Braided or corrugated stainless, or copper flex for water lines?

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tracyballard

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I was looking at some flex connectors available for my upcoming water heater install and I'm not sure what to use. Currently I have copper flex connection lines, but Home Depot seems to regard that as the last choice to use. They sell braided stainless lines and corrugated stainless flex lines - which one is best? I would have assumed braided is best, but they seem to cost less than the corrugates steel flex. Any thoughts?
 

Terry

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I don't use braided on water heaters.
Here in the West I use the copper corrugated. There is nothing wrong with the stainless corrugated, but they are harder to seal at the ends.
 

SHR

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Do not ever use the stainless steel braided water heater lines, especially the HD stocked lines. The inside black rubber-like material disintegrates and results in little black chunks of material breaking away and in to your water. This results in clogged valves, supply lines, faucets and anything else with a small water pathway. As Terry stated above, use the copper flex. If the HD SALESPEOPLE are telling you different it just proves once again most big box store plumbing SALESPEOPLE do not have a clue about plumbing.

The stainless steel braided toilet and faucet supply lines are my preferred supply lines though. They are made differently and I have never had a problem with them.
 

g20zoom

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I just looked at the HD SS flex WH lines, and they have some kind of clear poly tubing in side, not black water.

So recently, I had the HD copper corrugated one fail in 4.5 years on the hot side
then an Eastman copper one fail at just under 5 years on the cold side(not same heater) - pin hole leak just started so time for a 7/4 project. lol

Does anyone make quality corrugated ones these days? Sure we have bad water here in San Diego CA....but they sure used to last the life of the water heater!
 

Terry

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Why is stainless corrugated harder to seal? Do you have the rubber seal like the copper ones?

Most copper flex is a little softer and makes the final bend to be a bit more square at the washer. Just make sure regardless of material that the ends are square to the nipples for a good seal with the rubber washers.
 

Dj2

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I've used all three, and my first choice is still corrugated copper, even though the new ones seem to be thinner copper than before.
When you install a corrugated connector, don't shape and reshape it to fit again and again, because it will develop a leak. Shape once and that's it.
 

Weekend Handyman

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If the HD SALESPEOPLE are telling you different it just proves once again most big box store plumbing SALESPEOPLE do not have a clue about plumbing.

It depends. I worked at Home Depot for a while. At that time, we had two retired licensed plumbers with 30-40 years experience … younger plumbers would come in to pick their brains. We also had some folks who were far less knowledgeable … I would take what they said with a grain of salt. Whenever trying to get info in a big box store, I always ask: 1) What is your background in the trade? 2) Have your personally used / installed this product?
 
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