removing pipe fitting

Leroy

Well-known Member
I need to remove a brass pipe fitting from the inlet of a 5 year old water heater and it sets too low to get a socket in, not enough room around the side, it is only perhaps an inch and a half total length, possibly less. It is a 3/4" pipe. Top part is threads for rest of fitting I need to be able to keep as it connects to the plastic feeder pipe. Is there an easy out made that would remove that size pipe? The largest I have would only work on a half inch pipe. Any other ideas? If I can get that fitting out then I can connect a fitting with air hose to slightly pressureise the tank to empty the water so I can change the relief valve and tank drain. The heater is setting on wood floor in utility room next to sink and washing machine in utility room. Tank drain was just plastic junk when new. Should have installed a good brass valve before I installed tank.
Untitled URL Link
 
Never had heard of something like that. Is there different companys that handle them? Would that also be able to tighten a fitting back in?
 
Why not leave that fitting in and get a reducing coupling or other fitting and connect the air hose to it. The relief valve is threaded screw an adapter in it open the valve and blow out the water.
 
I was going to just do that but the threads in fitting now are not compatable with anything to be able to put that air fitting in. Cannot hook it up.
 
They make easy outs for inside pipes. They are square with a taper and twist. They are very short and work very well to remove broken or short nipples. You should be able to find one at a good plumbing supply or one of the large hardware suppliers . Granger McMaster Carr
 
From the picture of them I'd say no, you couldn't use one to put a pipe back in. Also, the description states that they're for the REMOVAL of broken threaded pipes, etc. Maybe a company that sells them also sells ones for putting the fitting back in.
 
Can't get a clear picture from your description, but if you've got an open end to work with, I've made pipe EZ-outs by taking a piece of flat stock and grinding it to a shallow, flat-bottomed V (the side angle would only be a few degrees), grinding an edge on the sides, and then tapping it in until it catches. Back it out with a pipe wrench, Crescent wrench, or similar, sometimes tapping the top to maintain a bite while backing it out. Might have to do it a few times but it usually works, particularly in a soft metal like brass.
 
One of these might work , I find them invaluable for difficult plastic fittings , outsized pipe and restricted access . Works the same as an oil filter wrench but adjusts to a much smaller diameter .


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Boa-Strap-Wrench-Colour/dp/B00096JDJY
 
So you can understand what I have go to Lowes web site and look up Item # 516833 Genova 3/4" dia union Cpvc fitting, Model # 53376lf that is priced at $7.84. This is a newer version of what I have. It is set in a hollow in the top of the water heater enough that I cannot get a wrench on the hex part of the brass part with threads on both ends. The threads on the coupling end I can get to but to hook a pipe wrench there would destroy the threads for putting back together. The plastic part glues to the pipe. My problem is where the 2 brass parts screw together they used a non standard thread (that has been changed and now they have a 3;4" garden hose thread there) On the older ones the thread is just about 3/32" bigger in diameter than a 3/4" pipe thread. I had hoped a pipe thread fitting would screw on there and then I could have converted it to the garden hose thread the air adapter is in to pressureise the tank with air to get the water out to work on the valves. I might just try taking an old file and grinding the edges to grip into the brass and try turning it out that way. Then I could just use a pipe thread fitting to the garden hose thread for the air adaptor. If that would work to get it out then It should work in reverce to put it back in to hook up the cold water incoming pipe. Hope this helps understand the situation.
 
Found it. Boy, that is quite a cameleopard, isn't it? Your old file should work the same as my flat stock suggestion, particularly for a one-time use--I just happen to have more flat stock than old files around as a rule. Any chance running a tube into the tank and siphoning the water out rather than fighting with pressurizing it, if that's the major reason for going this route?
 
If the one in the Lowes picture is the same as the one in your tank just go by one,and the fittings to reduce it to what you need to put your air fitting into the plastic. Unscrew the pipe going into your heater, screw the plastic part of the new fitting on to the fitting in the top of the water tank, connect your compressor and blow the water out the drain. then reverse the process when you get the water blown out
 
Leroy,Just use a blow gun,turn the hot water on say sink or tub then blow air pressure into fitting.Wrap a wet shop towel around the blow gun at the fitting if it leaks to bad.Emty it out,do the repairs and hook the fitting back up.
 

