Hey everyone! So, I made a bit of a mess trying to install a new water heater myself. I normally do okay with DIY projects, but I really underestimated how quickly the pressure builds when I turned on a faucet during the installation. Next thing I know, the water spouts out, and I had to shut off the main line to stop it. Water ended up filling the junction box tray where the electrical wires are, which freaked me out. I did use a wet vacuum to dry it out, but I'm worried that I ruined my Rheem 50-gallon performance water heater. Power wasn't on when this happened, but do you think my unit is done for? I looked at the coils, and there doesn't seem to be any water there. Also, just so you know, I didn't use flex lines because it looked like I could connect everything straight down fairly easily. I think I used CPVC? Any advice would be awesome!
2 Answers
Don't worry too much; it sounds like you didn't ruin it! I've seen units operate even with some water in the tray, as long as the power is off. Just dry everything out thoroughly first. The most important thing is to figure out where the leak is coming from. I know you mentioned a CPVC pipe connecting to a female connector, and that's a common weak spot. Make sure that connection is secured and consider using flex lines next time to avoid issues. Good luck with it!
Based on your description, it seems like you might have just had a failure at that hot side connection. As long as you turned off the water when it spouted out, and you dried everything up, your unit could still be fine. It's great you used primer and cement, just make sure everything is completely dry before you try to turn it back on. I would recommend replacing that joint with a flex line for better flexibility and to prevent future blowouts!
Thanks, Pat! I was thinking of replacing it with flex lines anyway. I appreciate the tip!
Thanks for the reassurance! I'll definitely check that connection and think about flex lines for future projects.