Yellow water after heater replacement

Users who are viewing this thread

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
We replaced our hot water heater back in Feb of this year. Upgraded from standard GE elec to a Rheem 50gal heatpump. Could not do gas due to location. LOVE the heater with wifi monitoring, sensors and especially the crazy low energy use (especially now that we have solar panels), however... we have an issue with rust somehow it appears.

We have NO iron water pipes in the house. It's a 1991 in DFW - everything around our area is all copper. I plumbed it up with only copper and PEX, using copper, brass and Sharkbite connections only. The only iron pipe that I know of would be the nipples on the heater itself, which had white plastic dielectric inserts inside them. Initially there was no yellow at all, however it showed up around 4-5 weeks after install.

There is a very slight yellow tint if you pay attention in the mornings when the water starts to turn warm, but it disappears completely when it turns hot. Cold water is not affected at all. When we leave on vacation for a week+ though, it is much worse as the water sits somewhere and has time to absorb more of the rust. Again, the water starts clear, turns yellow, then goes back to clear, so the 50gal of water in the tank is not affected, only water in some pipe.

I called Rheem about this twice and they kept saying we have iron pipes somewhere, which is not true. I mentioned the galvanized nipples and they confirmed they are dielectric and shouldn't cause this, however admitted that it could be the issue still and are willing to send a replacement J-tube for the upper.

Due to the timing of yellow water right as it turns warm, then disappearing when it is hot, I suspect that the hot water nipple is to blame, or one of the brass or Sharkbite connections very near it (though I didn't think either could rust). Does anyone disagree?

How quickly should I start taking things apart to try and fix this? I don't want some pipe/connector to bust and cause a leak.

Thanks!

Here is a video after a 2 week vacation for proof:

 
Last edited:

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,797
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
There is a very slight yellow tint if you pay attention in the mornings when the water starts to turn warm, but it disappears completely when it turns hot.
Try starting with cold-only on some mornings. See if there is any yellow then.
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
I would add a spigot or furnace valve between the water heater and where the pipe disappears into the house. Then you can check for the discolored water right from the WH. If you know the first faucet in the line does it happen there?

I doubt the nipples is the source since it would be only the outlet side and they usually have a plastic coating inside of them. If your really concerned then replace them with these PEX lined heat traps.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/water-heaters/water-heater-accessories/40877
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
The Rheem heat pump WH is side mount nipples, therefore regular lined nipples are probably used, not heat trap type.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
Probably a really old faucet

Happens on every faucet around the house, which have all but 1 been replaced within the past 5 years. So I don't believe it has anything to do with faucets. Same timeline for getting yellow water for each faucet as well, with the only different in time being how far the hot water has to travel. Let water run for a while, then just as it starts to get warm it turns yellow, once it's hot it isn't yellow anymore.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
I would add a spigot or furnace valve between the water heater and where the pipe disappears into the house. Then you can check for the discolored water right from the WH. If you know the first faucet in the line does it happen there?

I doubt the nipples is the source since it would be only the outlet side and they usually have a plastic coating inside of them. If your really concerned then replace them with these PEX lined heat traps.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/water-heaters/water-heater-accessories/40877


Good idea with the spigot on the hot water output. That could confirm a shorter distance to the issue.

The closest faucet is a bathroom probably 20 linear feet of pipe from the heater. The problem appears at every hot water faucet in the house. If I let the yellow water out of that closest bathroom, the rest of the house does not have the issue, as I've cleared the yellow water from the line ahead of the bathroom faucet already. This, plus yellow water right as it turns warm, indicates to me that the rusting is happening very near or at the tank otherwise it wouldn't be warm when turning yellow.

Interesting idea with the heat trap. I actually haven't heard of that before, but it makes sense.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
The Rheem heat pump WH is side mount nipples, therefore regular lined nipples are probably used, not heat trap type.

Correct. Both come out the side, and they were regular straight through nipples, not heat traps. Cold input is at the bottom of the tank, and hot is at the top (and manufacturer says it's a J style nipple on the inside so that it gets the hottest water from the top of the tank).
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
I’m wondering if there is a chemical reaction going on with a certain metal inside the water heater but only with warm water which presumably is sitting in the pipe just outside the water heater. No problem on the cold! This hybrid is still a electric water heater with heating elements, the one difference is the heat exchanger but where is sits in the tank is an unknown. If this is the source it should be all hot water flow with the problem! Do you have a water softener? City water or well?

During the 1980’s heat exchangers from the Air conditioner was common. One way was recirculate water to a heat exchanger about the size of a orange juice can, another was an adapter placed into the tank from the hot or cold or anode rod fitting and connect tubing from the hot liquid line of the AC before it went to the condensation coils. I had the water type and it worked really good.

