How to Replace a Dip Tube on a Water Heater
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Dip tube replacement on a water heater. Showing how to diagnose a faulty dip tube and the proper replacement techniques.
The 3 most common signs of a damaged dip tube are:
• Lack of hot water
• Having to turn the shower valve more to the hot side
• Having to turn up the thermostat on the water heater
𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀
53” Rheem Dip Tube: geni.us/ckfFa
50.5” Camco Dip Tube: geni.us/UOBs3Zx
12” SharkBite Water Supply: geni.us/yDo64
18” SharkBite Water Supply w/Valve: geni.us/ng66
𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁
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Videos produced by Pros DIY (www.prosdiy.com) are provided for informational purposes only. Please check with all national, state, provincial, and local codes and regulations before attempting any work. Pros DIY does not assume any responsibility or liability for any damage or injury from the information provided in our videos. Please hire a licensed, certified, professional.
I'm a 20 year tradesman and this was a fantastic video. To the point, informative and understandable.
Thanks Derek! I appreciate it!
You’re 21 now Derek, how are the trades going?
Nice work great tutorial
NOW THAT'S A PLUMBER FOLKS, A PERFECT TUTORIAL ON THIS PLUMBING PROCEDURE, GOOD JOB MAN YOU MAKE US PLUMBERS PROUD
Everything you need to know, nothing you don't. Clear video and clear narration. One of the best how-to videos I've seen. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Blair! Cheers!
Somehow the previous tenant/plumber had my boiler piped backwards with no down tube whatsoever so that answered why my hot water would run out fast in the shower, your video helped me understand the necessary details in order for me to swap the pipes but holy hell 90% of the job was trying to remove the old nipples! Thanks for the help.
Can't be any better. Precision! right to the point NO bed time story....Fantastic job. Very useful. Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays!!!!
Thank you so much! Happy Holidays!!
This is my first attempt to replace a dip tube. This video is so very good at doing an excellent job in showing me the steps needed to do the job correctly. Thanks!
I just bought a house last year and I'm seriously thinking of making a career change to become a plumber, an electrician, a contractor or an air conditioner repair woman. I'm 34 it may not be too late lol.
Wanted to thank you for your excellent instruction video. I replaced our water heaters dip tube yesterday. Night and day difference! The tank is over 10 years old and Im sure if i would have called a technician, they would have likely said i needed a new water heater. Such an inexpensive and quick repair too.
Awesome! Nice job on your repair!
Hot water less and less in shower, I hold hot and cold water on top of the hot water tank, temperature of both pipes were the same around 80 deg, Is it deep tube cold water broken ? Thank you very much for your fantastic video
This guy is great. Super clear, informative and precisely detailed. Thanks!
This just saved me a bunch of money and solved the mystery of why my water heater stopped working as well as it used to. How did I live this long without learning about this common water heater problem
Very informative! No waisted time or words. I love effecant filming! Thank you.
Nice soldering. I was reading the plumbing code and came across dip tube as an antisiphon device so I decided to Google it and your video came up. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Fantastic video. Made this an easy diagnosis. Why do they make that tube of a material that dies?
Fantastic video, very thorough but not boring thanks for the effort
Finally!!
I was looking for this repair for 2 days and I already found you thank you very much for a lot of help !!
This is a great video. I thought I would click on it and think it's going to be crap or not very detailed. Turns out...... This was the best tutorial video I've seen in a long time
Knew your code too! A lot of people would have flexed it back again or straight PEX to the tank with FIPXPEX adapters and used a copper FIP 😂 dielectric union too 💯🤙
Good video. Love that there's not a huge long intro . U didn't ramble on and on. I think i can maybe do this myself.
This was such a well done video. Very good pacing/editing. Now I just have to hope the dip tube is the problem.
Thanks for the great video. I didn’t know that the tank does not need to be emptied or to put gas control to pilot setting vs shutting it completely off. Thanks, that will save me time.
A big ‘Thank you’! from a fellow Alberta resident. Dip tube was completely gone in my case.
I didn’t see an anti siphon hole on the dip tube as I was installing it however.
Hardware store gave me a tube that was labeled as a pressure relief valve attachment, and when I questioned it they said it works for dip tube. Installed fine.
Am I still good to go?
Awesome video, I love the format! Thanks for not inundating me with a ton of information i dont need to or can't understand!
