Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Triangle Smart Tube50 Dielectric Nipple Leaking

DMelia
DMelia Member Posts: 2
in Domestic Hot Water
Hello all. I’m pretty convinced that the hot water outlet dielectric nipple is leaking. The heating contractor that installed the unit is coming out tomorrow to inspect. Unit is 4 years old. Installed March of 2019. Is this nipple replaceable or part of the inner tank? If part of the tank. This should be covered under the limited lifetime warranty?  

Comments

  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    Are you talking about the rust on the threads ? They can just replace the adaptor ...

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • DMelia
    DMelia Member Posts: 2
    Big Ed_4 said:
    Are you talking about the rust on the threads ? They can just replace the adaptor ...
    Big-Ed That is helpful. I can actually see water start to weep right where the threads start. Definitely not trickling down from the female adapter above. It’s like the nipple has a pin hole. I was or am not sure if this is part of the stainless tank inside or if it will thread out to be replaced. This is how it looked before I cleaned it up. Apparently has been weeping for quite some time before I noticed it. 
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    edited July 2023
    No.. The adapter is leaking .... If it were a pin hole you wouldn't find time to be here unless you shut off the house water :) Water leaks from the top and drains down .

    Let him redo the fitting , you will be go to go , It happens

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • SummitMechanic
    SummitMechanic Member Posts: 25
    That nipple is leaking in-between the threads just judging by the staining in that mess you have there. That was either caused by over-tightening on a weak nipple, or just a weak nipple in general. In either case i don't think an installer can be to blame. I would take a water sample and have the manufacturer warranty the water heater. In very very rare cases this can be caused by metal eating bacteria and my require a glass lined replacement instead of stainless steel which is why you want a water sample. I'm not saying that that is what is happening here, but preparing you for the worst. Most likely a manufacturing defect.
    Experienced Boiler Mechanic In Summit County, Colorado.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,495
    Replacing the nipple will probably fix it. It is threaded on the lower end into the tank to answer your question
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,404
    A stainless nipple and brass adapter can be tricky to seal. It probably had a small seep from day one.  The moisture contributed to an electrolysis corrosion between the two metals

    Expansion and contraction from the tank temperature changes can also cause the leak to come and go.

    You might just redo that connection, I don’t see this as the tank manufacturers fault?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • SummitMechanic
    SummitMechanic Member Posts: 25
    EBEBRATT-Ed said:

    Replacing the nipple will probably fix it. It is threaded on the lower end into the tank to answer your question

    not always, often on newer what heaters that nipple is welded, heatflo and triangle tube brands as an example.
    Experienced Boiler Mechanic In Summit County, Colorado.
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,599
    Hi @DMelia , Ed says it's screwed into the tank. It would be telling to have a look inside of the nipple to see it's condition. Maybe salt softened water has damaged it? Also, does a union need to go in there someplace to make working on it simpler? One more thing I see is the T&P is a long shank, sitting up on a nipple. I doubt the probe is immersed in the tank water as it should be to sense the actual temp in the tank. That might be a good thing to have a look at as well. It also would like to have a union on it so the valve could be periodically tested and easily replaced if needed.

    Meddlesomly yours, Larry :p
    STEVEusaPA

Categories