40 Gallon Gas Rheem water heater. We have low pressure on all the hot water taps in the house. While trouble shooting I pullled the cold water inlet off the top of the heater and discovered that at the top of the dip tube there is a plastic ball about 3/8" diameter with a stem sticking up about 3/4" stuck in the top of the dip tube. It is immobile, I can not move it at all. Is this supposed to be there? Whatever is it for?

I am trying to add a picture of it here:

Thanks in advance for any help I can get!

Bill

i have only seen these on the 75 gallon Rheems

i think its like a check valve...

it should move around some

It won't budge. It feels like it might break if I force it.

those slots make me think that something unscrews for removal,replacement.
worse comes to worse, remove the nipple and replace with a brass one.

It looks like a heat trap device, (to prevent HW in the tank from gravitating up the cold water line). If possible, get a typical heat trap nipple, (pictured below) or simply install a brass nipple into the tank, then make a transition to copper.



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This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

FIXED!! Tapped it gently with the end of a screw driver and a small hammer. It popped free and now I have hot water. Until it gets stuck again.

Sorry .Order a replacement for it .next time it won't fail in this way.Good Luck.Rheem still is not making much engineering head way in those chinese factories.

Personally, I would just remove the ball before it gets stuck again.

It is called a heat trap nipple and the ball is supposed to move freely. Best thing to do is to change BOTH nipples, your choice to use either the heat trap nipples or the plain plastic insert ones. Just make sure you have an 18" pipe wrench handy to get them out.

PlumbCat TM 2003


Plumbermandan

careful Dan .Some of these nipples are anode type.

That one isn't, It is the heat trap type, I had the very same problem in a rental house of one of our customers just last week, The ball got lodged and would not let any water thru, How it accomplished that feat I still do not know , I have a few ideas of the cause.

PlumbCat TM 2003


Plumbermandan

Experience tells .I have dis carded the marble in one or two heaters.Good Luck.

I do have an inkling of the cause. I have a sprinkler system that, when activated, draws the pressure down considerably in the house. I had noticed that this problem coincided with the first time I activated the system this spring. So from your information, I deduce that when the pressure in the supply line drops the valve closes, and this time it got stuck.

I am not a plumber and I am not real confident in my knowledge, so I was wondering, how do you replace a nipple? What about the dip tube, how does it attach?

I may just live with this and see how often it happens. If it gets loathsome I will probably have to take some action.

Bill

Bill .It depends on the manufacture date and supplier of your heater to be sure ,ask the manufacturer.Tell them what problem with this heater number you are experiencing and they will offer a new product or suggest a plumbing cure .A check valve in the line before most heaters is a dollar wise not spent.Good Luck.Thermal expansion tanks may be installed to protect you when you install check valve , if the utility has no check type system installed on their side.