Water Heaters - How to open this cold water inlet to examine dip tube?

I've got a RUUD gas hot water heater that was installed back in 1994. We are now getting only short amount of hot water before the showers get cold and my kids yell. I went to examine the dip tube and found it was connected via copper pipe. It looks like I might be able to unscrew the pipe from the tank but can't tell as I'm no expert. I've got digital photos but don't know how I can show them to you for your opinions. The pipe is attached to another with a 90 degreee soldered connection so it's obviously that pipe cannot turn. However, it looks like the copper "nut" might be able to be unscrewed so the short pipe could be pulled out/away.

Any ideas on what I'm dealing with? (Is there a way to add photos to these forum postings?)

Upload the photos somewhere, like <A HREF="http://www.photobucket.com">Photobucket</A>, and post the link. They make it pretty easy to figure out how.

But if the diptube has broken off (which would account for your hot water prob) it won't be easy to get the remains of it out. Plus, the water heater is 12 years old. Your time may be better spent replacing the water heater.

Here's a link to the photo of the connection which is frustrating me. Thanks for your help.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/samandi/IMG_2775.jpg

That is a 3/4" copper male adaptor that's screwed directly into the water heater. That is, it's a fitting that is 3/4" male threads on one side and soldered 3/4" copper on the other. The only way to take it out is to cut the copper pipe (after turning off the water), do whatever you're going to do, then couple it back with a soldered copper coupling or compression fitting. You can't take this apart w/o cutting the pipe, then soldering - or using a compression fitting - to re-attach it. Soldering is prefereable to compression, but you may find compression fittings (which must remain exposed) preferable. There are also stainless steel braided water heater connectors that are 3/4" compression x 3/4" MIP that you may find easy to use in this situation.

Alternately you can solder a male adaptor on somewhere convenient, screw a brass nipple in the water heater, and use a copper flexible water heater connector to complete the connection A flex connector takes the place of a union, which is what should've been installed at that location originally.

But considering the age of the water heater, and the fact that you may be having a problem with the diptube, I would think about replacing the unit.

Thanks, Steve. It's exactly what I needed to know.