# What's leaking?



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

You can tell the age of the home by the water heater serial #


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Rheem Corporation manufactures 20 different brands of water heater and uses two different serial number series - one that is all numbers and the other which is both letters and numbers. However, the date code is based on the first 4 digits of the serial number, which signify the month followed by the year, the letter, which is in the 5th position, doesn't need to be considered. For example, any Rheem manufactured product bearing the serial number 0794****** or 0794F***** will have been manufactured in July of 1994.

Nov 1990


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Spot on ron(hey that rhymes)

Now, what is actually leaking?


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Well without visual inspection up close in person, I don't see the leakage, but cold inlet has corrosion on it.

Where are you seeing the water at?


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

Just looked at the fittings in the picture, looks like plastic over copper with a copper crimped band holding all in place? Never seen anything like it. 

Also notice a gate valve, over here they seize up. The wheel head will keep spinning but the gate wont open, stripped threads. Can happen during both on and off positions. I advice people to open them full and then close them a slight amount. Saves them from seizing when left in prolonged open positions. 

I prefer lever valves but most plumbers here find them too expensive.

Somethings leaking inside the stud, maybe its why you cut it open?


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I've found leaks on poly that you had to hold your hand in front of it so you could see it the spray was so fine. I also have a ton of the old copper crimp fittings for it but really have no use for them. I use the male and female original poly copper fittings for transitions to pex or copper and the swt x poly crimp adapters too. So that poly is 19 yrs old.....I was installing miles of that stuff in the late 80's and early 90's


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## Flush Gordon (Jul 23, 2009)

Is the TPR valve dripping in the wall...is that why you opened up the wall? It has been terminated inside the wall??


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## IrishPlumber (Jul 16, 2009)

I see a drip building on the bottom of the copper pipe, middle of the two, although it could be excess solder.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

If that is water droplets seen on the T&P drain then TM is right fine mist of water spaying from the quest pipe.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

In that last pic the studs on the left look dark like they are wet.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Dang East Coasters. As a new day comes over there here it is not yet 10PM here, leave us thinking.

Just like on TV TO BE CONTINUED


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Rheem Corporation manufactures 20 different brands of water heater and uses two different serial number series - one that is all numbers and the other which is both letters and numbers. However, the date code is based on the first 4 digits of the serial number, which signify the month followed by the year, the letter, which is in the 5th position, doesn't need to be considered. For example, any Rheem manufactured product bearing the serial number 0794****** or 0794F***** will have been manufactured in July of 1994.
> 
> Nov 1990


 The model number's use to have a "V" for 5 year warranty and "X" for 10 yr heater.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Did you know when you upgrade the BW water heater from a 6 year to a 10 year warranty all one is paying for is a sticker and warranty info.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

well, since you opened the wall at the tub, how about the feed to the tub/shower valve? that stud on the skirt side of the tub does look darker. if not that, maybe the tub spout/diverter leaking behind the wall.






paul


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Did you know when you upgrade the BW water heater from a 6 year to a 10 year warranty all one is paying for is a sticker and warranty info.


 I know the rheems use to be like that...I mean they had their own box with 10 yr on it and the model was different but yeah it was the same heater exactly. Some I think now are different...I know now you can add the anode for a rheem and get an extra 6 yr warranty for some models. I have one of the upgrade kits with the special hot outlet anode rod.


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## That One Guy (Sep 14, 2008)

+1 on the fine mist leak. They are hard to spot, hands over the pipe or a flash light inspection will spot it. Is anything wet above the floor? Where is the water showing up at, on the floor only? Im a visual person but I cant tell anything from the pics.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

OK, I was just waiting for everyone to jump one and start bashing polybutylene, but no one did so I tell you what's up. 

It's actually the 1/4" OD copper icemaker line that's leaking. It backs up to the tub/shower valve. Roto rooter came out and supposedly did an electronic leak location and couldn't find it (same guy as the "wonder bib") but did manage to charge the HO a $75 dispatch fee. He spent several hours in the home looking for the leak. I walked in a found it in less than 10 min. using no leak detector.

The reason that I posted this though is to show that PB can be quite reliable in certain circumstances. I asked the neighbors if they had any leaks on the plastic pipe and they said "No, but we've had to repipe because of the copper leaks." These homes are PB above ground and soft copper below slab. Only the copper has had problems, not the poly. It's important to note that it's NOT QEST pipe, it's vanguard pipe (Vanguard is now Viega FYI). I've only ever done 3 leaks on vanguard polybutylene. 2 were on the copper fittings(pin holes) and one was on a makeup piece that was installed with a good kink on it. As of yet, I have not seen any problems with vanguard's polybutylene pipe that was properly installed and under normal operating conditions. I'm not saying that it doesn’t happen. I'm just saying that out of the thousands of homes in my service area that have it, I've not seen any undue failures. There are some other PB systems out there that were OK too, but all anyone ever talk about is that particular line that qest put out that was part of the lawsuit(on the acetyl fittings)


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