steelwire
November 25th, 2007, 10:53 PM
When I replaced most of my home's old galvanized steel pipe with new copper, I followed advice given to me with respect to the installation of dielectric junctions wherever the steel and copper were getting connected to each other. These gizmos keep the steel and copper from having direct contact with each other, thereby (supposedly) preventing dielectric corrosion activity from eating up the steel.
Last week I got a new hot water heater. stainless steel pipe (http://www.cn-SteelPipe.net)The installation instructions didn't mention use of dielectric junctions when attaching copper tubing to the steel tank's inlet and outlet nipples. In the flex-pipe instructions, the steel-braided flex line is attached to the WH nipple on one end, and attached via a brass compression fitting to the copper house pipe on the other. So, the steel and copper remain in electrical contact even though they don't actually touch. But, in the solid-pipe instructions,stainless steel wire (http://www.cn-SteelPipe.net) the copper fitting is screwed directly onto the WH nipple.welding wire (http://www.chinahlwire.com) The nipples are plastic-lined (with 'heat traps' also), but this doesn't prevent the steel and copper from direct contact. So, now I'm a bit confused about the use/need for dielectric junctions to begin with. If they are needed elsewhere, why not at the WH tank junction? If they aren't needed at the tank junction, why are theyGreat Wall (http://www.the-great-wall.com.cn) needed elsewhere? Does the presence of a WH anode somehow only save the tank's steel, or does it protect all steel throughout the house's water system? Or, does it protect only steel in direct electrical connection to the water heater? Or something else?
Last week I got a new hot water heater. stainless steel pipe (http://www.cn-SteelPipe.net)The installation instructions didn't mention use of dielectric junctions when attaching copper tubing to the steel tank's inlet and outlet nipples. In the flex-pipe instructions, the steel-braided flex line is attached to the WH nipple on one end, and attached via a brass compression fitting to the copper house pipe on the other. So, the steel and copper remain in electrical contact even though they don't actually touch. But, in the solid-pipe instructions,stainless steel wire (http://www.cn-SteelPipe.net) the copper fitting is screwed directly onto the WH nipple.welding wire (http://www.chinahlwire.com) The nipples are plastic-lined (with 'heat traps' also), but this doesn't prevent the steel and copper from direct contact. So, now I'm a bit confused about the use/need for dielectric junctions to begin with. If they are needed elsewhere, why not at the WH tank junction? If they aren't needed at the tank junction, why are theyGreat Wall (http://www.the-great-wall.com.cn) needed elsewhere? Does the presence of a WH anode somehow only save the tank's steel, or does it protect all steel throughout the house's water system? Or, does it protect only steel in direct electrical connection to the water heater? Or something else?