Yellow water from new electric water heater

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johngaul

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I replaced the 38 gallon lowboy electric water heater in a rental condo in preparation to sell. I am getting yellowish water from the new unit even after filling it and draining it twice. Is this normal to get yellowish water from a new unit?

Also having the yellow on the cold when the new heater is filled, even with hot supply to heater turned off. In reading another post it sounds like this may be a problem with the single lever shower(moen) faucet. Could the valve insert be in backwards or is this a pipe connection issue? I have not changed any plumbing yet have replaced the valve internals within the past couple years.
 
Not really normal to have yellow water but if old galv. pipes have been disturbed they should settle down and the water should clear.

The Moen valve depending on the valve will either need the stem of the cartridge inverted 180 degrees, or, the cartridge rotated 180 degrees.
 
pipes are copper, would it be unusual to just get a bad water heater, maybe rusted inside for some reason?
 
If you close the water heater valve and turn on the cold water anywhere in the condo and yellow water is coming out of the cold side there is a problem with the water coming into the condo.

Check with neighbors and see if they are having the same problem.

Look and see if you plumbed the water heater backwards...the cold and hot are marked on the top of the heater.

Turn the power off to the heater, and turn on the hot water in the tub and let it run for an hour.

It is possible but not likely you have a bad heater.

Is it yellow or reddish appearing as yellow...

Fill a glass and let it sit and see if it settles to the bottom.
 
I will check to make sure I plumbed the heater correctly. The cold is clear with the heater valve off(and drained). With heater valve off and heater full, the cold is yellow. I believe this to be an isue with a shower valve in backwards, I will hopefully check that today.
 
Is the valve in backward or is the cartridge in backward?

A backward cartridge does not = yellow water.
 
If this does not go away the only thing I can think of, and I have never seen it before, is some how an unlined tank came through.
 
The valve could possibly be in backwards which I have read could mix hot with cold, which would explain why the yelloe water from the heater is seen in the cold even with the heater valve off.

Thans for all the replies, this gives me a place to start if I make it there today.
 
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