Going to replace hot water tank. Need some advice

[lzicc]

I went to Home Depot and looked at a display model. It looks like the supply side is 3/4 but the output side is 1/2". I can change some things around and make the supply 3/4" directly from the water softener. There is a 3/4" to 1/2" reducer where the water comes out of the water softener to feed the house plumbing. The house plumbing is 1/2". I wish I could get better specs for this unit.

 

[zzvyb6]

I just got that model Rheem installed about 3 weeks ago. I have 3/4 pipe in the house but there is a 1/2" neckdown at the unit.

There is a slight delay in max heat water (5-10 seconds) I have a 400 gal bath tub in the back room. My 50 gal just could not deliver. Now it is easily filled.

Just so you know. my gas 50 gal tank could get water significantly higher than 120 degrees. Above that you get scalded. The Rheem has a control box on the wall where you select the output temperature. 120 is the max. Very quiet. Can't tell its 'running'.

 

[lzicc]

zzvyb6, so you have 3/4" plumbing running in your house, but where does it reduce down, coming out of the unit?

 

[RNeumann]

Typically their is more in the box including a T&P valve. The end result will be 3/4” male fittings. Then you would take water flexes and go from that to your house side. On the house side you will want 3/4” male fittings. If you don’t want to sweat the copper pipe just grab 2 Sharkbite adapters that will push onto the copper. Make sure the copper doesn’t have burs after it’s cut.

Your existing take that is hard piped in is abnormal. The typical is water flexes.

 

[lzicc]

Ok, so I will come out with 3/4" from the heater then reduce down to 1/2" and sharkbite that right into my house plumbing.

I've been reading allot about the gas and making sure the gas company can supply enough pressure to the heater for it to run properly. Should I be concerned about that? It's a brand run to my house so I would hope it would be enough. I would be tapping off the main 1" line as it enters the utility room.

 

[RNeumann]

The gas is good too. It’s actually not pressure but volume that would be an issue. The pressure, post meter, is only about 1/2lbs. And your new water heater is about 200,000btu. You can have several hundred feet of 1” before you would need to be concerned about the gas flow. The installers treated you right by bringing 1” to your utility room!

 

[buickanddeere]

We run a 60 gallon electric tank unit with a timer that only energizes the elements from 7:00PM to 7:00 Weekdays and 24/7 weekends . This is when the electrical rate is the lowest . Plenty of hot water and cheaper than propane .

 

[RNeumann]

We run a 60 gallon electric tank unit with a timer that only energizes the elements from 7:00PM to 7:00 Weekdays and 24/7 weekends . Plenty of hot water and cheaper than propane .

Not to take a total left turn but I wonder if that actually saves? You’d think if it did it would be a factory option or sold as an energy saver.

 

[4570Man]

Not to take a total left turn but I wonder if that actually saves? You’d think if it did it would be a factory option or sold as an energy saver.

I'd go with not very much. It doesn't take very much energy to keep an insulated tank of water warm. Then at the start of the 12 hour shift it has to work harder because the water has cooled down.

 

[Deere Dude]

I'd go with not very much. It doesn't take very much energy to keep an insulated tank of water warm. Then at the start of the 12 hour shift it has to work harder because the water has cooled down.

I have a 2 year old 40 gallon water heater from HD and seems pretty nice and insulated well enough.

We run it at maybe 120 and when we go on 4 day camping trip we turn it on vacation or on pilot. When we come back home the water is still hot enough to take a shower with very easily and can't really tell it was off. The pilot must continue heating the water enough to do that.

I have shut off the pilot and the water is still very warm but I don't want to relight the thing.