ok before i have a hissy fit...

Bbillcee

Bbillcee

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had a plumber install my hot water heater and he joined copper to the galvanized nipple

i read the book and it said u should use dielectric union

he said not to worry this joint will be last for the life of the water heater

did he jerry rig me?

i am pretty handy and was gonna do the dam thing myself ...so let me know if i should never use this plumber again and if i should go ahead and install the dielectrics or just leave it

thanx

if u want it done right u have to do it yourself :mad:
 
What kind of fitting did he use to connect the copper to the galvanized pipe? Pictures would be helpful. Also did he install some sort of union? Now most water heaters have dielectric nipples which some areas accept.

Here in Illinois the code states that when joining different metals a brass fitting may be used or a dielectric union. Also it states that all appliances must have some sort of union installed on them. A water heater is an appliance, so might as well use a dielectric union on the nipples.
 
The galvanized nipple you see may well be the dielectric nipple which many brands include with the Wh today. No worries, mate.
 
he had a copper female thread to 3/4 copper sweat connected dirrectly to galvanized nipple, he does has unions above that...they look all brass

i read in the instruction manual that said dielectric unions should be used but i will check with manufacturer

if in fact dielectric unions should be used should i put them in or dont bother?
 
If the nipples are dielectric , you will not need to worry about using dielectric unions. If they are just standard nipples then I would personally put in the dielectric unions. Does the nipple look like this on the outside? If so it is a dielectric nipple then.
 

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dielectric

It is really academic, because in the "real world" dielectric unions and nipples are more for appearance, rather than any pratical purpose. Electrolysis takes place between the two materials, but it happens through the water which bypasses the dielectric device. Without water the two materials can be connected together and will last throughout eternity without corroding.
 
bbillcee said:
now i'm looking an only the cold side has that notch!
Click to expand...


Notch is probably down on the hot side. These may also be heat trap nipples, and the notch is on the "in" side. Just a thought.

What makes them dielectric is that the inside is lined with plastic, so the conducting medium...water....never touched the steel. Hence no corrosion.
 
i did notice what looked like a blue plastic looking insert on the hot side inside the pipe when he was connecting.....sounds like we good then
 
corrosion

Nope. It is the presence of the water inside connecting the two materials, and since the water is the carrier for the dielectric "charge" it spans the gap between them. The closer together, as in a dielectric union the less effective it is. A dielectric nipple gives greater separation, but as anyone who has ever had to remove a rusted one can tell you, they are as bad and maybe worse than a plain galvanized nipple. A 6" brass nipple, because it is intermediate to the two materials on the Nobility Scale, AND provides a greater separation distance, is the better "dielectric" solution.
 
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