14 YO Rheem hot water heater ONLY drips water when heating

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chimansaurus

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My 14 year old Rheem hot water heater ONLY drips water from the bottom when the fire is burning. It drips water directly on top of the burner plate which caused the unit to shut off twice over the years. The water stops dripping a minute or so after the fire goes off and does not drip anymore until the burner turns on after many hours. It happens in all heat settings, hot, warm, vacation. I put a metal can on top of the burner to collect the water. It collects about half a cup everytime the fire goes on.
Have you seen this issue before? Any temporary fixes other than replacing it (low on cash right now)?
 

FullySprinklered

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I've seen it just once. The w/h fires up then starts dripping after a minute. It evaporated instantly, so there was no puddle on the floor. It would drip maybe once every 5 seconds. I made the lady aware of it, but she wasn't ready to make a move toward replacing it. That was four years ago; may still be dripping, don't know.
Replacement cost, materials and labor would be north of 900 dollars.
 
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Jadnashua

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Could it just be condensation from the burner? Do you have a CO detector? It's probably a seam that opens a little when heated.
 

chimansaurus

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There is a small puddle underneath but a large towel handles it fine. Lately it drips every second or faster when heating. It creates a lot of steam. The system automatically shut itself off 2 times so far this summer.
I live in rural Illinois and the underground hard water I get, even in summer, is ice cold. So condensation probably adds to the issue.
I have a CO detector next to it and it hasn't beeped yet. It may be a seam or a pin hole that is underneath layers of sediments and debris. It used to make loud cracking noise when heating in early days. Now the noise stopped. How can I locate the small leak and stop it?
 

hj

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quote; It used to make loud cracking noise when heating in early days. Now the noise stopped. How can I locate the small leak and stop it?

The popping noise was steam generated in blisters of calcium on the center flue. It stopped when they broke open. IF you have a small leak, but it sounds more like condensation, there is NO "repair". The heater has to be replaced.
 

Plumber69

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Could it just be condensation from the burner? Do you have a CO detector? It's probably a seam that opens a little when heated.
I dont think so, condensation on a hwt only really occurs on a new install. Unless they are using all the hot water to the point where the tank if full of cold water daily, this would never happen. Even then its prob not going to happen. Tanks expand and shrink with temp change, a tank will weap at a certian temp and stop at a dif temp
 

Reach4

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An idea: what if the gas line has water in it? Could that cause this symptom? If that is worth considering, chimansaurus could turn off the gas, then open the water trap on the gas line to inspect and empty it. Use pipe dope or yellow teflon tape when reassembling.
46103d1309568214-sediment-trap-location-w-gas-flex-line-wh-gas-line-drip-leg.jpg


Edit... it was a bad idea... his dripping is from above the burner plate.
 
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Gary Swart

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When you have exhausted all of the "maybe it's ....", go back to HJ's post. Sorry, there is no cheap fix.
 

FullySprinklered

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Not sure about the temporary fix possibility. I agree with Gary, there's no fix for a broken seam on the water tank. Let's consider this, though while you save up for a new w/h. If it's strictly a pressure issue try lowering the temp setting to the lowest level that would allow you to at least function (cooler shower, cold water laundry, etc.), Turn on a hot water valve somewhere in the house when the water heater cycles on, and let it dribble to match the leakage from the w/h tank as best you can, and see if you can squeak by with this plan for a while. Haven't tried this, but you can try it for me and give us a report.
If it's the direct heat from the burner causing the welded seam to expand and leak, forget it.
 

chimansaurus

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Thanks for the comments. It is a 40G Rheem. I turned the WH off. I tried feeling the bottom of the tank and the flue. It seemed pretty solid with no rust. The condensation drips added to the original problem when I turned the WH back on because I flushed the WH and filled it with cold water.
I made the fire smaller, which made the water hotter. I was expecting the opposite.
Could it be a faulty pressure valve? My pressure valve is on the top and I can move the draining pipe back and forth with very little force. If that is the case, can a regular person (like me) replace it?
 

Gary Swart

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Your description of when the leak appears to be does not fit with the T/P valve. To answer the question of can it be DIY replaced, the answer is yes. The drain pipe does not really have to be torqued tight as there is never pressure against in nor does it ever hold water except if the valve opens and excess pressure is let off. The T/P could be opening if you have a closed system (a check valve in the supply pipe) and do not have a thermal expansion tank. However, it can't visualize how the water released from the T/P would reach the burner.
 

chimansaurus

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Problem fixed. Not a pinhole or leaking/expanding seam or debris issue. It was an exhaust issue through the flue. The fin inside the flue came loose, blocking the exhaust and condensing. I had to take lots of photos from inside and outside to figure it out. Tiny camera phones with flash are great. Keeping the burner hole door open and reducing the size of the fire did the trick. No drips over the last few days. How do I remove the collapsed fin from inside the flue? I appreciate your comments.
 