Very informative and steps one by one explained in sequence.Thanks.
Very informative. Might actually try and replace the dip tube myself thanks to your video!
Thank you for such an informative video/explanation. I read that to test if the Dip Tube is working properly to take the temperature of the water coming out of the drain. If the water temp decreases, the dip tube is working. My question is how much of a temperature drop would indicate the tube has no leaks/deterioration? (As water is used from heater, cold water is added. If added at the bottom from the dip tube, as the water is drained, the temperature should decrease).
Professionally done, fellow plumbing tradesman!
Amazing video.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and process
literally why cant all videos be made like this your great at it!!!! very helpful in replacing dip tube myself
thanks!
Thanks for this tutorial, maybe we'll see future video's on the anode rod & burners as well? 👍👍👍
Your video and teaching skills are insane, omg you're awesome
1 star review - scratched up tank at 2:35 :D - every homeowner
thank you!!! just got a house in Maine; this is a great tutorial
WOW. This was excellent. Straight to the point easy to understand.
Thanks Vincent! Cheers!
Replaced mine today because the threads on the heat trap were rusted. The heat trap I purchased didn't have a dip tube attached. Is there a way to install one in the fitting, or do I need to buy one that is pre made? My local hardware store didn't have a pre made one
Very professional and clear instructions. Thank you.
thanks pointed me in the right direction
NICE JOB on the soldering. And thanks for doing this correctly. As in using rigid copper pipe and NOT SharkBite house flooders. Well done sir.
I think my dip tube just gave out TONIGHT! I have a boiler with hot water coil. Is there a way to be sure it’s the dip tube before I tear into it tomorrow? Maybe by checking the inlet and outlet to the coil temp? The inlet to the coils should be cold right? Not warm? Right now it’s warm into the coil and hot out…
Great vid right to the point and well done. 👍 Also good work i picked up some of your other trucks of the trade also like holding the copper with pipe wrench to solder. 👍
Thanks Andy! Cheers!
Good explanation.!!
Great instructional. Thanks.
really great video, great job covering clearances
Great video walk through of the process. Thank you.
Dude. Fantastic! Love the detail on parts and processes.
Is it possible to take advantage of the hot air that comes out of the heater to heat a room?
Great music Tangerine Dream or Tomita
Thank you. This is a great tutorial.
Great video, thanks.
Thank you
great video.. my issue is a 8 month old unit that i have turned up the heat and am still running out of water.. need to drain to see if sediment is issue. ?
Great instructional! 👍🏻
Good job 👍
Thanks, great instructional video!
Nice video 👍
Fantastic video. Thank you!
Thank you!
God bless you man thanks
Heat rises dog! Solder from low to high! Good vid 👍🏽
Warmer air will rise in the case of convection not conduction, which is the primary source of heat when soldering. I have my reasons why I solder top-down on certain fittings. I plan on making a video on this in the future. Cheers!
@@PROSDIY joints are nice and clean, to! Keep it up brother 🔥
Got couple Questions? I have a tank on a stand, and limited space above ( about 32")because of a furnace duct to replace dip tube. Dip tube I need is 40-42". Are they pretty flexible to curve them into the opening to get into the tank? More important question, can you buy the flaired tube ($7) and a pass through nipple ($6) and apply them instead of the $40 all in one DT version? Thanks
Thanks for the comprehensive fantastic video! I'm curious, do you ever prefer to use a 6" brass nipple instead of a dielectric union when joining iron to copper?
Was that dip tube you pulled out the issue? Looked intact unlike the other one shown in the video. Great vid
To be honest this tank was just for demonstration and the original dip tube was still in good condition.
Good video!
Thanks a ton
Excellent !!!!!!!
Great video !
Clear and concise -Thank you!
Great Job - So Clear and so helpful !!- TY
Nice video but I noticed when sweating you were applying heat to the side you were wiping I've always been thought to heat the opposite side of the fitting from where your working
It all depends on the scenario for me. I personally solder smaller ball valves 1" and under with the method shown in the video. This will help reduce the chance of overheating the valve and damaging it. The reason people are taught to solder with the heat at the opposite side is it ensures the the fitting is hot enough all the way around. The down side is that it can overheat the fitting and cause your solder to run. This is just all in my opinion and everyone has their own methods.
