Nipples

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Ian Gills

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I am about to have my water heater replaced by a plumber. I want to make sure that the plumber uses dielectric unions or brass nipples.

I might buy some in advance to make doubly sure. What size would you recommend: is it 3.4" FIP or MIP?

And if I go the brass nipple route should they be 6" long or will shorter do?

Thanks in advance.
 

hj

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heater

Who is furnishing the heater? Many heaters already have the nipples installed in the tank. If it doesn't, and if he is really a plumber he WILL have the proper nipples on his truck. What would probably happen if you bought the nipples would be that they came from China, had bad threads so they leaked, and the plumber would have to charge you extra for taking them apart and replacing them.
 

Ian Gills

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The plumber is a plumber/HVAC guy I used to fix my furnace. He did a reasonable job, and gave me a competitive quote for the water heater. Besides he can get me a Bradford White and I cannot.
 
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Terry

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wh_nipple.jpg

These are plastic lined water heater nipples.
They don't normally look like this.
The plastic lining is supposed to keep them clear.
The replacement heater, came with plastic lined nipples that had the plastic going up and over the top.
They must be new and improved.

I've never seen a brass nipple look like this though.
 
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