Caduceus

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Thanks for the follow up. I would have never guessed, nor have I ever seen, a misaligned flue baffle cause condensation to build up and drip. the heat typically burns it up even if the baffle is out of place. It must have been that way since the original installation 14 years ago unless there was some event that happened since. I guess poor air flow would be a contributing factor.
It should also be mentioned that the crackling noise that you heard earlier may have been a reaction between your tank's anode and the water if the Ph is naturally high (8+) but after 14 years you probably have a good amount of sediment (calcium) on the bottom of the tank as well. You also said that you reduced the burner flame and the water got hotter. It would cycle for longer periods, but the temperature should remain about the same and any sediment also slows down heat transfer to the water. That could also be an explanation for the condensation in the flue...too slow getting to temperature with the introduction of cold water. but that's only a guess.
Additionally, if the baffle was the cause, couldn't you just set the water heater back to normal flame, normal operation temperature and put the burner cover back into its place covering the compartment and all would be good? I ask this just to help you confirm that the problem and the solution match up and something else isn't being masked by the work that you've done.
Otherwise, it's great that you solved your dripping tank issue and having technology to get in there and help diagnose is always a plus. Others that visit this forum can really benefit from your experience when they have the same problem.
 

FullySprinklered

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Thanks for the follow up. I would have never guessed, nor have I ever seen, a misaligned flue baffle cause condensation to build up and drip. the heat typically burns it up even if the baffle is out of place. It must have been that way since the original installation 14 years ago unless there was some event that happened since. I guess poor air flow would be a contributing factor.
It should also be mentioned that the crackling noise that you heard earlier may have been a reaction between your tank's anode and the water if the Ph is naturally high (8+) but after 14 years you probably have a good amount of sediment (calcium) on the bottom of the tank as well. You also said that you reduced the burner flame and the water got hotter. It would cycle for longer periods, but the temperature should remain about the same and any sediment also slows down heat transfer to the water. That could also be an explanation for the condensation in the flue...too slow getting to temperature with the introduction of cold water. but that's only a guess.
Additionally, if the baffle was the cause, couldn't you just set the water heater back to normal flame, normal operation temperature and put the burner cover back into its place covering the compartment and all would be good? I ask this just to help you confirm that the problem and the solution match up and something else isn't being masked by the work that you've done.
Otherwise, it's great that you solved your dripping tank issue and having technology to get in there and help diagnose is always a plus. Others that visit this forum can really benefit from your experience when they have the same problem.
 

FullySprinklered

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I enjoyed reading your post, Caduceus. Must be some kind of Quaker thing, but I've never met anyone from Pennsylvania that wasn't very civilized and sensible, and somewhat likeable.
Now about that condensation puddle. I don't hear the bells of veracity pealing in the distance. As a matter of fact, I'll bet you ten bucks he's beating the s*** out of his Chihuahua with a rolled up newspaper as we speak. 15-year old water heater? What's it been doing for the last 14 years?
 

chimansaurus

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I am not sure if fullysprinklered is trying to make fun of me. English is not my first language. I did not understand his "veracity pealing" and "Chihuahua" comments.
I have several senior family members who have 20+ year old hot water heaters. Some of the comments make me feel that it has become a norm for a HWH not to last for more than a few years nowadays and trying to fix an old HWH is not possible.
Anyhow, Caduceus is probably right. I heard the water drip sizzle sound again tonight after I turned the HWH heat up slightly. So, it may or may not be a condensation issue.
I got a Bosch tank-less water heater today. If the old HWH fails, I will try to install it myself. It is more about learning and doing the work myself than anything else.
 

Caduceus

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Before buying the tankless did you have an opportunity to research what type and size will suit your needs? There are some important details when selecting a unit especially if you live in a northern state.
 

FullySprinklered

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I am not sure if fullysprinklered is trying to make fun of me. English is not my first language. I did not understand his "veracity pealing" and "Chihuahua" comments.
I have several senior family members who have 20+ year old hot water heaters. Some of the comments make me feel that it has become a norm for a HWH not to last for more than a few years nowadays and trying to fix an old HWH is not possible.
Anyhow, Caduceus is probably right. I heard the water drip sizzle sound again tonight after I turned the HWH heat up slightly. So, it may or may not be a condensation issue.
I got a Bosch tank-less water heater today. If the old HWH fails, I will try to install it myself. It is more about learning and doing the work myself than anything else.
Just making a funny joke about the puddle on the floor. Nothing personal or malicious intended. Post pictures when you get that tankless installed. Good Luck.
 

DonL

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Problem fixed. Not a pinhole or leaking/expanding seam or debris issue. It was an exhaust issue through the flue. The fin inside the flue came loose, blocking the exhaust and condensing. I had to take lots of photos from inside and outside to figure it out. Tiny camera phones with flash are great. Keeping the burner hole door open and reducing the size of the fire did the trick. No drips over the last few days. How do I remove the collapsed fin from inside the flue? I appreciate your comments.


You should find out why your Flue is not working properly, A new heater will have a problem also if your Flue is not working properly.

Sounds like you have H2O Vapor / From Burning Gas that is not getting exhausted properly.

You should not run it with the Door Removed, or you can upset the Draft.


Good Luck.
 
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