Water Leak

08-19-2015, 01:32 PM

My 2006 model 2619 has developed a leak (a drop every few seconds) in the hot water system. The source of the leak seems to be at the hot water outlet of the tank where the hose to the faucet connects to the tank. I have tried tightening the fitting but the leak persists. I would appreciate any ideas about the cause of the leak and suggestions to remedy this situation. Thanks in advance for your consideration.

LoveToCamp · 08-19-2015, 08:11 PM

I don't have mine open now, but I believe the connection is a threaded connection, correct? (If it is threaded, you tried to tighten it. If it is a crimp-on, you could still have tried to tighten it.)

If it is threaded, I would drain the water heater, then unscrew the connector, add three wraps of teflon tape, and put it back on. That may help. I did that with my outside shower connection, and that took care of that leak.

08-20-2015, 07:01 AM

Sounds reasonable. I'll give it a try.

08-21-2015, 02:30 PM

Well the Teflon tape didn't work. It may possibly be the fitting that connects the water faucet hose to the tank. I will attempt to remove then tape and replace that part next.

What really worries me is that there may be a leak in the hot water housing itself. Has anyone else encountered this? If so did you have to replace the water heater? Any one know the particulars of and approximate cost of replacing a water heater? Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

**Bill** · 08-21-2015, 03:21 PM

I think it is unlikely that you have a tiny leak in the water heater. I agree with LTC - probably a fitting somewhere. It is cheap (though annoying) to replace these, so just go to it. To my knowledge, there is no history of leaks in the water heater itself.

Do things freeze in your part of Texas? A freeze of a small amount of water trapped in a fitting can cause a tiny, almost invisible, split in a plastic fitting. Finding such a split is nearly impossible. Easier just to replace them.

Bill

08-21-2015, 08:05 PM

Thanks for the advice about replacing the plastic connections. Makes a lot of sense. Happy to hear that it is unlikely that there is a leak in the water heater housing.

**tfarrugia** · 08-21-2015, 08:10 PM

We noticed a leak on our new to us 3023 water heater, we too thought it was the plumbing, we charged up the system and checked all the plumbing, we then realized it was the actual water heater that was leaking, in the front, inside where the anode rod is, it cost me @ $380.00 for a new water heater, we did the install ourselves, the new water heater works fantastic, and no leaks!!

Tex