# More bad work pictures



## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Saw this gem while working on a bathroom remodel. 75 gal gas, 74,000BTU input. Hackbites 3" away from the flue. 

They also reduced the 1" to 3/4". Love the electrical bond (Does 3) #14 equal 1) #6?)

I think it was a 3 trip install. It was a Bradford, though.

Second photo is the completed repair. (I informed the customer, she had me fix it up!


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Heres some more beauts from the same job^
-Shower valve is in basement bath (visible from heater room)
-The blue iron fittings and old galv. are gas piping. They cut in to feed a gas fireplace. There was an old red tag on that! (gas leak) Guess they -had that stuff laying around.
-I guess they'll get around to a cover plate someday.
-Stereo speaker wire


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## user2091 (Sep 27, 2009)

who would of thought you could make black pipe look like pex! wow eye opener!


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

bigdaddyplumber said:


> who would of thought you could make black pipe look like pex! wow eye opener!


I've seen some real messes made with black iron. The funniest thing is it takes WAY more work to make it look like ass than it does to do it clean. :whistling2:







Paul


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

I can't see the unions on that water heater.:whistling2: Must be my computer.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Indiana Plumber said:


> I can't see the unions on that water heater.:whistling2: Must be my computer.


 What unions?

Local 609? We are not a union shop:laughing:


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I wanna know what the bonding wires for when you have both hot and cold connected to the steel tank. They WERE also bonded at that shower valve too.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

TheMaster said:


> I wanna know what the bonding wires for when you have both hot and cold connected to the steel tank. They WERE also bonded at that shower valve too.


 I wish I could tell you. Our electrical code, which I know nothing about, and am not involved with, requires a minimum #6 wire. The PLUMBING INSPECTOR will issue a not approved sticker and fail the job if we (the plumber) do not install this wire and clamps on any water heater we touch! This has been going on for 2 years now. What is really a joke is when we use pex. We transition to copper a couple feet away from the water heater, as required by the pex manufacturer. Some inspectors still make us put this bonding wire on the copper!!!! The rest of the building is plastic!!!! It does absolutley nothing. 

The copper you saw at the shower was someones half ass way of securing the vertical piping. The ends were flattened out, and driven into the studs. Then the stub was tack soldered to the piping


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Illinois code calls for unions on the water heater.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

jjbex said:


> Illinois code calls for unions on the water heater.


 Gotcha. Our code does not. 

Boy, they REALLY make it easy for the handyhack, don't they?


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

RealLivePlumber said:


> I wish I could tell you. Our electrical code, which I know nothing about, and am not involved with, requires a minimum #6 wire. The PLUMBING INSPECTOR will issue a not approved sticker and fail the job if we (the plumber) do not install this wire and clamps on any water heater we touch! This has been going on for 2 years now. What is really a joke is when we use pex. We transition to copper a couple feet away from the water heater, as required by the pex manufacturer. Some inspectors still make us put this bonding wire on the copper!!!! The rest of the building is plastic!!!! It does absolutley nothing.
> 
> The copper you saw at the shower was someones half ass way of securing the vertical piping. The ends were flattened out, and driven into the studs. Then the stub was tack soldered to the piping


 I've seen that kinda bracing alot in condos and apartments. Ever ask an inspector why when your using pex? :laughing: I'd love to hear that answer.:yes:


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

TheMaster said:


> I've seen that kinda bracing alot in condos and apartments. Ever ask an inspector why when your using pex? :laughing: I'd love to hear that answer.:yes:


 I did. He said "cause that is what the electrical inspector said, if there is copper at a water heater..........."
I told him it wasnt going to do anything. He just shrugged his shoulders.

Freaking idiot.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Yeah, unions make it easier for the DIYer, but also make it easier on industrial jobs, as well. I don't do residential anymore, except once in a blue moon.


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## SPH (Nov 4, 2008)

RealLivePlumber said:


> The copper you saw at the shower was someones half ass way of securing the vertical piping. The ends were flattened out, and driven into the studs. Then the stub was tack soldered to the piping


Actually that was a really common way of securing copper water lines. Back when copper wass cheap! I've seen some jobs where it can actually look really good!


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

The sad thing is that the heater would have lasted longer before you touched it. It had brass between the copper and the steel tank. You connected copper straight to galvanized steel. I’d say those galvis will be shot in less than a decade. That would be a code violation in Florida (one of the most lax codes in the states from what I here). 

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.......


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Protech said:


> The sad thing is that the heater would have lasted longer before you touched it. It had brass between the copper and the steel tank. You connected copper straight to galvanized steel. I’d say those galvis will be shot in less than a decade. That would be a code violation in Florida (one of the most lax codes in the states from what I here).
> 
> Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.......


Dude, I don't know what the hell kind of water you got down there. Every single water heater in the State of New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is installed exactly like the one in the pictures. That connection will outlive the tank and gas control 5 times over. We do not have issues with that in our region.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Fair enough.


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## TheSkinnyGuy (Sep 15, 2009)

I have to agree with protech in that that install would go bad pretty quick here in the Central Valley in Cali. But anyways, that's just my opinion for what its worth.... LOVELY backing, I don't care HOW common it used to be, I think it looks like $#*t.


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## ralphco (Nov 21, 2009)

The copper flattened and driven into the studs was the way we did it back before all the fancy stubout brackets came on the market. Not half assed at all — not too purdy, but works great!


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

ralphco said:


> The copper flattened and driven into the studs was the way we did it back before all the fancy stubout brackets came on the market. Not half assed at all — not too purdy, but works great!


If you have not done so, would you mind posting an introduction before posting to this site?


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