Reviews:
 ·AT&T Southeast
| reply to onebadmofo
Re: Low water pressure The dip tube is a plastic tube inside the water heater. It takes the cold water from the inlet down to the bottom of the water heater. As you recall from basic science, heat rises. So the hot water that exits your water heater leaves through the top. You don't want to be diluting the already-heated water with cold water. Thus the dip tube. It takes the cold water that needs heating down to the lower part of the heater where the heat source (gas burner, for example) is located.
Depending on the age of your water heater, it might be feasible to replace the tube. But if the tank is already past its prime life expectancy, then just replacing the water heater is probably a better choice.
A great place to get help and parts is »waterheaterresuce.com
A video of this thread...
»www.ronhazelton.com/tips/faulty_···lacement
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | To add to Goofy's post... For a period of time, water heater manufacturers were using an inappropriate material for their dip tubes, which resulted in them failing prematurely. |
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 onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
join:2002-03-30
Reading, PA
kudos:1 | reply to onebadmofo
Hmm...interesting.
Would the dip tube be a reason for hot water not lasting as long as it used to?
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
| said by onebadmofo:Would the dip tube be a reason for hot water not lasting as long as it used to?
Yes. |
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 cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | reply to onebadmofo
said by onebadmofo:Hmm...interesting.
Would the dip tube be a reason for hot water not lasting as long as it used to? Building on Bob's brief reply...
Yes, because if the dip tube broke off say right at the top of the inlet, cold water immediately mixes with the hot water and then exits the water heater. If it's the first use after the heater has reached it's max temperature, you'll have hot water for a brief period until enough cold water has mixed lowering the temperature of the top portion of the water heater. The water at the bottom of the tank never gets properly mixed with the cold incoming water until the water usage stops and the water settles.
If indeed it is the diptube, you can buy replacement tubes at supply houses locally or online. They aren't that expensive. But it can be a real PITA to get the supply nipple off to replace the tube due to years of corrosion. And if you do get it off, it may not go back on very well.
The years where dip tubes were really an issue were the 90s ending up in a class action lawsuit and settlement that ended IIRC in 2000 or 2001. It's not inconceivable you could have a water heater from that vintage, although if you do I'd plan on replacing it rather than repairing it...you're already on borrowed time statistically speaking. |
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Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| Another "common" error that a DIYer can make when replacing a dip tube is shooting your own foot when soldering a connection on top of the newly replaced tube. If you heat an area with the torch too close to the new plastic, you can damage the new tube with radiant heat.
Hate to say it onebadmofo  , but I think a new heater is your likely best investment after you verify the age of the heater.
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | reply to cdru
You also need a high enough ceiling to get the new dip tube into the tank! |
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onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
join:2002-03-30
Reading, PA
kudos:1 | reply to Bob
Well....isn't that just peachy. |
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onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
join:2002-03-30
Reading, PA
kudos:1 | reply to onebadmofo
I couldn't find a year it was made. The yellow energy sticker has a year of 1994 on it. But I don't think that is something I can go by.
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Reviews:
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to onebadmofo
said by onebadmofo:Hmm...interesting.
Would the dip tube be a reason for hot water not lasting as long as it used to?
A dip tube problem would not match the symptoms you described (hearing water running when there was no known consumer of water in use, and I think you sorta implied that the flame does not go off when you have the valve open). |
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | Isn't that a different water heater thread? |
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| reply to onebadmofo
Yep think the post two above might belong to »New gas water heater but water lukewarm-HELP! |
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Reviews:
·AT&T Midwest
| You are right.... This is the low water pressure thread.  |
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onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
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Reading, PA
kudos:1 | said by StillLearn:You are right.... This is the low water pressure thread. Yeah dude, you had me confused for a second there.
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | reply to onebadmofo
I see a new water heater in your future. |
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onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
join:2002-03-30
Reading, PA
kudos:1 | reply to onebadmofo
I'm already thinking tankless. |
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 KramerPremium,Mod
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Richmond, VA
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| reply to Bob
said by Bob:To add to Goofy's post... For a period of time, water heater manufacturers were using an inappropriate material for their dip tubes, which resulted in them failing prematurely.
Yep, drove me crazy around here. All the aerators clogged with what looked like a white fine gravel. Years later a dishwasher had problems and had to taken apart because of it. I suspect I will one day run into something around here that still has that crap in it.
Edit: The first symptom was running out of hot water too early.Then all the faucets got clogged up. Put in a new heater. |
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onebadmofoRepost These Nuts In Your Mouth.Premium
join:2002-03-30
Reading, PA
kudos:1 | reply to onebadmofo
I'm looking at home depot for a tankless water heater. But I'm not sure what would be a good replacement. W/H I have now is:
- 50 Gal
-240 Volts
I'm not sure what else I would need to know in order to replace it with a proper tankless.
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 tschmidtPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
kudos:8
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| You are not going to find an electric tank less heater. The instantaneous current consumption is astronomical.
If you have NG or Propane then it may be an option.
The standby losses are a well insulated electric tank are minor since there is no flue.
/tom |
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1 edit | Unless gas tankless is not really an option. Think tankless also have some installation requirements like they need to be placed on outside wall for proper venting. Not sure about that however. |
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