Running out of Hot Water

[TimWHT1]

I have a 50 gallon Rheem Performance Platinum gas heater. It is about two years old.

The symptom I am observing is that showers run out of hot water after about 10-15 minutes. I've ruled out an internal leak elsewhere in the house plumbing system.

I'm wondering if the dip tube might be broken or have a hole in it. Seems early in the heater's life for this to happen but I would like to open it up and look. I have not observed any plastic particles downstream.

There is a metal (retainer?) clip surrounding the nipple on the hot water inlet tube. It has solid 'wings' that fold up over the OD of the nipple as if to hold it in place. What is this ring? Can I cut it off? Right now it is in the way of applying a pipe wrench to the nipple without messing up the threads.

Any insight on this?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Gary Swart]

Check the dip tube. It is suspended in the cold water intake. Just disconnect the pipe and you can fish the tube out with your pinkey finger. Replacement tubes are readily available. You may have to cut the bottom end off a tad if it is too long. Should be just a few inches about the bottom of the tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

have you considered just turning up the water heater a bit higher because of the
colder winter water temps??

 

[TimWHT1]

I tried this morning to fish out the dip tube with my pinky finger, a small hook, and snap-ring pliers. Nothing seemed to get ahold of it. Are there other techniques that make grabbing the suspended tube easier?

Mark--yes, the first thing i did was to increase the temperature to compensate for the weather.

Thanks again,
Tim.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

I tried this morning to fish out the dip tube with my pinky finger, a small hook, and snap-ring pliers. Nothing seemed to get ahold of it. Are there other techniques that make grabbing the suspended tube easier?

Mark--yes, the first thing i did was to increase the temperature to compensate for the weather.

Thanks again,
Tim.

they can be trouble to get out but if you have a long pair of needle nose pliers they will
reach into those tight spots and grab that tube very easliy......

Its probably not gonna be the tube....but if its a Rheem unit it might have this nasty stupid little plastic plug
stuck in the bottom of the tube....they are problematic and you should remove it...
The plug is there to force the water out at mid level which they think is more economical
but it also does not allow the heater to come on as much and does not heat up properly...

By removing the plug it
will also allow the cold water to flow down further to the bottom of the tank
and tripping the thermostat on ... very stupid idea they have come up with in my opinion.....

We have had to do this on some larger 75 gallon units and they function much, much better....