Hello all--
Thanks in advance for any help and insight you can offer.
We bought a house that still had an el-cheapo, bottom-of-the-line water heater. No problems until a couple of weeks ago when the tank finished disintegrating and we found ourselves shopping for a new water heater.
We purchased a 12-year 40 gal. Kenmore electric. I used most of the existing rigid copper pipe which was still in very good shape, no corrosion or buildup. The water heater came with dielectric galvanized close nipples installed. I connected the copper to the galvanized using dielectric unions. There were no issues during the installation.
A couple of days later, we started getting air spitting at the hot water faucets when hot water first makes it to the faucet, along with a short burst of rust-colored water, then the air bubbles and rust work through in a few seconds and the water runs clear without the gas pockets or rust. It's getting worse.
The old water heater didn't do this at all.
Trying to figure through this, I would suspect that something is happening at the hot water outflow since the rust comes out in a concentrated burst, then clears up quickly. Perhaps some sort of galvanic activity in spite of the dielectric nipples and unions? Maybe a faulty or cracked tank lining?
Background info: we're on well water with 93 grain hardness, with a water softener bringing it down to 5 grain, so there's lots of sodium in the water. Very alkaline as well. Pressure runs normally very low. Cold water is unaffected; it works fine, without air or crud appearing at the cold faucets. House is grounded through a normal grounding rod system and not via the water pipes.
Also, when we got the new heater, the cardboard shipping box was in sad shape; maybe it was abused in shipping. The hot water nipple had some pretty nasty wrench damage on the threads as well.
I'm going to replace the dielectric nipples, but I fear it's a long-shot for a fix, and after that, I'm at a loss.
I'll take any suggestions I can get. Next step is calling Sears and demanding a replacement, but we live in the boonies, and a good fix close to home is preferable to a trip to the big city to hassle over a replacement.
Thanks again....
J. Bly
Thanks in advance for any help and insight you can offer.
We bought a house that still had an el-cheapo, bottom-of-the-line water heater. No problems until a couple of weeks ago when the tank finished disintegrating and we found ourselves shopping for a new water heater.
We purchased a 12-year 40 gal. Kenmore electric. I used most of the existing rigid copper pipe which was still in very good shape, no corrosion or buildup. The water heater came with dielectric galvanized close nipples installed. I connected the copper to the galvanized using dielectric unions. There were no issues during the installation.
A couple of days later, we started getting air spitting at the hot water faucets when hot water first makes it to the faucet, along with a short burst of rust-colored water, then the air bubbles and rust work through in a few seconds and the water runs clear without the gas pockets or rust. It's getting worse.
The old water heater didn't do this at all.
Trying to figure through this, I would suspect that something is happening at the hot water outflow since the rust comes out in a concentrated burst, then clears up quickly. Perhaps some sort of galvanic activity in spite of the dielectric nipples and unions? Maybe a faulty or cracked tank lining?
Background info: we're on well water with 93 grain hardness, with a water softener bringing it down to 5 grain, so there's lots of sodium in the water. Very alkaline as well. Pressure runs normally very low. Cold water is unaffected; it works fine, without air or crud appearing at the cold faucets. House is grounded through a normal grounding rod system and not via the water pipes.
Also, when we got the new heater, the cardboard shipping box was in sad shape; maybe it was abused in shipping. The hot water nipple had some pretty nasty wrench damage on the threads as well.
I'm going to replace the dielectric nipples, but I fear it's a long-shot for a fix, and after that, I'm at a loss.
I'll take any suggestions I can get. Next step is calling Sears and demanding a replacement, but we live in the boonies, and a good fix close to home is preferable to a trip to the big city to hassle over a replacement.
Thanks again....
J. Bly