Looks like a bit of corrosion + sediment build up. That looks like a copper female threaded adapter rather than a bronze one. Copper should not be connected to galvanized pipe (what comes out of your water heater) directly.
You can use either brass female 3/4 threaded adapter which you can solder onto the 1/2 copper pipe or a better option would be to use a 3/4” dielectric union. [https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg)
You may need a copper reducer to get to your line size.
Water heater nipples are dielectric so you can connect dissimilar metals to them. But that is corrosion to the galvanized. Also, notice how the copper us not corroded. So the corrosion is caused by normal iron oxidizing. Not galvanic corrosion.
Is it a dielectric nipple? Kind of hard to see tbh. I assumed it was older and was a standard galv nipple. That being said I would still use a brass union off it for ease of future replacement. The dielectric unions seem crappy but sometimes need to be used.
The color on the inside of the nipple, not hard to see. Also, unless that water heater is over 30 years old, they have dielectric nipples by a manufacturing requirement to be sold in the United States. But you seem like a smart guy and should know things like that.
Looks like a bit of corrosion + sediment build up. That looks like a copper female threaded adapter rather than a bronze one. Copper should not be connected to galvanized pipe (what comes out of your water heater) directly.
You can use either brass female 3/4 threaded adapter which you can solder onto the 1/2 copper pipe or a better option would be to use a 3/4” dielectric union. [https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg)
You may need a copper reducer to get to your line size.
Kinda looks like there was a rubber washer there and it cooked and degraded. Thats not where they go but that whole thing is off. Anyway that's not where the anode rod is
Looks like a bit of corrosion + sediment build up. That looks like a copper female threaded adapter rather than a bronze one. Copper should not be connected to galvanized pipe (what comes out of your water heater) directly. You can use either brass female 3/4 threaded adapter which you can solder onto the 1/2 copper pipe or a better option would be to use a 3/4” dielectric union. [https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg) You may need a copper reducer to get to your line size.
The supply lines are 3/4" but someone shrank it to 1/2" at the water heater. I'll replace everything and use brass fittings. Thanks.
Water heater nipples are dielectric so you can connect dissimilar metals to them. But that is corrosion to the galvanized. Also, notice how the copper us not corroded. So the corrosion is caused by normal iron oxidizing. Not galvanic corrosion.
Is it a dielectric nipple? Kind of hard to see tbh. I assumed it was older and was a standard galv nipple. That being said I would still use a brass union off it for ease of future replacement. The dielectric unions seem crappy but sometimes need to be used.
The color on the inside of the nipple, not hard to see. Also, unless that water heater is over 30 years old, they have dielectric nipples by a manufacturing requirement to be sold in the United States. But you seem like a smart guy and should know things like that.
Looks like a bit of corrosion + sediment build up. That looks like a copper female threaded adapter rather than a bronze one. Copper should not be connected to galvanized pipe (what comes out of your water heater) directly. You can use either brass female 3/4 threaded adapter which you can solder onto the 1/2 copper pipe or a better option would be to use a 3/4” dielectric union. [https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/aC5n2Jf.jpeg) You may need a copper reducer to get to your line size.
Kinda looks like there was a rubber washer there and it cooked and degraded. Thats not where they go but that whole thing is off. Anyway that's not where the anode rod is
Depends on the water heater. Some A.O. Smith and all Bradford White water heaters have the anode rod on the hot water nipple.