New Water heater, leaking at cold inlet/nipple, sharkbite or bad nipple? see pics

[nutshellml]

So I recently installed a new water heater (3 months old), I used sharkbite (I know, nothing compares to hard piping), the cold water inlet failed and started leaking, when I removed the sharkbit the nipple was not perfectly round, not sure what it could be from, but could the water be leaking from the "flatter" side of the nipple vs. the shark bite failing? Not sure where to go with this? Going to replace sharkbite tonight, but could the nipple be the issue? and if so, what could have caused this?

 

[jeffmattero76]

I am not a pro, but I do lots of plumbing in my rental properties.

I am not sure I understand where you used the sharkbite. Please explain.

When I install or replace a water heater, I typically cut the existing copper, solder on a male adapter, and then use a stainless steel water heater flex line from the male adapter to the nipple on the water heater. I have seen those flex lines with a sharkbite on the end that connects to the old copper, but I have never used them.

 

[nutshellml]

I am not a pro, but I do lots of plumbing in my rental properties.

I am not sure I understand where you used the sharkbite. Please explain.

When I install or replace a water heater, I typically cut the existing copper, solder on a male adapter, and then use a stainless steel water heater flex line from the male adapter to the nipple on the water heater. I have seen those flex lines with a sharkbite on the end that connects to the old copper, but I have never used them.

So exactly what you mentioned I did. Sharkbite flexible 24” the screw on side went where I took the picture and the sharkbite connection to copper cold pipe.

Oddly this happened exactly when water main broke and they shut our water off.

But the nipple / dip tube I put in the photo doesn’t look odd?

 

[nutshellml]

GC

So exactly what you mentioned I did. Sharkbite flexible 24” the screw on side went where I took the picture and the sharkbite connection to copper cold pipe.

Oddly this happened exactly when water main broke and they shut our water off.

But the nipple / dip tube I put in the photo doesn’t look odd?

 

[jeffmattero76]

It looks odd to me. On mine (Bradford White brand), I don't see anything like that when I look into the nipple. Did you remove anything from that nipple? I have always seen a plastic + when I look into it.

So exactly what you mentioned I did. Sharkbite flexible 24” the screw on side went where I took the picture and the sharkbite connection to copper cold pipe.

Oddly this happened exactly when water main broke and they shut our water off.

But the nipple / dip tube I put in the photo doesn’t look odd?

 

[nutshellml]

It looks odd to me. On mine (Bradford White brand), I don't see anything like that when I look into the nipple. Did you remove anything from that nipple? I have always seen a plastic + when I look into it.

Didn’t remove anything, I originally thought it should come with a heat trap but this model didn’t. And 99% sure it didn’t look like that when I bought it.

 

[havasu]

Looks like a broken dielectric nipple.

 

[nutshellml]

So now the hot water outlet is leaking, suspect same problem. I spoke with plumber, one thing I don't know if I mentioned is the town cut the water off for few hours. This happened shortly there after. The plumber said that because of the lack of pressure and heat, it could have warped and most likely the cause of both failing. Makes sense as I don't see what else it could have been. I originally thought it might have been the sharkbites. My other thought was this NEVER happened before with my old WH but this new one is 80K BTU vs. 40k BTU (old).

What do you think?

If that sounds like the issue two questions
1) how can this be avoided in the future, i know if i'm around i'll turn down the WH or turn it off, but if i'm not home, this could likely happen again.
2) I was going to order a Blue Lighting magnesium replacement rod (since the OEM rod is single peice and I'll never be able to get it installed).

Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[jeffmattero76]

Please explain why you need to replace the rod. I am assuming you are referring to the anode rod. Since the water heater is fairly new, there should be nothing wrong with the existing anode rod.

 

[nutshellml]

Please explain why you need to replace the rod. I am assuming you are referring to the anode rod. Since the water heater is fairly new, there should be nothing wrong with the existing anode rod.

No nothing is wrong, BUT the hot water intake is one complete solid rod connected to the nipple, I have no way to remove it without cutting it after pulling it up a little bit. This water heater doesn't have a separate rod, it's all one piece

Screenshot 2018-06-09 08.18.02

• nutshellml
• Jun 9, 2018

parts diagram

 

[havasu]

You are missing Jeff's point. Exactly WHY are you replacing the anode rod?

 

[nutshellml]

You are missing Jeff's point. Exactly WHY are you replacing the anode rod?

Maybe I'm missing something. So I'm replacing #5 and #7 in the diagram, both of those are one long 40" piece with the nipple attached, so I have no way to just replace the nipple and not the rod.

Why am I replacing them already? Because it appears that the dip tube is warped in my original photo, I believe this is causing the leak at both same locations. I can only attribute this failure to when the local water was shut off, the WH was still on and no pressure causing excess heat? At least that is what I was told, but not sure if that is the exact reason, just odd that both go same time same place same issue.

 

[havasu]

I've tried reading this thread from the beginning, and still scratching my head. So, the water main broke. Your tank was full of water I presume. Did someone use all the hot water in the tank, and now your flame kicked on and roasted the empty tank? If water remained in there, you should not have to be dealing with this issue if your thermostat was working. I will tell you that the more you work on a sealed unit, the more issues you will have. My thinking is if something was fried on the inside, I'm much rather toss out the entire water heater and replace it, primarily for peace of mind.

Last question... do you have a pressure regulator in the incoming water service?

 

[nutshellml]

I've tried reading this thread from the beginning, and still scratching my head. So, the water main broke. Your tank was full of water I presume. Did someone use all the hot water in the tank, and now your flame kicked on and roasted the empty tank? If water remained in there, you should not have to be dealing with this issue if your thermostat was working. I will tell you that the more you work on a sealed unit, the more issues you will have. My thinking is if something was fried on the inside, I'm much rather toss out the entire water heater and replace it, primarily for peace of mind.

Last question... do you have a pressure regulator in the incoming water service?

I don't believe someone used all the water, actually def not all the water because there was no pressure therefore I couldn't get hot water... So I shouldn't be dealing with this issue as this shouldn't happen correct? If not, then what could cause the dip tube / nipple to warp like that??

I'm not sure if something fried inside, I have yet to take the hot water outlet off to look at the dip tube, I'm just suspecting same issue. It's not leaking constantly. I'm not in the position to toss it, so that's not an option. I have tightened both hot and cold inlets fairly tight so I don't believe it's due to a loose connection...

Pressure regulator, unless it's on the meter from the water company, I don't have one.

 

[Matt30]

There's no dip tube in the hot water connection, it's just a dielectric nipple.

 

[nutshellml]

There's no dip tube in the hot water connection, it's just a dielectric nipple.

Correct, wrong verbiage I used, it's a "Hot Water Outlet Anode" one single 40" piece that has the nipple and the anode attached.

 

[breplum]

Looks like defective parts issue. The mfr will warrant all parts under warranty.
Call them and ask for service to deal with it.
They will drain the tank, tilt it on it's side to replace the if necessary, or use an articulated anode.
Not your problem.
SharkBite has nothing to do with anything.

 

[nutshellml]

Looks like defective parts issue. The mfr will warrant all parts under warranty.
Call them and ask for service to deal with it.
They will drain the tank, tilt it on it's side to replace the if necessary, or use an articulated anode.
Not your problem.
SharkBite has nothing to do with anything.

So Manufacturer authorized two new parts 1-cold water dip tube 2-hot water outlet anode, but I need to go to the supply house to get them. They wouldn't cover labor.