In our area you must use a metal 6" long, maybe longer at the water heater.

Check Lowes Item #331787. It's an internal pipe wrench.
 
Can you not take the top cover off? Make sure the water is off, take out relief valve, take out screws that hold top cover to outside cover. Whats wrong with the drain you cant use it?
 
That's what I was thinking. If the objective is solely to pressurize the tank, I wouldn't mess with the fitting. I'd shut off the cold water supply at the tank, rig up a length of air hose with suitable fitting for your air compressor hoses to a hose fitting and screw it onto your laundry tube spigot. Turn off the cold and turn on the hot and pressurize your tank from there. I'd let any hot water remaining in the system drain out of the laundry tub spigot first. I use just such a setup to blow out my sprinkler system each year. (I have a hose bib piped into the sprinkler line). I sure wouldn't mess with that brass connection on the tank if it's so hard to get to.
 
Problem is new fitting is not compatable to the old one, would be easy if could do that. If have to use a new fitting after getting old one out will have to turn the entire house water off, cut the cold water suupply pipe to heater before shutoff valve to water heater and replace a larger section of pipe as there is not enough space between the cold water to fill tank shutoff to do any work there. The only way to get water out of tank to replace broken drain and stuck reliefe valve is to somehow push the water out the hot side of the heater to the kitchen sink (yes it is an extra sink for dirty work) set a foot away from the heater in the utility room. I hadn't thought about trying that piece of metal sharpened to a grip edge. Tried that years ago on older galvanized pipe and would not budge it then but that was probably rusted together fitting as well. This being a reletavily new fitting of a material that does not rust and then with teflon tape perhaps it will screw out as it is supposed to. The new fittings the nut part is smaller on and I think a socket would work on them.
 
How about this. You don't have to pressurize the hot water tank at the tank. Anyplace you pressurize the system will cause the water to come out whatever valve you open, even pressurizing an outside faucet. Then the water has to go someplace.
 
Instead of taking a chance ruining/breaking off the fitting, could you slide 1/2" vinyl tubing in through the fitting and siphon the water out? Might take a while, but better than ruining the heater.
 
Leroy the internal pipe wrenches that bob shows a couple of threads earlier work great for removing a broken fitting or a short nipple. I have a set made by Ridgid tool company works great. They work on a cam-action design you insert tool inside broken fitting then turn it to the left which makes the cam action part open outward gripping the insife of your fitting continue to turn left and your fitting should screw-out once you remove fitting you can put in a new fitting of any desired length that you can get a wrench on then finish aasembly hope this helps Big Daddy
 
I have a pair of the internal pipe wrenches, 1/2 & 3/4. They work both directions. Handier than a shirt pocket.
Willie
 
Stick a shop vac hose over your open fitting. Pull a slight vacuum on the tank, then change your fittings. You might loose a few drops, but not more than an old towel will take care of. Probably need a helper to run the vac hose, as you need to regulate how hard its pulling a bit.
 
Whenever a new water heater is installed the drain valve that comes with it should be removed and throw as far from you as possible, they are trash. Get yourself a FULL PORT ball valve and use that for the drain valve. It is good to exercise a valve about yearly. Also, there is a ball valve made that has a male on the inlet side and female on the outlet that eliminates the nipple between the tank and the valve. It's also a good idea to screw a 1/2" maleX3/4" male garden hose fitting into the outlet of the ball valve and get a garden hose cap to screw on that. Now you're ready to drain the heater. I know Legend Valves make a maleXfemale ball valve.
 
Hey Leroy,

having a hard time visualizing what your saying, but to answer your question about the easy outs - yes, in the plumbing section of any big box store:

I'll put a link here.

Like screw extractors - sometimes they work great, sometimes they don't work at all. But usually at least worth a try, they're at least a lot harder to break than screw extractors.
extractors
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top