Soldering Leaking Water Heater Tank

[@pralaypatel7110]

I like your "I'm not gonna give up until the End" attitude. Glad it worked out for you this round!!

[@thehvachacker]

It's cold showers for several days or seal the leak.

[@kellyspeppers]

I welded a 200 gal water tank and it was good for a couple of more years. Welded my 25 gal compressor tank and it blew up in my face, about took my head off, huge amount of stored energy with a compressed gas. Remember people drain your compressor tanks to prevent rust out.

[@thehvachacker]

I am guilty of not draining my air tank often. Why do the drain fittings seem to always leak after several drains

[@More350Power]

That should last a long time. When radiators in cars were brass, we would just solder them and keep going. Stay Safe out there!

[@thehvachacker]

I’m curious how long. Therefore I don’t think I will replace the tank and allocate the money to other things I need. Like a lawn mower and outside yard tools

[@DigitalIP]

@@thehvachacker would adding an epoxy coat over the solder help to secure it for longer or it would it defeat the purpose of the solder? Also a quick question.. is there a way to clean out hot water heaters? I have well water with no filter so the water heater has been filling with sediment and hasn't been properly flushed all this time (didn't know better for a while) so is there a way to just empty it instead of buying a new one? had to replace a heating element last year possibly because of it so i'm hoping to go an inexpensive route if possible.

[@Premium97]

Nice Fix at 4:14Am in the morning, just noticing if you were soldering with or without PPE, always should consider those precautions like Safety Glasses for sure and your respirator, I'm sure that solder with heat and flux would have stunk up...For Fire Protection Safety, make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector and check all 12V batteries if you are planning on testing your tank, a 3-1 FPS device is good connected electrically. When I flushed my Hot Water tank completely, then used a 4L Vinegar (Reg Strength) and only used half (2L) to let it sit through a customized (3/4" Full Port Ball Valve) opening, replacing the original nipple valve...pour the vinegar thru a 3/4" Hose connected to 3/4" Port...I let my tank sit overnight with cold water and vinegar mixed up half tank full so that vinegar will take out all rust, huge calcium deposits, debris, and agitated the tank and this is diluted stuff. When flushed, huge deposits came out...I have some videos of my HTW tank modifications...Cheers!

[@Imwright720]

I had a stainless one that failed recently. I wished I had kept it and stripped it down to just tank. I could of welded up the tank and used it as an air tank.

[@StephenMOaks]

Thank you for posting this repair, it is greatly appreciated ! ~ Wondering how long it lasted for you ?

[@royamberg9177]

Something to think about. Solder has almost no strength. For some thing like that. Patch to solder over it would have strength to it. Or if surface is iregular take stranded electrical wire and strip a bunch and bend it around and kinda flatten it so solder has something to stick to and build up in. Running flux would really help to

[@thehvachacker]

The tank was pulling the solder in. This is only a bandaid yet I should leave this until it blows out. Just pipe in the indirect to have it ready. Yet I do like the wire idea. I could always use pro proxy or jb weld steel epoxy over the solder for added strength.

[@royamberg9177]

@@thehvachacker the wire things works wonders. Don't it a lot. Never had it fail me yet

[@rickyhertz7250]

You might want to keep a hot tap dripping so pressure doesn’t build up ! keep us posted!

[@thehvachacker]

I will do an update yet all taps have been shut 5 days past and still holding. I know want to to see how long this last

[@vegasada0245]

@@thehvachacker 5 months later....Is your water heater welding still holding?

[@johnrobinson357]

Nice fix ! It lives to heat a few more cycles. That cold air is not a good thing always chilling the tank - as you said. A bit of draft fine - going out. You will sort it out. Peace !

[@thehvachacker]

Thanks now i have to decide new water heater or lawn mower.

[@johnrobinson357]

@@thehvachacker Depends on what the mower troubles are. If it's a no start condition - has it sat with fuel in it. Most do. And is it old. If it is not old junk i would fix it, easier than it seems really. But if it is an engine issue - connecting rod knock. It's done, you know this stuff already.

[@thehvachacker]

I currently don’t own a mower. Or I would fix and keep it going.

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Good idea! Just wondering....how did you find out where the leak was, especially since it looks like it was buried under all that foam insulation? Mine is leaking too (just a little dripping, but still), but I can't figure out where it's coming from. If I turn off the valve and depressurize the tank, the leak stops, so I'm thinking it must be a small pinhole.

[@Eddy63]

Good vid Hackster ... That StayBrite is a good product ... Nice fix ...

[@anamejia7961]

My water heater is leaking around the inlet and outlet nipple. Its the nipple i believe its the tank. Can i do this? Completely drain the tank and dry the area well?

[@muxxor9492]

Your supply houses aren’t open?

