Tie PEX into water pipes at water heater? Hows this look?

[Hackney plumbing]

As I said earlier (and Terry posted the UPC code verifying it), the codes (often) do not differentiate the type of WH, and dictate metal for that distance to the WH...the fact that on an electric it may work is irrelevant unless and until the code changes. Your argument about what might work is irrelevant unti and if the code changes to account for the various types of WH that could be installed. Don't particularly care if you like it or not...the goal here is to tell people how to install one and pass code inspection. you can speculate all you want about what might work, but that's not the issue or the point.

I'm not arguing what might work...I'm stating what the manufacturers say work. BIG difference. Show me speculation...I've stated facts and posted links to the facts.

I never told anyone to ignore their code. Basically I have lost respect for plumbing codes because the writers do not respect it as a whole. Code changes are bought and sold everyday. Just like the 6' long trap weir I showed you.

I'm invited to every code review for my opinion and my opinions are respected by the inspectors. The model codes are ammended on a regular basis. Basically that means its stricken from the code and that section is re-written.

My inspectors have taken the "code book" and ripped out pages and thrown them in the garbage because they do not agree with them.......and wrote their own. Thats whats up.

Other places may have done the same thing........so just because a guy lives in BigJoke code land doesn't mean their are not ammendments and deletions.

For example I worked in a city last week that requires a 1.5" drain for a water heater pan......ANY size water heater.

Requires a 2" trap for a bathtub
Requires a 2" trap on a laundry sink.
Requires a cleanout at the sewer/public sewer system junction and it MUST be a two way. PERIOD. I went to court with that and won. It wasn't written and they enforced it. Now its written.

Shall I continue? The model or national codes do not require this stuff.......I've basically heard enough about the than thou codes. It doesn't impress me. Its a guide...its not the BIBLE.

 

[Terry]

On any large job, the plumbers always consult with the inspector that will be looking at the job. You want to find out what his quirks are before you imagine the layout and order the material.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Hackney plumbing]

On any large job, the plumbers always consult with the inspector that will be looking at the job. You want to find out what his quirks are before you imagine the layout and order the material.

And that is CRAZY. Code is code. One of those punk kids cost me 1/2 a days work and 50 bucks in fittings because he failed my job. I have pics of what he failed. You should have seen his face in court.....he wasn't the one thumping his code book that day,I was.

I've taken them to task several times and won every time. In 3 different states. One I made more money on the lawsuit against the city than I did on the job. its your tax dollars at work. I stand up for my rights.....I pay tax. If I have to follow the law then they do too.

 

[LiquidPlumber]

In my most local inspection jurisdiction our inspectors will recognize manufacturers recommendations. So, the example of pex pipe being directly connected to a water heater could technically pass inspection as long as you can prove that the manufacturer allows for it. That being said, The "no pex within 18 inches of the water heater" has been code as long as I can remember and I have never found a single installation that wouldnt allow me to comply with the code.

Ill argue with an inspector if they are wrong and what they want is either riddiculous, or impossible. In the case of the water heater, I see no point in fighting.. theres no real gain, and chances are good the inspector will nit pick you to death from now on and cause you more trouble then you care to deal with. I would save the fight for one you really need to win. Sometimes ya just gotta say "is this the hill I want to die on?"

I too have been involved with both local and state level code updates and changes. Ive had some very nasty fights with several inspection jurisdictions as well. Ive won them all, but the victory is not without a cost. Like I say, its best if you save your fights for something of critical importance.

Just another quick thought, Im pretty sure that installation might even be faster to use the ready made copper or stainless flex connectors on a water heater than it is to actually install pex adaptors and crimp the pex. Code complient, easy, and fast. a total win win

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Does it really matter what the code says if its not getting inspected as long as what your doing works? If it works it doesn't matter what the code says if the code doesn't know about it.

Thats what I'm feeling on the forum.

 

[Terry]

That's what you are feeling?
Are you kidding us?

You're the one that likes running PEX straight to a water heater, not the plumbers.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

That's what you are feeling?
Are you kidding us?

You're the one that likes running PEX straight to a water heater, not the plumbers.

Running pex directly to an electric water heater works. Some manufacturers even state that in their instructions. So what if the code doesn't cant keep up with the methods and means of repair. But hey like you said they are not in the repair business like charlottes not in the repair business.

The code is all about law and lawyers.

 

[Pipewrench]

Call a plumber......

 

[wistlo]

Mechanical engineer here.

The 18" separation requirement does isolate the plumbing from extreme temperatures that could arise from a malfunctioning water heater.

A water heater with malfunctioning thermal limits could reach temperatures far beyond 212 degrees, especially once the tank is voided. There are other failure modes that probably would manifest first, such as explosion, another shutdown safety, or simply being consumed by fire, but the 18" separation would at least ensure that direct mechanical heating from a red-hot metal nipple into a section of non-metal pipe would be reduced, and the corresponding temperature rise at the metal/plastic union would be slowed. It's the same principle that keeps a pot handle cooler than the pot itself.

I am confident that this has nothing to do with the water itself. Rather, it's a precaution against exposing PEX to leaking flames, misdirected combustion products, or superheated metal fittings.

Keep in mind that in this scenario, the water would have boiled off completely long before reaching the melting or ignition temperature of PEX. It's a last-resort kind of precaution, but such design factors are built-in to any product that must meet public codes.

 

[Plumber69]

This post is stupid.

 

[Joruli]

I know this thread is way old but I found it researching information on PEX to Copper and wanted to just say that Hackney is practical and what manufactures say for their products should be weighed against the "code" for the "masses". And there was a statement earlier about "the code" being the code because it's the best practice for failures not for what is routine. This is BS. For all the plumbers do you keep track of every job you do and when the code changes do you go back to those jobs and "fix" what is no longer within code? No you sure as hell DO NOT! So if all of the naysayers are worried about PEX melting this and thermostats failing that, etc. etc. then you all should go back to every client you have ever done work for and fix your "future code violations" because you're all high and mighty about "protecting the people". Hell you probably don't even call those folks to let them know their plumbing is no longer up to "code". So I say to all of touting "the code is God" go piss in a pot. And I think Hackney is smarter than the rest of you and if he can get engineers to sign off on "alternates" to the oh so Godly code bible then more power to him and I for one would hire that man over any of you. But as long as I am able I will DIY everything in my house so I know it's done perfectly without the BS corners some of you cut to save time and money and just "getting by" on the minimum that meets code.