Leaking drain valve in hot water heater

rhelfand

Hey all,

I tried to replace the drain valve in my hot water heater last night and I think I messed things up worse.

I'm attaching a picture of what my drain valve looked like (this is my first post so hopefully I did this correctly ...). Basically it was a cheap plastic piece that fit over a metal nipple.

What I TRIED to do was remove the whole metal nipple. That did not budge and I ended up popping the cheap plastic piece off, leaving me with a plain metal nipple, male threaded. But the replacement drain valve I bought was also male threaded.

Sooo, I ended up buying a fitting, using a bunch of teflon tape and attaching the fitting to the nipple, then the new drain valve to the other end of the fitting.

Unfortunately, I think I damaged the threads on the metal nipple when I tried to remove it and it's still leaking.

So, my question is, does that metal nipple come out? I was afraid I was going to break it. I guess my options are to try to get that nipple out and replaced or try to fix the threads on it.

Any suggestions?

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MACPLUMB

YES IT DOE'S !
WHAT YOU NEED IS A 3/4" SCREW EXTRACTOR THAT HAS REVERSED THREADS YOU TAP THAT INTO THE NIPPLE AND TURN COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO REMOVE NIPPLE
GET A 3/4" PIPE NIPPLE, A THREADED BALL VALVE, AND MALE PIPE X
MALE HOSE ADP, WITH A 3/4" BRASS HOSE CAP THAT LETS YOU DRAIN WTR/HTR MUCH EASIER PLUS THE CAP KEEPS WATER FROM LEAKING OUT IF SOMEONE HITS THE VALVE HANDLE BY ACCIDENT

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35 YR. MASTER PLUMBER WITH PH.D IN WATER HEATERLOGY, MASTERS DEGREE IN DRAINLOGY,
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PLUMB ANY PIPE, SNAKE ANY DRAIN, MAKE COLD WATER BOIL ON A FREEZING DAY
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kenmac

Those nipples can be tough to get out sometines.. Never failed to get 1 out with a pipe wrench

Mike Swearingen

I recently did almost exactly what macplumb suggested.
An 18" pipe wrench and I got the nipple out.
Mike

rhelfand

Thank you all so much! I was afraid I was going to break something.

aromich

I have the same drain valve on my heater and it needs replaced. Where did you buy yours at? I cant seem to find one.

JDC

aromich, you dont need to purchase a drain valve like that. Just install a 3/4" X 6" nipple, a 3/4" threaded ball valve, a 3/4" male X 5/8" hose adapter and a hose cap. Take this list to any plumbing supply house. They'll have what you need. This setup is MUCH better than the standard drain valves that waterheater manufacturers install on their units. Standard drain valves are notorious for clogging up with calcium making draining the water heater next to impossible. In fact, anytime I install a water heater I remove the drain valve and install the ballvalve setup. Just a little extra that pays off in the end.

hohadcr

i know this an old topic...

i just got mine drained. my plastic drain is similar ,but is one whole piece, tapered edges,not meant to use wrench with.

i connected garden hose to the male end of the plastic drain, then, turn the whole plastic drain with the garden hose counter clockwise , awkward,as i had to keep turning the garden hose with the plastic drain.

voila. water finally came out....

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