homes?Bill
Actually, I learned when I put an addition on my house, Chicago doesn't allow plywood sheathing for exterior walls. You have to use fire rated gypsum board. My contractor put plywood only at the corners. He told me the inspectors will allow this to stiffen the structure. On the inside, 5/8" sheetrock on all exterior and load bearing walls and ceilings. And the r factor required for wall insulation ( I don't remember the number) necessitates using 2x6 studs.
Also, all electrical is in emt.
How do you get a shear value with gypsum?
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it?" Benjamin Franklin
I don't know about that, I'm just a HO.
Rich,The gypsum is for fire reasons. But they do allow plywood subflooring, correct? Or do they require diagonal planking instead?I have heard of the EMT requirement there, and it may be a pain, but it would make a better house if done properly. Old conductors could be replaced if the insulation was compromised. Must add a fair bit to the electrical costs, though.Bill
yes, they do allow plywood decking on the floors and roofs. Whenever I see a new house or addition going up around here, seems like only about half of them use gypsum board, because there's no enforcement for single families. the inspectors are too busy with condo buildings and commercial projects. The only one you can count on coming out is the electrical inspector. Framing and plumbing inspectors only come out if the builder or the neighbors call.