Replacing short gas pipe with long flex?

[BlackbirdKM]

I'm replacing a water heater and the gas connection on the new one is higher than than old. From what I've read on this forum, the easiest solution is to use a flex line.

However how would this work if my existing gas line is only a few inches away from the gas connection on the new water heater? Most flex lines I see are 24" but the gap to my new water is only a few inches. Can I just loop the excess? Even if I loop it, it still looks like it would be tight. One thought is that I could rotate the tank a little bit to give it a little more room. I'm planning on using flex water lines so this seems reasonable. The attached picture is the current tank which I haven't removed yet. Thanks.

 

[Bannerman]

Post another photo that is taken a little further away so as to show the gas feed from above.

What is the what appears to be unapproved reinforced plastic hose that is Tee'd into the drip leg for the WH?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[wwhitney]

What is the what appears to be unapproved reinforced plastic hose that is Tee'd into the drip leg for the WH?

That's CSST with a yellow jacket, which makes me wonder if it's the feed to the water heater, and the iron pipe ends just above the picture.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Phog]

It depends. The water heater needs a minimum gas input pressure to operate properly, and changing the plumbing will change the final pressure that the water heater sees.

There is a pressure drop across the gas line (the entire gas line all through the house, from the gas meter to the appliance) when the water heater is on, due to the flow. The longer & more restricted the gas line, the bigger the pressure drop & therefore the lower the final pressure at the appliance.

Adding the flex line will increase the in-line restriction by a small amount -- both because of the added length & also because of the loop you will have to twist in the line to connect it. Will this really matter? I really doubt it, the change will be very small. But if your pressure is already marginal, the flex is not going to help.

FYI, the big box hardware stores will cut black iron gas pipe to custom lengths & thread the ends for free. They usually have the machine sitting in the plumbing aisle & you just have to find an employee and tell them the length you want. But be very careful, gas plumbing is deadly if done wrong & in most places illegal to DIY without a license.

 

[Bannerman]

That's CSST with a yellow jacket,

Couldn't be sure. Even if proper pipe, it is Tee'd into the drip leg.

 

[wwhitney]

Couldn't be sure.

I happen to have installed that brand myself, so I recognize it.

Even if proper pipe, it is Tee'd into the drip leg.

That is odd. If the iron pipe from above is the supply, then someone tapped in after the water heater shutoff to feed the CSST.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[BlackbirdKM]

Thanks for the quick replies. The water heater is fed from the iron pipe which comes down from the ceiling. The yellow tube is tee'd off and feeds a gas fireplace insert that the the previous owner had installed into the existing wood fireplace. I was curious if that was an issue there, where the sediment trap should be right? I'm not sure why they chose to tee off there, but they did.

 

[wwhitney]

The only reason the CSST is fed from the drip leg after the water heater shutoff is that the installer was lazy/unqualified. It is at best a poor design and may be a code violation (I'm not so familiar with gas codes).

So I suggest when changing the water heater to also refeed the CSST from the iron pipe near the ceiling. Then the iron pipe drop to the water heater shutoff valve/drip leg can be rearranged so that the geometry is reasonable for a gas flex connector to the water heater. [Edit: although doesn't the drop need some support?]

If that's more involved than you are comfortable with or allowed to do, then it would mean getting a plumber to do the gas work.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[BlackbirdKM]

Thanks Wayne. Reconfiguration like that does extend beyond my comfort level.

I already had a couple quotes from local plumbers. Only one actually came out to look at the existing WH, and that person noted the CSST was odd, but didn't suggest moving it. That's when I started considering just installing it myself. Sounds like maybe I need to talk to some other plumbers and insist they come out to inspect the current configuration or provide them the same photos.

The existing drop isn't supported at all, so a strap or some brace at the top isn't a bad idea. But I just gave it a little wiggle, and between the rear elbow and the connection at the WH, that pipe is pretty sturdy.

 

[Aaroninnh]

Thanks Wayne. Reconfiguration like that does extend beyond my comfort level.

The existing drop isn't supported at all, so a strap or some brace at the top isn't a bad idea. But I just gave it a little wiggle, and between the rear elbow and the connection at the WH, that pipe is pretty sturdy.

Only because the water heater is supporting it. If you change the last 12" or so into the WH to be an appliance connector and it will start to wiggle a lot.

Personally, id use some threaded rod coming out from the wall and a split ring to help brace the bottom of the black iron.

Also, they do make smaller appliance connectors.

See this picture for an example.