@@PROSDIY amen makes good sense now that you explained the over heating part I got ya thanks👍
Thanks
Great video, clearly you know what you’re doing but I don’t. I was a little confused about the old dip tube? It didn’t look bad and it still looked like the right size so does that mean it didn’t fail? I got the other dip tube that was completely broke down but the first one didn’t look like a problem at all. So if the old dip tube doesn’t show signs of failure can one assume that there is another problem with the water tank?
My 50 gallon doesn’t seem to be giving us enough hot water like it used to and it’s more than 12 years old.
Beautiful job, thank you for sharing!!
What material do you use for sip tube replacement?
Awesome vid. Very well done. Thanks for making it.
Thank you Nick! Cheers!
Excellent!
Thanks! Helpful!
Very helpful and detailed!
Great vid! Pretty joints too!
What kind of clamping tool did you use to transition from copper to pex? Did you sweat a connector onto the copper off screen or did it crimp onto the copper like a manual ProPress?
When I removed the dip tube, the nipple part came out, but left the blue plastic tube part still stuck in the heater. I lightly tried an “easy out” (for removing broken off bolts) but it didn’t even move. How do I get that plastic out?
just had a new hybrid hot water heater installed and it works fine but the water smells like burning wax or an extinguished candle.. any idea what needs to be done to fix this?
Hi thanks for excellent up to point video I only have one question for you . Can i do this also for electric water heater
You're welcome. Great question. It works the same for an electric tank. Just make sure to shut the power off at the breaker first and the same procedure works.
@@PROSDIY thanks for reply i am going to try that tomorrow
You're welcome. Good luck!
What a pro
Mine did not work like this. Cold inlet fitting was NOT attached to the dip tube....
very good video. thank you.
Thanks!!!!
Where did you purchase that dip tube??
𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀
53” Rheem Dip Tube: geni.us/ckfFa
50.5” Camco Dip Tube: geni.us/UOBs3Zx
12” SharkBite Water Supply: geni.us/yDo64
18” SharkBite Water Supply w/Valve: geni.us/ng66
Disclosure: ProsDIY is an Amazon Associate. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you.
Our hot water tank sits under our stairwell, its top only inches below the underside of the level steps, so withdrawing the dip tube, if it's rigid and won't bend, won't be possible. (Unit's not gas but electric.) Is there such thing as a flexible dip tube that I may acquire to install once I've gone through the anticipated agony of trying to tilt my emptied tank so as to succeed in pulling out the present (probably faulty) tube? 🥵
They are all quite flexible. You may be ok
Amazing.
Good Vid
Nice job. The only thing you forgot is a vacuum breaker after the valve. Code in most states.
Hi Steve, You're correct that it's code in most states to have a vacuum breaker installed, but not here in Alberta, Canada. I think the main reason you see that that it's code in the States is because in warmer climates you can install the water heater in the attic. This leaves the water heater more susceptible to being siphoned. Definitely can't install any water heaters in the attic up here in Canada. The tank still has protection against siphonage because new dip tubes have an anti-siphon hole near the top of the tube. Thanks for the comment and the great point. Take care!
Great info and video! What’s a Ballpark figure of the cost of this job by a pro?
Thank you! Personally I charge $180 - $200 CAD for a dip tube replacement. This cost will vary greatly on the hourly rate of a plumber in your area.
Pros DIY not bad price wise! Much thanks for your response! I’m not 100 % percent sure that a dip tube is my issue because I’m clueless about water heater repair but from everything I see (hot water running out quickly/no hot at all) it sure seems like that could be the problem. However my repairman recommends total replacement for my AO Smith 50 gallon model that was installed back in 2013! It was brand new then and I believed hat I would get about 10-15 yrs out of her because my old one lasted around 20yrs before leaking. Money is tight and a couple hundred bucks vs more than a grand for replacement has me over a barrel! What in your opinion would be my best option if you could give such a suggestion? Having some insight from your knowledge has been a huge plus. Many thanks and much success to your business and CZcams channel! 👍
That's a tough one. I would probably have gave you both options as a plumber as well. It's at that age where it could last 10 more years or fail tomorrow. I find newer tanks don't last like they used to. I think it's a combination of households use a lot more hot water now than 20 years ago and the quality of manufacturing has gone down. I'm finding on average in my area 50 gallon atmospherically water heaters that are sized properly are lasting 10 - 15 years.
