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Author:
alsfish (Non-US)
I replaced one water heater in my home 10 days ago. It is a secondary unit I use in my basement for my fish hobby and services one sink, one faucet, only. Its a 40G unit.
My main water heater is a gas unit.
My water is well, has an iron treatment unit and then a water softener. The water to the secondary tank is treated for iron but does not get softened as does the water to the main gas heater.
My water throughout the house serviced by the gas heater is crystal clear, no problems.
10 days ago I changed the secondary unit. From the day of install it was putting out yellow water. About 3 days after install I called the MFR and they had me empty water from the pressure release valave - it looked like yellow curry, very dark for about 1/2 cup and then a lighter yellow. The supply line for the cold water to the HW tank is off the same cold water line that runs the cold water tap in the sink - perfectly clear. When the new tank was installed, new pex lines were run for supply and output to the sink, as well as a new faucet. After 10 days, the mfr agreed to replace it.
We replaced it 3 days ago and the new unit is putting out yellow water again. When they disconnected the supply water, it was clear.
PLEASE NOTE: The replacement unit I received had a 1 digit difference in the serial number - ended in 239 rather than 240, indicating to me that if there was a production issue, that would possibly affect several tanks.
I called the MFR a second time and they tell me it has to be the water, can't be the unit. I told them about water parameters everywhere else in the house. I asked them to send a plumber of their choice to check it out - if it was water supply that would be my issue. If not, there is a problem with the tank again. I suggested maybe a pallet dropped?? when there is a brake recall it is 50,000 units not 1 or two I suggested.
Any thoughts on my yellow water issue??
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Test the water for iron. I know, you said you were treating it, but that doesn't mean it's working. It sounds like iron bacteria.
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Author:
alsfish (Non-US)
I did consider that but the water in the rest of the house is fine and there is no staining anywhere. The main water heater has no issues and the water coming out of it is perfectly clear, I would suspect if it was iron bacteria it would be a household issue, no?
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
The rest of the house gets a second process, no?
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Author:
hj (AZ)
You talk like you think the "glass lining" in the tank is like a thermos bottle with a glass "bottle" inside a steel shell which can shatter if the tank is dropped. That is not so, the glass lining is a coating applied to the inside of the tank and it does NOT chip off if it is damaged, and even if it did, it would take many days before the steel shell would start rusting. Are you sure you do not have a steel component somewhere in the piping to or from that tank.
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Author:
alsfish (Non-US)
Yes, the water to the main HW tank gets passed through a softener.I have looked at the lines and just copper and the pex to the new tank.
I have a plumber coming Monday to have a look at things.
What confusing is that while the new HW tank water is yellow, the feed line and the cold at the sink it services is crystal clear.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
alsfish (Non-US)
Paul48
I called Culligan today to get their take on the situation - they know the equipment that is in my house - and they felt that indeed, if the iron level after the first pass was still a little high it could cause the yellowish water once getting heated in the HW tank - oxidation, etc. They also said that the softener would take out some additional iron and probably why my main HW tank has no issues as it gets both treatments.My iron treatment unit went in 12 years ago, has had a "new bed" a few times but they felt they could improve performance by tweaking the unit or a newer unit?
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