Gas water heater tank replacement changes

[Mike00777]

Hello y'all.

I'm replacing my leaking 40 gal gas tank. The new Rheem is a bit narrower and taller. Any suggestions on any part that needs done better? I guess I'll have to raise the flue. Also I'd like to use flex hoses instead of hard soldering it in place. Can I run a short length of copper out to mount the expansion tank on, then go to flex hose just above that?

 

[Terry]

I don't know what your codes are in Georgia, on the West Coast we can use flex connectors to a water heater.
Though I did hear that Florida just got a 7.7 earthquake.
It looks like you have plenty of grade on your venting.
A normal kit here for expansion tanks would be
I don't use braided supply lines, too many issues with them.
I do use either copper or stainless steel corrugated flex lines. They come with rubber washers on the ends so no tape is needed if they're being threaded.

3/4" x 6" brass nipple
3/4" x 2" brass nipple
3/4" brass tee
3/4" brass 90
These fittings I tape and dope.

Though I see a lot of guys are using galvanized for that.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

.....Though I did hear that Florida just got a 7.7 earthquake.

The earthquake was just south of Cuba and the tremors were felt as far north a West Palm Beach and some buildings in Miami were evacuated. There are no earthquake related codes, that I know of, anywhere east of the Mississippi.

 

[Terry]

The earthquake was just south of Cuba and the tremors were felt as far north a West Palm Beach and some buildings in Miami were evacuated. There are no earthquake related codes, that I know of, anywhere east of the Mississippi.

On the West Coast we get them every so often. My brother Clare helped put the sewer systems back to running with my uncle Dana Packard who was a plumber. That was in 1964. A 9.3 earthquake.
It was the first time my brother drove a car, which was on the Al-Can highway, dirt and gravel for miles. He had to drive it at 80 MPH or the car would feel all the holes in the road. It was like flying over them. The gas tank fell out of the new Oldsmobile before they reached Anchorage. The frame of the car was bent from the pounding. That was my crazy uncle though. He had stories to tell. He also worked in Barrow Alaska doing plumbing and worked high rises in Seattle.
https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/1964-alaska-earthquake

 

[Phog]

Good story, that 1964 Alaska quake was one of the biggest recorded in history. You guys had one just as big in your area of western WA, in the year 1700. Obviously before any of our USA written records - but they were able to determine the exact date and even exact time of that quake by using ancient writings from Japan (it made a tsunami that went all the way over there). January 26 1700, 9pm local time. If you ever have a free hour, this is a great video explaining it all:

By the way they had a really big earthquake in Charleston SC a couple hundred years ago, surprised they don't have plumbing codes there that take that into account.

 

[Mike00777]

Thanks. The picture is pretty much what I was thinking of. Hey let me ask - so do I need to worry about air being trapped between the 'water side' of the expansion tank and the cold water supply? Seems it would get trapped in the pipe coming off the T and in the water side of the expansion tank. Maybe that's ok?

 

[WorthFlorida]

Replumb the expansion tank to a vertical position. I do not like flex hoses but in areas where the ground shakes, it is a benefit. The tank can wiggle and not break a water line, therefore no flooding of the home.

 

[Mike00777]

I plan to do it just like Terry's picture. I just like the flex because I don't have to get things aligned or worry about bending pipes with movement of the tank. Are there disadvantages of the flex?

 

[Reach4]

Thanks. The picture is pretty much what I was thinking of. Hey let me ask - so do I need to worry about air being trapped between the 'water side' of the expansion tank and the cold water supply?

No worry about that.

 

[hj]

Tanks are NOT supposed to be supported by the piping, and if they are, I would prefer to have it hanging downward in case it fails and fills with water.