Copper source? Hair turning green

[Nfrisa]

Basic Plumbing 101 says you should never connect dissimilar metal fittings together

Online sources are mixed but some say you can mix 304 stainless with brass

Mixing Brass and Stainless-Steel Fittings

Mixing brass and stainless-steel fittings is not very common and shouldn't be overlooked. Learn why in this blog post by Brennan Industries.

blog.brennaninc.com

"The metals should be listed on the anodic index with no more than a .15V to .25V difference between them. Since brass and 410 stainless steel are seven metals apart, they can rust. On the other hand, brass and 301, 304 and 310 stainless steels are only two metals apart, making it possible to link them safely with little chance of galvanic corrosion. This is why it is essential to know the types of brass and stainless steel when mixing. Though stainless steel 304 has a higher melting point, stainless 316 has a superior resistance to chemicals and salt compared to 304. That’s why 316 stainless steel is the most common grade in hydraulic and instrumentation fittings, especially in applications with chlorinated solutions or exposure to salt."

 

[JamesW]

You can look into the fittings to see if there are any signs of corrosion.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Online sources are mixed but some say you can mix 304 stainless with brass

Mixing Brass and Stainless-Steel Fittings

Mixing brass and stainless-steel fittings is not very common and shouldn't be overlooked. Learn why in this blog post by Brennan Industries.

blog.brennaninc.com

"The metals should be listed on the anodic index with no more than a .15V to .25V difference between them. Since brass and 410 stainless steel are seven metals apart, they can rust. On the other hand, brass and 301, 304 and 310 stainless steels are only two metals apart, making it possible to link them safely with little chance of galvanic corrosion. This is why it is essential to know the types of brass and stainless steel when mixing. Though stainless steel 304 has a higher melting point, stainless 316 has a superior resistance to chemicals and salt compared to 304. That’s why 316 stainless steel is the most common grade in hydraulic and instrumentation fittings, especially in applications with chlorinated solutions or exposure to salt."

It's bad practice to mix metals. Yes, there's lots of conflicting advice out there but the UPC is pretty clear that it should be avoided. There are steel to copper/brass transitions that can be made as long as the appropriate grades are chosen and the brazing is done using exact materials and methods. But those are specialty circumstances.

Unfortunately, Fluidra, the parent company of those fire bowls, doesn't have the greatest installation manual for them. They only make reference to the water source being 3/4" diameter or less pipe size and the flow should be 15-20GPM. They do specify several times that all flow and shutoff valves should be at the equipment pad and not inside the bowl. So if the builder did those mods, they violated the warranty on the bowls as that brass valve should not be inside the bowl.

If I were to replumb that, I would use all SCH40 PVC fittings, likely 3/4". You can certainly use the flex tubing that's there with nipple barbs and hose clamps, but that's a weak point and likely to leak with age. Fluidra should have done a better job at making the water connection but they decided to leave it up to the guy in the field to do so ... you get what you get ...

 

[JamesW]

I doubt that the fittings are the source of copper.

You can look inside them to see if they are corroding.

Maybe a service person added copper algaecide without telling you?

Maybe the heater has a problem.

Maybe the builder used tabs in the skimmer?

Maybe the builder did a low alkalinity startup?

If you can pull the cartridges, that would help a lot to determine how much copper you have in the water.

Can you show the system?

 

[JamesW]

For dissimilar metals, the weaker metal will be preferentially corroded over the more noble metal.

The weakest (least noble) will be a sacrificial anode to everything else on the same conductive path.

 

[Nfrisa]

I appreciate the information, ya'll have been great. The builder did use a few tabs during startup but probably 4-5 total. I handled the rest of the startup.

I agree Fluidra has terrible instructions and even worse customer service. It is very difficult to get help and when you do talk to someone they don't know anything about their products.

Over the next week I am going to pull the filter cartridge and I will post a picture. I am probably going to redo the plumbing and do a partial drain to lower the copper level.