Perhaps before adding a spigot, power off the water heater and run the hot water out of the tank to cool it down and leave it powered off for the amount of time you’ll see the problem. If clear water results it’s then definitely WH. It may be worth it to have the yellow water tested and the cold water also to compare. A WAG is a defective porcelain lining inside the steel tank and a part of it is exposed to the water. But why the rust floats up to the hot output is anyone’s guess. Another is the heat exchanger from the heat pump to the water. I would still bug Rheem on this and ask for an engineer
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
I’m wondering if there is a chemical reaction going on with a certain metal inside the water heater but only with warm water which presumably is sitting in the pipe just outside the water heater. No problem on the cold! This hybrid is still a electric water heater with heating elements, the one difference is the heat exchanger but where is sits in the tank is an unknown. If this is the source it should be all hot water flow with the problem! Do you have a water softener? City water or well?

During the 1980’s heat exchangers from the Air conditioner was common. One way was recirculate water to a heat exchanger about the size of a orange juice can, another was an adapter placed into the tank from the hot or cold or anode rod fitting and connect tubing from the hot liquid line of the AC before it went to the condensation coils. I had the water type and it worked really good.

Perhaps before adding a spigot, power off the water heater and run the hot water out of the tank to cool it down and leave it powered off for the amount of time you’ll see the problem. If clear water results it’s then definitely WH. It may be worth it to have the yellow water tested and the cold water also to compare. A WAG is a defective porcelain lining inside the steel tank and a part of it is exposed to the water. But why the rust floats up to the hot output is anyone’s guess. Another is the heat exchanger from the heat pump to the water. I would still bug Rheem on this and ask for an engineer

Thanks for the additional suggestions. From the diagrams I've seen of HPHW tanks, the coils for the condenser are always at the bottom of the tank. Either around the outter edge or the middle. Here is an example:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/finehomebu...rce-heat-pump-hybrid-water-heater-700x453.jpg

Good idea to power off the tank and run all the hot water out and then see if cold water sitting in it causes the same problem. That would confirm if it's a problem with the heating process vs piping/tank itself.

Agree on having the water tested. We'll be gone over labor day for a few days, so I'll capture some of the yellow stuff when we return. The longer we don't use the water, the darker the yellow is.

No water softener, and we are on city water that is very good. Never had any issues and low sediment anytime I emptied our previous tank.
 
Last edited:

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,797
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
Did you change out the anode? I presume these come with a conventional sacrificial anode.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
Did you change out the anode? I presume these come with a conventional sacrificial anode.

No, I have not. Heater was brand new when installed in Feb. I would expect the anode to take at least 5+ years to degrade even in bad situations, right? I never replaced it in our old heater and it was at least 15yrs old.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,797
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
The reason I asked is that it is possible for a powered anode to fail in a way that makes the polarity opposite. Rare but I know first hand it can happen. That can generate yellow.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
The reason I asked is that it is possible for a powered anode to fail in a way that makes the polarity opposite. Rare but I know first hand it can happen. That can generate yellow.

I will go ahead and check it. Thanks for the recommendation.
 

BSAba

New Member
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
South FL
I am having the same yellow water problem with the same water heater. How do you end up resolving this? Thank you
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
Quick update here. I actually ended up doing nothing at all and it has gone away. Each time we left for a trip the color was lighter, and we just got back from another 10 day trip last night with no color at all when first running it. It's been about 1.5yrs since we installed the heater, and I think it was right around the 9-12mo mark for it to stop. I am not really sure what to attribute it to besides possibly some contaminate in the tank lines when I bought it which has now dissolved. The one I bought was open box, but never installed. I could never figure out any connections I made that would have caused it, and there are no leaks or external signs of corrosion.
 

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
Another update. Our heater control board got hit by an electric surge we think, but Rheem doesn't have any more boards so I am having to replace the ENTIRE heater instead of a 5min board replacement, ugh. Anyway, I found the source of my problem and it's BADLY DESIGNED DIELECTRIC NIPPLES. My new tank being delivered Monday better have nipples with plastic liners that go beyond the end of the steel pipe and go outwards to cover the end of the pipe like EVERY OTHER dielectric nipple you can buy on the market.

More details on this other thread from someone else on this forum: https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/discolored-hot-water-after-new-hwh-install.89871/
 

Attachments

  • nipple corrosion 1.jpg
    nipple corrosion 1.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 100
  • nipple corrosion 2.jpg
    nipple corrosion 2.jpg
    48.5 KB · Views: 103
  • correct nipple.jpg
    correct nipple.jpg
    11.8 KB · Views: 92

Glocklt4

New Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
DFW
Seeing pictures from this post earlier this month https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/heat-trap-on-new-rheem-hybrid-water-heater.103209, it looks like Rheem has not addressed this issue with their crappy "dielectric" nipples on newer tanks. With install of my new one this week, I'm wondering if I shouldn't try to fit an insert over the ends kind of like these heat traps (I don't think I need the heat trap itself and may take that disc off - just trying to cover the end of the nipple). Not sure if these would fit since they already have the plastic insert inside the nipple, which does protect most of it.

Alternatively, any thoughts whether covering the end in teflon tape or pipe dope would help protect it well enough to prevent the corrosion?
 

Attachments

  • BWC_239-45167-00.jpg
    BWC_239-45167-00.jpg
    19.4 KB · Views: 94
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks