I have replumbed several of my own houses, installed regular tank and tankless heaters, had them inspected etc.

I have done many sweat and compression joints and I hate doing them, though I have the necessary tools and experience.
In this day and age there are new technologies that have been in use for many decades that are much simpler and easier to install and have proven history.

My advice:
Simplest thing you can do is cut the copper (preferably with the pipe cutting tool) go to Lowes or HD and get the stainless flex water heater connector that is threaded one end for the tank nipple connection and shark/gator bite fitting at the other, slips right on over the bare pipe, job done. I have used these and yes they work. They are more expensive, but are incredibly simple and quick to install. I'm sure there will be many who are still skeptics, as I was, but then I learned they'd been around for several decades and are proven technology.
The compression fittings would be just fine also (Lowes also have white pex compression fittings that will fit the bare copper pipe also) have used those too.

I am doing a full house pex repipe at the moment (did a complete house from the water meter on, a year ago). Pex is so simple with the cinch crimp rings and is way cheaper than copper, I have to smile and wonder why when I see folks buying copper pipe and a bunch of elbows, its old school.
The only thing I hate worse than sweat fittings (of course they are great once done) are gate valves! And there's very often a gate valve right next to the water heater! time for a full flow qtr turn ball valve.
Because the gator fittings can be removed, they are really handy during repipes, as you can put on a cap or qtr turn valve for a temporary or transition to remaining work, then slip it off when you continue.
Yes they work and no they will not blow off... good luck!

On Monday, November 17, 2014 1:07:08 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I have replumbed several of my own houses, installed regular tank and tankless heaters, had them inspected etc.

I have done many sweat and compression joints and I hate doing them, though I have the necessary tools and experience.
In this day and age there are new technologies that have been in use for many decades that are much simpler and easier to install and have proven history.

My advice:
Simplest thing you can do is cut the copper (preferably with the pipe cutting tool) go to Lowes or HD and get the stainless flex water heater connector that is threaded one end for the tank nipple connection and shark/gator bite fitting at the other, slips right on over the bare pipe, job done. I have used these and yes they work. They are more expensive, but are incredibly simple and quick to install. I'm sure there will be many who are still skeptics, as I was, but then I learned they'd been around for several decades and are proven technology.
The compression fittings would be just fine also (Lowes also have white pex compression fittings that will fit the bare copper pipe also) have used those too.

I am doing a full house pex repipe at the moment (did a complete house from the water meter on, a year ago). Pex is so simple with the cinch crimp rings and is way cheaper than copper, I have to smile and wonder why when I see folks buying copper pipe and a bunch of elbows, its old school.
The only thing I hate worse than sweat fittings (of course they are great once done) are gate valves! And there's very often a gate valve right next to the water heater! time for a full flow qtr turn ball valve.
Because the gator fittings can be removed, they are really handy during repipes, as you can put on a cap or qtr turn valve for a temporary or transition to remaining work, then slip it off when you continue.
Yes they work and no they will not blow off... good luck!

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater fittings?
No problems here.

trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, November 17, 2014 1:07:08 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I have replumbed several of my own houses, installed regular tank and tankless heaters, had them inspected etc.

I have done many sweat and compression joints and I hate doing them, though I have the necessary tools and experience.
In this day and age there are new technologies that have been in use for many decades that are much simpler and easier to install and have proven history.

My advice:
Simplest thing you can do is cut the copper (preferably with the pipe cutting tool) go to Lowes or HD and get the stainless flex water heater connector that is threaded one end for the tank nipple connection and shark/gator bite fitting at the other, slips right on over the bare pipe, job done. I have used these and yes they work. They are more expensive, but are incredibly simple and quick to install. I'm sure there will be many who are still skeptics, as I was, but then I learned they'd been around for several decades and are proven technology.
The compression fittings would be just fine also (Lowes also have white pex compression fittings that will fit the bare copper pipe also) have used those too.

I am doing a full house pex repipe at the moment (did a complete house from the water meter on, a year ago). Pex is so simple with the cinch crimp rings and is way cheaper than copper, I have to smile and wonder why when I see folks buying copper pipe and a bunch of elbows, its old school.
The only thing I hate worse than sweat fittings (of course they are great once done) are gate valves! And there's very often a gate valve right next to the water heater! time for a full flow qtr turn ball valve.
Because the gator fittings can be removed, they are really handy during repipes, as you can put on a cap or qtr turn valve for a temporary or transition to remaining work, then slip it off when you continue.
Yes they work and no they will not blow off... good luck!

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater fittings?
No problems here.

Hi,
And for me it comes around every 10 years or so. This water is way over
10 years old and I don't complain. Sear's 9 year warrantied power miser.

"trader_4" wrote in message
...

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater
fittings?
No problems here.

It is not so much the soldering, it is getting all the water out of the
lines.



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On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:02:21 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
"trader_4" wrote in message
...

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater
fittings?
No problems here.

It is not so much the soldering, it is getting all the water out of the
lines.


Every water heater I've replaced, the water came out of the pipes as part of the normal process. I don't know how you'd change one and keep the water
in the pipes.

On 11/17/2014 5:12 PM, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:02:21 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
It is not so much the soldering, it is getting all the water out of the
lines.


Every water heater I've replaced, the water came out of the pipes as part of the normal process. I don't know how you'd change one and keep the water
in the pipes.


It helps to keep the house upright.

The WH I've replaced, pipes come in
from the top.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 11/17/2014 5:08 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

It is not so much the soldering, it is
getting all the water out of the
lines.


I've had more than one moment where it was
tough to get the ater out. I saw an old
plumber who heated up the pipe with the
propane torch and steam and water came
flying out the open top.


-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

i tink the options are

soldering which takes some skill
compression fitting also called shark bite which may make you nervous about leaks
maybe pex?

Mark

On 11/17/2014 5:46 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

My house has the water heater below many of the outlets. Also the way the
well and whatever you call that bladder/surge tank holds several gallons of
water. The heater does not have cutoff valves near it. To get all the
water out of the lines I have to go up to the second floor and open up the
spickets and wait.
Even a few drops of water near the joint can cause problems.


Does the water heater have a working drain valve?

That might be an easy way to lower the water level.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"trader_4" wrote in message
...
On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:02:21 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
"trader_4" wrote in message
...

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater
fittings?
No problems here.

It is not so much the soldering, it is getting all the water out of the
lines.


Every water heater I've replaced, the water came out of the pipes as part
of the normal process. I don't know how you'd change one and keep the
water
in the pipes.

My house has the water heater below many of the outlets. Also the way the
well and whatever you call that bladder/surge tank holds several gallons of
water. The heater does not have cutoff valves near it. To get all the
water out of the lines I have to go up to the second floor and open up the
spickets and wait.
Even a few drops of water near the joint can cause problems.



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On 11/17/2014 5:45 PM, wrote:
i tink the options are

soldering which takes some skill
compression fitting also called shark bite
which may make you nervous about leaks
maybe pex?

Mark


I've used compression fittings (which use a
ferrule and nut). Not yet tried Sharkbite.

For me, I don't yet trust Sharkbite.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

I think all residential water heaters have 3/4 inch threaded nipples at the top for inlet and outlet.

Commercial water heaters like you find in apartment blocks are typically 1 1/2 inch threaded nipples for inlet and outlet, but they're all over the place; and typically not at the top of the heater.

Also, with commercial water heaters, and depending on the installation, you're lucky to get 7 years service out of them. 5 or 6 years is much more common, and a new one will set you back about $2000. A new one weighs about 700 pound empty, and they're a bytch to get into and out of a building without a freight elevator.

On 11/17/2014 5:45 PM, wrote:
i tink the options are

soldering which takes some skill
compression fitting also called shark bite which may make you nervous about leaks
maybe pex?

Mark


Compression fittings are different than Shakrbite.
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/i...b/infcomp.html

On 11/17/2014 5:55 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:


I've used compression fittings (which use a
ferrule and nut). Not yet tried Sharkbite.

For me, I don't yet trust Sharkbite.


I have a half dozen in my house now. They are great in spots difficult
to solder. Two are in my baseboard heat line where I go from copper to
pex and back to copper. A year of heating and cooling and not a drop of
leakage.

On 11/17/2014 7:30 PM, nestork wrote:
I think all residential water heaters have 3/4 inch threaded nipples at
the top for inlet and outlet.

Commercial water heaters like you find in apartment blocks are typically
1 1/2 inch threaded nipples for inlet and outlet, but they're all over
the place; and typically not at the top of the heater.

Also, with commercial water heaters, and depending on the installation,
you're lucky to get 7 years service out of them. 5 or 6 years is much
more common, and a new one will set you back about $2000. A new one
weighs about 700 pound empty, and they're a bytch to get into and out of
a building without a freight elevator.

I've seen at least two places with abandoned
water heaters. One apartment place, three or
four dead WH lined up next to the one which
worked.


--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
On 11/17/2014 5:46 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

My house has the water heater below many of the outlets. Also the way
the
well and whatever you call that bladder/surge tank holds several gallons
of
water. The heater does not have cutoff valves near it. To get all the
water out of the lines I have to go up to the second floor and open up
the
spickets and wait.
Even a few drops of water near the joint can cause problems.


Does the water heater have a working drain valve?

That might be an easy way to lower the water level.

The problem is not the water in the heater, it is what is left in the pipes
above it. The heater is in the basement. This is a house with a bathroom
that is on the 2 nd floor. That is about 20 or 30 feet of pipe above the
heater that has to drain. If the pipe is just removed from the heater the
water will drip for a long time. I have to go to the floors above the
heater and open the valves so the trapped water will run out.. It takes
extra time and steps to do that. If the joints are compression type
couplings (shark bites or whatever) that water dripping out is not real
problem. I might get slightly wet, but the joint will not leak when
tightened, but if I solder the joint, I have to wait on all that water to
drain out.
If you have long horizontal runs of pipe, that water seems never to run out.
BTW I do know about the breada trick, but that is still another
problem/step.



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On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:41:01 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
"trader_4" wrote in message
...
On Monday, November 17, 2014 5:02:21 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
"trader_4" wrote in message
...

What exactly is so difficult about soldering a couple of water heater
fittings?
No problems here.

It is not so much the soldering, it is getting all the water out of the
lines.


Every water heater I've replaced, the water came out of the pipes as part
of the normal process. I don't know how you'd change one and keep the
water
in the pipes.

My house has the water heater below many of the outlets.

The outlets don't have a supply of water going into them.
So, when you disconnect the WH, by the time you get the old one out and the
new one in, the water typically has all run out.
Plus, it should have two shut-off valves, eliminating that entirely.



Also the way the
well and whatever you call that bladder/surge tank holds several gallons of
water.

The water tank should have a shut-off valve. There should also be a shut-off
valve right before the WH.


The heater does not have cutoff valves near it.

It should. It's probably code too.



To get all the
water out of the lines I have to go up to the second floor and open up the
spickets and wait.
Even a few drops of water near the joint can cause problems.



Wait how long? I would think by the time you cut out the old one,
disconnect the gas lines, move in the new one, etc, the water would be
done. And hopefully if you put in a new WH you also put in a shut-off
valve. I've soldered many pipes, never had problems getting the water
out. Yeah, it can happen on some rare occasions, but I don't see it as
necessitating using sharkbites on a WH. There are millions of WH's out
there with soldered connections. I bet at most just a few percent use
sharkbites.