System 2000 hot water tank leak

DanLI · December 27

Good evening everyone looking for some advice here. I had the system 2000 put in less than 5 years ago. In fact I did it after conversations on this site. I had Marran on Long Island install and it has been great multiple showers at same time with dishwasher on great. Here is the issue. I looked the other day and noticed water on top of water tank and hot water has been spotty (not like normal).
I called Marran and they came and fixed female today for a charge. Problem is it is still leaking and hot water is not correct, one shower maybe hot. We have heat.
Could I actually need a new tank after only 4 and a bit years, that just seems crazy to me. Also should this be under some warranty since it is such a short time. I have had tanks in my house go for 15 years. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I hope I am not on the hook for a new tank already.
Thank you in advance for any assistance.

Larry Weingarten · December 27

Hi, The leaks are showing at poor copper to steel connections. I think it is not "workmanlike" to have copper and steel touch in a potable system. In the West, we use flex connectors that have true dielectrics built into the ends and these go on plastic lined nipples in the tanks.

It may be the tank itself has failed, but I'd start by fixing the connections. Also have a look at the anode rod. It will tell you a lot about the condition of the tank.

Do you soften the water? Salt-softening can completely use up an anode in six months.

Yours, Larry

hot_rod · December 27

Larry, don’t most all HW tanks, gas, electric, storage, use dielectric nipples now, many with the heat trapper function also?

pecmsg · December 27

Can we get a picture from further back?

Roger · December 27

Thank you for your post, @DanLI , and for everyone’s comments.

Please contact Marran to have them take a look at your fitting and to make sure your hot water is set up properly. The tanks do come with what are sometimes called Perfection Nipples and dip tubes that have a liner as @hot_rod showed, and that is how they are normally installed in most cases. Some contractors install dielectric fittings as well. Water quality and site specific conditions have the greatest impact on the life of the tank; if the anode rod is consumed, the tank will no longer have protection.

It would be very unusual that you would need a tank replacement so soon, but if you did, the original tank from Energy Kinetics has a 10 year warranty.

Please contact us at 908-735-2066 if we can be of further assistance.

Roger

DanLI · December 27

Thank you to everyone who commented with suggestions. I do not believe we have soft water, just from the usual characteristics that normally occur with that condition. Thanks Roger, I will call Marran back and have them look again at the tank/fitting again. Good to know there is still warranty on it.

Someone asked for another photo from further away so I added that.

hot_rod · December 27

I don't see how that small leak would effect the performance of the system, @Roger?

Only one hot shower from that tank doesn't seen correct?

Has the plate HX ever been flushed or cleaned?

pecmsg · December 27

@rodger

Shouldn’t the Cold into the water heater be T’d to the mixing valve?

DanLI · December 27

I get it serviced yearly in the early spring. I will be more diligent about what is done with my next service. Thanks

So there should be a different metal in between the copper and the tank as others have mentioned. I did not realize inside the tank the pipe was a dissimilar metal thank you for that information. I just assumed that it would have been done correctly. I know, never assume.

HVACNUT · December 27

I'm going to say the insufficient hot water is due to the mixing valve, not the water heater or plate HX. There are water heater tests in the EK Hot Water Manual the tech can use.

Larry Weingarten · December 27

Hi, I've seen pretty often that when copper fittings are used on the lined nipples, the steel threads rust away unevenly, creating a leak opportunity. We do have some pretty bad/hard water in spots around here. 🤨

Yours, Larry

hot_rod · December 27

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1879434#Comment_1879434

The copper tube connections to the tank are done properly with the plastic lined nipples that are in the tank. Those are dielectric nipples.

If not, that fitting would be way corroded by now if it were copper against galvanized.

Some codes suggest a union of other removable service connection like a corrugated or stainless flex at the H&C tank connections.

Additionally tanks installed out west here require seismic restraint bands around them, and flexible connections to allow them to twist a bit.

A quick, simple check would be to turn the green knob on the mix valve from one extreme to the other. If the spool inside is stuck in one position, that may free it up, and solve the problem.

Roger · 12:27AM

Thank you, all. A small leak will not affect hot water production. @DanLI, clearly, something changed as hot water is no longer working like it did prior. As there are several things to check out, our territory manager, John Hachmann, reached out to the service manager at Marran and he will contact you Monday. Please PM me with your contact info to move forward.
Best,

Roger

System 2000 hot water tank leak

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