# Dielectric Unions



## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

Had a weird situation. Set a gas water heater. Filled it up hooked the gas up and lit the pilot. At this point water has been on for 10 mins and no leaks. Went to the truck to write up the invoice, returned to the house showed the customer the heater still no leaks roughly 10 mins went by again so were up to 20 mins. Went to get lunch and started to head to our next call. 40mins gone by and she call me to ask why is there a piece of copper hanging on the side of her heater is for. I said it's for the pop off. Sill no sign of leak. Roughly 4 hrs later water is gushing out of the Dielectric. I went back to her house and tighten up the dielectric union nut 1 !/2 turns? Water was running out of it like a fountian. 

This ever happen to you?


----------



## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

nope, that has never happened to me, I dont have leaks.


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Maybe she wanted to see you again...:whistling2:


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I seen them start to leak after they cooled down on the big boiler type heaters. And once the boiler was back to temperature, they stopped leaking.


----------



## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

I don't use dialectric unions.


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Killertoiletspider said:


> I don't use dialectric unions.


 
I did a water heater install for a steady customer of mine, I used a pair of brass unions off the heater with male adapters threaded into the unions. Everything was fine. Till she went to sell her home. 

The home inspector told her that her plumber did not install the water heater to code that it needs to have dielectric unions. So when she contacted me about this, I had her make an appointment for him to meet me there. I called the city plumbing inspector to meet us there as well. So the plumbing inspector and myself asked this home inspector where in the plumbing code states that the unions must be dielectric. He started to spout of crap out of his mouth. The plumbing inspector told him to STFU and leave plumbing inspections to him, then showed him in the Illinois code book where it says different metals can be joined using brass fittings.


----------



## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

I had a year that earned me the nick name leaky. Seem to have it under control now. Sometimes it seems that these things just happen.


----------



## Flyin Brian (Aug 22, 2009)

Killertoiletspider said:


> I don't use dialectric unions.


i second that motion.


----------



## drtyhands (Aug 16, 2008)

Brass only union can be used but you would need to add more brass to increase the distance between two metals.


----------



## Flyin Brian (Aug 22, 2009)

diaelectric clearflow nipples than take off with copper F.I.P. ADAPTERS


----------



## Song Dog (Jun 12, 2008)

I quit using them. 3/4 Brass unions:thumbsup:

In Christ,

Song Dog


----------



## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

*Stupid*

That  put stop payment on the check she wrote me! and had her daddy call me to work out the problem (everything got water logged according to her it wasn't that bad) her lawnmower and edge trimer got a litttle wet!. Now they will not return my calls so I can go over there and start that  lawnmower and edge trimmer to show her it's fine. And to get my money! Calling my lawyer tomorrow! :furious::furious:


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

3KP said:


> That  put stop payment on the check she wrote me! and had her daddy call me to work out the problem (everything got water logged according to her it wasn't that bad) her lawnmower and edge trimer got a litttle wet!. Now they will not return my calls so I can go over there and start that  lawnmower and edge trimmer to show her it's fine. And to get my money! Calling my lawyer tomorrow! :furious::furious:


 Small claims court. Let your insurance pay for the lawnmower an trimmer and any other costs associated with the leak. She still has to pay you.


----------



## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

indiana. you might want to take the check to prosecutor. in some cases they will help you. don't ask i don't practice law. it's free. breid.............:rockon:


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

OMG, I friggin hate home inspectors. Home owners actually think that they are the same thing as building inspectors. I have to constantly explain to them that all it takes to be a home inspector is $250 and a 4 hour class.

I just did a call where the home inspector told the HO that their "hot water heater"  "was not up to code because it had a 3/8" OD copper T/P relief line and not 3/4", but other than that it's fine" I had to explain that he is correct about the 3/8" relief line, but the fact that: 

-Both the inlet and outlet are ran in 3/8" as well, 3 bath house.
-The relief discharges to the floor (in the family room closet) instead of the exterior
-There is no shutoff valve of any kind
-No pan or pan drain under the heater (Again, family room closet)
-No electrical disconnect
-NM cable (the old tar/fiber kind) with no strain relief fitting on the power supply.

Is not "fine" 

Uh, yeah, I'd say he hit the nail right on the head ma'am 




SewerRatz said:


> I did a water heater install for a steady customer of mine, I used a pair of brass unions off the heater with male adapters threaded into the unions. Everything was fine. Till she went to sell her home.
> 
> The home inspector told her that her plumber did not install the water heater to code that it needs to have dielectric unions. So when she contacted me about this, I had her make an appointment for him to meet me there. I called the city plumbing inspector to meet us there as well. So the plumbing inspector and myself asked this home inspector where in the plumbing code states that the unions must be dielectric. He started to spout of crap out of his mouth. The plumbing inspector told him to STFU and leave plumbing inspections to him, then showed him in the Illinois code book where it says different metals can be joined using brass fittings.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*dialectic unions are a joke*



Killertoiletspider said:


> I don't use dialectric unions.


 
I wont use them anymore either , they are a joke....

I only use the Black Brass craft SS connectors 
on all my heaters..

I never have any leaks anymore.....


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

SewerRatz said:


> I did a water heater install for a steady customer of mine, I used a pair of brass unions off the heater with male adapters threaded into the unions. Everything was fine. Till she went to sell her home.
> 
> The home inspector told her that her plumber did not install the water heater to code that it needs to have dielectric unions. So when she contacted me about this, I had her make an appointment for him to meet me there. I called the city plumbing inspector to meet us there as well. So the plumbing inspector and myself asked this home inspector where in the plumbing code states that the unions must be dielectric. He started to spout of crap out of his mouth. The plumbing inspector told him to STFU and leave plumbing inspections to him, then showed him in the Illinois code book where it says different metals can be joined using brass fittings.


Seems like you could have just told those clowns it passed city inspection and that would have been end of story and been no need to go meet everyone on the jobsite. Thos home inspectors are somthing else aren't they!:thumbsup:


----------



## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Protech said:


> OMG, I friggin hate home inspectors. Home owners actually think that they are the same thing as building inspectors. I have to constantly explain to them that all it takes to be a home inspector is $250 and a 4 hour class.


Here in IL you don't even have to take a class, just pay for the license.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Nice.



Killertoiletspider said:


> Here in IL you don't even have to take a class, just pay for the license.


----------



## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

In Colorado you don't even need to pay for a license. One of the local news guys got it cert for his dog to be a home inspector! lol


----------

