Electric water heater
- Thread starter R_Bell
- Start date
AreYaSerious
Well-known member
I'd honestly do that even if it's not required, with that being said. Everything else to my non professional opinion looks great. Nice job, and remember the main thing is that it works and it's safe.
I am by no means a plumber and that being said I think I did a pretty good job. Looking for all comments on maybe how to improve.
The section on the left, if 45 degree fittings are available , you could have eliminated the 90 in the center. Granted, I can't see everything from a picture but it could be doable.
The first 90 at the heater (imagine it's pointing at 12 o'clock) to about 2:30. Put a 45 on supply coming through the wall. Connect with one section of pipe.
Not a big deal the way you did it but just a remember, a 90 degree fitting change direction in two ways rather than just vertically or horizontally. It just depends on how you orient it.
A electrical shut off that has tabs that pull out? Do you know where I can find them?
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Bretny
Well-known member
Whats the purpose of the expansion tank? Is this being feed by something with a check valve or a closed loop system?
strutaeng
Well-known member
I'm certain the water heater needs something like 18" of copper coming out of the hot water side before it transitions into PEX. I've read that on the PEX literature.
Read here on page 17: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pex_design_guide.pdf
It also states the plumbing code section:
Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC-2003)
604.11.2 Water Heater Connections. PEX shall not be installed within the first 18 inches
(457 mm) of piping connected to a water heater.
Read here on page 17: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pex_design_guide.pdf
It also states the plumbing code section:
Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC-2003)
604.11.2 Water Heater Connections. PEX shall not be installed within the first 18 inches
(457 mm) of piping connected to a water heater.
strutaeng
Well-known member
Looks like you can swap out for copper for not much hassle. You can even reuse the sharkbites.
The main water line is blue Poly and that's a discussion for another day so I went with the pex just to be consistent.
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Our heater started leaking recently (I forgot to drain it/maintain it over the years). I'm thinking of going with a tankless system as they are about the same price.
Any pro's and con's of either?
OP's looks like a clean install. I didn't know it's code now to have an expansion tank.
Any pro's and con's of either?
OP's looks like a clean install. I didn't know it's code now to have an expansion tank.
strutaeng
Well-known member
Look at 9 of 14 for a photo of what I was talking about.
https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/pex-piping-everything-you-need-to-know/view-all/
strutaeng
Well-known member
These are the lines I usually see connecting the hard water lines to the water heater *******.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman...pper-Water-Heater-Connector-0449718/205807734
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman...pper-Water-Heater-Connector-0449718/205807734
sberry
Banned
Tankless gas may be ok but I don't want 100A or more coming on to wash hands. Even a hi recharge only draws 25A, they make 4000 watt models, neither really hurt 100A electric service.
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There are a dozen other threads on tankless vs tank .......with many varying opinions....and few heated debates.
Many findthe install cost on tankless is no way near the tank price install . Larger gas line or upgraded electrcial needed can be easy added $1k or more.
This one is the latest with 122 posts:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371318
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rlitman
Well-known member
What in the world is with all these fittings? PEX is flexible.
6768rogues
Banned
It looks nice, but PEX on the hot side at the water heater can be an issue, as the previous comment said. If I were going to use all those Shark Bites, I would have eliminated most of it with these in either half or three quarters: https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-...dia-Water-Heater-Hose-Push-Fitting/1000179019
We never put disconnects on water heaters. If there is a problem, we turn off the breaker.
We never put disconnects on water heaters. If there is a problem, we turn off the breaker.
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DGersic
Well-known member
One like this?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Siemens-60-Amp-Fusible-Outdoor-AC-Disconnect-WF2060/206184013
I don’t see a 100A sized one, though.
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slow
Well-known member
Where is the water heater and where is the panel? For example mine is in the garage within 20' of the breaker panel and in clear view. No disconnect needed. Personally, I don't like the pull out style and use something like QO200TR from Square D.
100 amps, that's a really large water heater.
100 amps, that's a really large water heater.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
I only see black pipe stubs coming through the wall in the pics. If so, you may need a bonding wire.
Tommy
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LifeLongWNYer
Well-known member
I am NOt an expert ( you all know what an "expert" is ) but isn't the electrical feed supposed to be secured? The disconnect suggested in an earlier post may solve the problem. It will clean up the hole in the wall, where the flex emerges, give you a disconnect, AND provide an anchor.
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The orientation of that expansion tank......... should it be sideways ? and do you have that much of excess pressure that you needed it? I have not seen one in my house or my parent's except for friend's hydronic heating systems but that is mounted vertical...
HoosierMark
Well-known member
I would put a shut off on the hot side as well. That way if you have to shut the line off you can keep the hot from back draining, keep the water from backflowing on a single handle faucet if it is accidently used while you are working on the water heater and simply isolate the heater. The cost of a valve is cheap for the benefits it gives you.
3robert 1
Well-known member
What am I missing here why do you need a pressure tank on a hot water heater? Or is that part of a heating system? Can somebody snswere that please?
Movover
Well-known member
Falcon67
Well-known member
Never seen anyone install a expansion tank in this area - interesting.
3robert 1
Well-known member
Hmmm I guess its something regional as I've never heard of this before. Never seen it used . I understand the principal behind it but don't understand the need. I guess I learned something new today.
johnnyradiant
Well-known member
It is rare that I look at a manual but every once in a while I'll flip through one. As far back as I can remember expansion tanks were at least mentioned. I can only ever recall encountering one install with a hot water tank, and that was because it was being used as a 'boiler' for some radiant heat in a one room addition on a house. I have debated doing one in one of my houses just to see but always end up going back to "if it ain't broke..."
TractorJeff
Well-known member
OK!
If you are on "city water", you probably don't have a storage tank like a well supplied house would have. In this case you would need a small expansion tank to handle the pressure generated by heating assuming it is a closed system. Meaning it has a back flow preventer installed.
In a home supplied by a well you wouldn't need an expansion tank because the expanding water pressure would go back to the cold water tank.
Clear as Mud?
If you are on "city water", you probably don't have a storage tank like a well supplied house would have. In this case you would need a small expansion tank to handle the pressure generated by heating assuming it is a closed system. Meaning it has a back flow preventer installed.
In a home supplied by a well you wouldn't need an expansion tank because the expanding water pressure would go back to the cold water tank.
Clear as Mud?