[@thehvachacker]

They are open. Yet my indirect won’t be in until Monday. Besides how often can I screw around with a water heater like this?

[@MrRio1973]

Was wondering if I can do this to mine. Stop leaking for a while. Great video. Going to do this now …’. Thanks.

[@fimster91]

Why did you not use a brazen rod

[@dwight.bennett]

That really is crazy to have that cold draft running through it when it cycles off. I had never really though about that. Where to the lines come out outside? (Just cap them off or going to delete them and patch it up?)

[@thehvachacker]

That’s on a day that’s about 50 degrees. This thing runs all the time. Now take 20 degree air drafting back into this tank. At least a natural draft water heater goes into a warm chimney. Power vented go straight outside. I will use the exhaust hole for a small on demand water heater for garage. I have a 9 year old rheem on demand that intermittently wasn’t providing heat. The housing authority had new units on hand and wanted me to just replace.

[@SixTwoHemi]

Nice work.

[@Ted_E_Bear]

Hello Great Hacker! Are you kin to MacGyver ? You’re so talented !!

[@thehvachacker]

Just too stubborn to give up and not a fan of cold showers when its cold outside

[@JuanTodoli]

Good one! 👍

[@thehvachacker]

Thanks, I’m curious to see how long this repair last

[@carlmccoy662]

StayBrite is great stuff, well worth the money. Looking forward to the new water heater install video.

[@thehvachacker]

I get bashed for using staybrite on my ac repair vids. It is great stuff not as much heat so no cooking valves, the might happen while brazing.

[@stevec8861]

Is anode rod spent or does spot corrosion of steel tank sometimes occur even with periodic anode replacement?

[@3740westmichigan]

Why did u not braze it ??????????????? OHHHHH thats right you R the HACKER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice fix !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@thehvachacker]

I thought of brazing the hole closed. yet for a leak to happen the steel around the leak must be rusting and already thinned. I didn't;t want to thin the metal anymore. Staybrite 8 makes a stronger seal.

[@3740westmichigan]

@@thehvachacker ok thanks Great answer Now i know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You r the Hacker !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep up the great work and vidjas !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sknight0391]

Stay safe up there Hacker 👍

[@thehvachacker]

Doing the best I can. Staying home and supplies keep coming in the mail. Plus my house is keeping me busy with numerous things breaking. Plus all the planned work at the house

[@DigitalIP]

so the chimneys purpose is to help cool the heater or just ventilation in general? If cooling it is not desired couldn't you add an addition to the PVC and have it angled away from the heater to help regulate the temperature more while still using it as a chimney? (Obviously not a plumber so idk what the chimney is for as my water heater does not have one).

[@thehvachacker]

The Chimney is for removal of carbon monoxide. Which is the byproduct of the burnt heating fuel. It is the same as an exhaust system on a car. Your water heater is either electric water heater or piped into your boiler which would make it an indirect

[@DigitalIP]

@@thehvachackeroooh, gotcha. makes sense. Thanks

[@vegasada0245]

There is no reason and nothing to cool the water heater tank. You're speaking of an Atmospheric Vented water heater which naturally vents the spent gas thru a metal exhaust pipe. But in this video he has a Power Vent water heater (see the wiring on top). It requires a Blower on top which pulls the exhaust gas through the ABS cUPC, ceiling, on out thru the roof at cooler temperatures.

[@LouieLemburg]

Could be the galvanized fittings directly to copper fittings lol

[@edjovi3677]

Your. So. Funny. Great. Tri. Love. It. Edbonjovi

[@thehvachacker]

If this coronavirus shutdown wasn't taking place I never would have time to play with my leaking water heater.

[@christopherbonanno1120]

What. You can’t sweat a steel tank for a repair. Tank leaks it’s done.

[@thehvachacker]

This water heater is still heating my water, and not leaking. Therefore you can sweat a tank leak shut. I am getting ready to install an indirect, cause I’m. It expecting the tank to last forever. Metal wears thin when it rots and springs a leak. The metal surrounding where I soldered will eventually leak. Can’t perform this kind of repair for a paying customer. Yet I am proof that a tank can be soldered.

[@sqeekykleen49]

Seen this done in Mexico with used water heaters from USA. Can be done however I suspect brazing would be the best with a torch, I'm about to Tig one, wish me luck.

[@jeffgrant6914]

Nice work

[@thehvachacker]

Thanks

[@hozerhvac4406]

Nice work

[@thehvachacker]

It’s not a job to offer a customer yet on my own equipment why not see what happens.

[@vegasada0245]

@@thehvachacker Offering to weld for customers will be a big pain in the butt, because yourfirst and biggest time consuming problem is actually finding the EXACT location of the hole which also erupts on the sides of tanks, and the bottoms of tanks. Sometimes there are actually 2 holes, or a crack instead of a hole.