40 gallon electric water heater leaking


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Old 01-26-16, 10:35 PM
J
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40 gallon electric water heater leaking

The water heater is leaking from the top around the where the pressure relief valve screws in to the tank. I replaced the valve since the water tank is 7 years old. The old valve was put in with pipe dope. I cleaned the threads with a brass wire brush and Teflon taped the threads on the new pressure relief valve. The valve is cranked on tight, barely any threads are visible. The leak is not noticeably any different. It is about 1/8 cup a minute, just enough to be annoying. I am beginning to wonder if I have a busted weld where the threads meet the tank.
 
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Old 01-26-16, 10:48 PM
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Possibly. It is also possible that you broke the tapping when you cranked down so tightly on the safety valve. You can try a "belt and suspenders" approach by removing the safety valve, cleaning both the internal and external threads and then use no more than two wraps of Teflon tape with some Teflon paste over the tape. It may work, it may not but it is the least expensive thing to try at this point.
 
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Old 01-27-16, 05:17 AM
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"Barely any threads showing " scares me.
It's a tapered thread, over tighten it you will crack the fitting on the tank.
 
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Old 01-27-16, 05:40 AM
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Agreed the fitting is probably split/cracked. 1/8 cup of water per minute is more than annoying, it's a very bad leak.
 
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Old 02-02-16, 05:11 AM
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One-post wonder. jo-pjk=-oml0ih0p[kopkn-[=]
 
 

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