Personally I would be changing the dip tube if that what is determined the issue is. If your hot water supply isn't lasting as long as it used to and the temperature dial hasn't been change, it is most likely going to be a damaged dip tube.
Your decision may differ though with factors like financial situation, if the tank leaks is it going to cause a ton of damage, average life span of tanks in your area. Which ever way you end up going with, shop around as water heater prices vary greatly from company to company. Good luck and thank you for the kind words!
I wish I was trained to properly solder or propress was more practical for the DIY guy. This is probably a 500-1000 dollar job for a plumber in my area.
In my experience so far modern day plumbers aren’t interested in doing anything under $1000 and they REALLY aren’t interested in fixing anything. My water heater needed a simple service. The kit was $40.. I was on the road so I sent a very highly rated plumber in my area to do it. My water heater is like 6 years old and works flawlessly I’m just trying to stay on top of it.
They gave us three estimates between $2300-$6500 none of which involved just servicing my perfectly working unit.
That’s the absolute last time I ever call a residential plumber. I can mess up a lot of shit and still come out cheaper just doing it myself. 😂
what is the tip called you soldered on the tip of the pipe and the red thing you put on after you wiped it down
Hi Josh. The complete fitting is called a dielectric union. The soldered portion is call a brass sweat insert or brass adapter. The red thing is a isolation sleeve. Thanks for the questions.
Smooth.. it’s gonna be a jiffy!!
4 hours later: could you help me fix this damn tank??
As soon as I shut off the main water nothing would drain out of the water heater. Only way it comes out is if I turn it back on 😣
Be sure to get the right diameter of dip tube. They come in different sizes.
I only have two feet above the WH to work with and the dip tube is 42 inches long. Are they flexible enough to bend as it's inserted into the tank?
That's unfortunate. They are flexible to some point, but 2 feet isn't a lot of room to work. Two options I can think of:
1. Connect the cold supply line into the drain valve with the use of a tee. This would deliver the cold water to the bottom of the tank without the need of a dip tube, but requires more piping.
2. Using a hair dryer to soften the PEX dip tube. This should give you enough flex in the tube to install without kinking it. The dip tube should return to it's original shape once it hits the water.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!
@@PROSDIY I just had my dip tube replaced within the last 3-4 years and am again having the same symptoms as before..shower starts out hot, but turns lukewarm about 10 minutes later. Is it possible the dip tube is bad already? It is a much older STATE gas hot water heater. I like the idea of converting the drain valve to a cold water inlet. Do you have a video on this process, or are you simply adding a "T" where the original drain valve is and putting the supply on one side of the T and the drain back on the other side? Are there any code restrictions or negatives for doing it this way? Thanks so much, and AWESOME vid!
@@mikewilson0077 If it's the same symptoms, it's most likely a damaged dip tube again. I don't have a video yet on the conversion, but you're absolutely correct in the way you described connecting it. There's no code restrictions in my area with this connection and is done on almost all commercial water heater's. Thanks for the positive feedback and let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!
@@PROSDIY Thanks so much for the reply, I think I may go that route..I am about done with dip tubes..lol
You should be ok
I’m getting no hot water flow after 10 seconds. I think the dip tube is clogged. I put a rod down there and it sticks. what do you think I’ve replaced the cartridge in the shower I have replaced the anode. I’ve drained it twice. I still have hot water for about 10 seconds and it shuts off upstairs in the sink. I still get a little flow in the shower nothing. At this point, I’m grasping at straws and I am going to replace the dip tube. See if it’s clogged. I’m gonna have a beer if it isn’t clogged it’s gonna be vodka.
Don't they recommend a curved tube now to stir out the sediment?
Great question. Most major brands still use a straight dip tube. There were a few models using curved dip tubes for awhile such as Kenmore models sold by Sears. I personally don't see any difference from tank to tank with curved or straight. IMO I think the curve doesn't stir the water enough to lift the sediment.
Areas that have problems with sediment, I connect the cold water supply into the bottom of the tank. I remove the drain valve and install a tee for the cold water supply and reinstall the drain valve. This eliminates the need for a dip tube all together. To be honest all water heaters should be installed this way. Commercial water heaters have been installed this way for years but residential hasn't adopted this method.
@@PROSDIY Great idea