Hot water outlet top of tank - 1/2 in treaded female fitting

lefox7

Member
Does this fitting unscrew from the tank?

Had a water leak in the plastic back flow preventer. I broke it off in the fitting at the top of the tank. Tryed everything to extract the plastic treaded end (easy out, extractors, hack saw blade & and pocket knive) from the the 1/2 in treaded female fitting.
I now have a useless hotwater tank unless I can clean out this fitting or change it out.
SW12DE
 

rick_debbie_gallant

Well-known member
I had mine break also. I dont for the life of me they dont use brass. I removed my little bits of plastic with a dremel tool and a couple of small bits. Took about an hour but it worked, no more leaks,
 

lefox7

Member
I broke one of these. The handel twisted. I think because the hot water heater heats up and cools down the plastic makes like super glue.
 

DougAndJudy

Well-known member
Same thing happened to us. I ended up getting a 1/2" pipe thread tap to clean out the threads. Available from hardware stores.
 

rick_debbie_gallant

Well-known member
I used a couple of different bits. What I did learn was that if you use one of the rubber drums with sandpaper will shorten up how long it takes. Once you get down to where the metal threads start take a curved probe or dental pick or curved awl and dig out the rest. I used my iphone for pictures, videos of my progress because I could not get that close to the hole I was working on. Gosh what would we do without our eyephones, er Iphones? I have used it more than once to "see around corners"!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Mine hasn't yet, but I've got a brass one in the plumbing kit for when it does. I like the 1/2" NPT pipe tap idea.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
I did mine after I heard of everyone elses problems of getting them apart after it breaks or starts to leak.
 

skyguy

Well-known member
And what I did was to use a small drill bit, and while it was turning, sawed back and forth, CAREFULLY, until I got down to metal. Then I was able to grab enough of the plastic to twist and break the plastic pipe so I could remove it. I was worried about damaging the threads, but was careful enough to avoid this.

I thought this was due to my relocation of the water fill tube, but it seems this is just a weak point in the system. Too bad it failed out of warranty :( by about 4 months

Al S.
 

lefox7

Member
Original Question was does the 1/2 in female fitting unscrew from the tank? I probably have messed up the treads in the 1/2 in female fitting. I did not think this was a warranty issue but what started out as a simple leak is now a major expense. Do I have to buy a new hot water heater?
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
You may not have screwed it up, clean out the plastic pieces and chase the threads with a tap. Then get some good pipe dope and try to put it together,and let it set up for a while before you put presure to it.
 
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