where is the third line? the line that went to the drain?
this not a good idea. i greatly increases the chance of the valve leaking
Hot water heater question
- Thread starter wallyuwl
- Start date
The former recirc line was taken out because the house is getting a repipe from cpvc to pex/copper. It ran from the other side of the house to the water heater along the ceiling, then down the water heater vertically to connect to the old drain valve (the blue one in the pic is new and does not contain the fitting for the recirc line). The current drain valve has a hose hooked up for the last few days, but the valve is closed.
The recirc line will be added back in and fitting added to drain valve.
It was about 10 seconds, which was fine. It was maybe around 20 at first, but putting foam insulation on the hot line run a few years ago helped a lot.
Getting this is an option, too. 30% tax credit. Only $400 more than a gas one with the credit and saves a lot of energy. Just not sure how much colder it makes the room, the other side of basement is finished (will be soon).
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...mp/10e50-hp530/p-11060051208848487-c-8688.htm
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ok.
that is the improper way to do it ...... hot return should go to cold feed to heater, spring check valve placed "in front" of the connection between hot and cold, one day you will have mixing issue.......unless you remove the heat trap nipple already
The only way it's going to pay for it's self in 2 or 3 years is if it's heating water and generating electricity.
Considering you could install a new $40 anode and keep running the gas one for for another 10 years it will never pay for it's self.
Best I can figure gas heats water for about 1/4 the cost of electric resistance heating. So the savings different between a heat pump and a gas hot water heater is negligible.
When it's too close to call I say tie goes to simplicity.
So I can keep the heat trap if I run the recirc tp the cold intake and put a check valve in the recirc line just prior to it connecting to the cold?
But if I hook the recirc to the drain valve, I need to remove heat trap?
Are the above two statements correct?
Below figure is from a recirc pump manual, looks like either way is acceptable. I would rather not remove nipple, and hooking recirc to cold line isn't a problem.
Mine doesn't look like any of those and works flawlessly.
And I don't run convection traps on mine at all. Just use more insulation.
And why would that be? Mines been fine for the last 9 years, saved me a bunch on electricity costs. Mine is installed in a Florida garage that gets over 90 degrees almost daily. That's a whole lot different from trying to heat water from conditioned interior air.
no do not remove anything from the heater.
So figured some things out. Most of it is by talking to a plumber who was nice enough to talk to me for a while, and I kind of formed the conversation to get some info out of him. He has done work on the house before.
The bathroom remodel had the rough in for a shower valve but no cartridge. Hot and cold were mixing there, making the whole house have only warm water. Water heater is fine. Now have hot water after putting a cartridge in.
Going to put the recirc line back in how it was and run the water heater until it is bad. Ordered a new anode rod and will replace over the weekend.
With a passive (gravity) recirc line the plumber said the heat traps need to come out of the hot outlet nipple.
The bathroom remodel had the rough in for a shower valve but no cartridge. Hot and cold were mixing there, making the whole house have only warm water. Water heater is fine. Now have hot water after putting a cartridge in.
Going to put the recirc line back in how it was and run the water heater until it is bad. Ordered a new anode rod and will replace over the weekend.
With a passive (gravity) recirc line the plumber said the heat traps need to come out of the hot outlet nipple.
You have a good and honest plumber.
However, I disagree about the heat trap nipple being removed. It makes it to where new cold water being fed into the system enters at the bottom. If you remove it, cold water WILL make its way to the hot outlet faster, thus creating the "mixed" condition. Really, to make an improvement, you should add a pump to the recirc line. You will lose less hot water in total, and it will make your heater last longer. IMO, for what that might be worth.
That wastes energy unless you're really well insulated. Mine is pumped and manual controlled. A few minutes before getting in the shower I turn on a timer switch. Instant hot water.
Saves about 4 gallons of water every shower. Which is kinda big when you live in a desert hqllscape like new Mexico.
Passive recirc line installed and everything works just like it should.
Put in a new anode rod in the water heater as well. Old one was pretty corroded, but it was odd in that it was just a long (maybe 3') really thin rod (maybe only 5mm diameter). The hole at the top was pretty corroded, but I was able to get all the gunk out and put in the new rod which was much thicker.
Put in a new anode rod in the water heater as well. Old one was pretty corroded, but it was odd in that it was just a long (maybe 3') really thin rod (maybe only 5mm diameter). The hole at the top was pretty corroded, but I was able to get all the gunk out and put in the new rod which was much thicker.
it was so thin, because it had been eaten. the rod you installed was how thick it was new.
i have a friend with a 30 year old heater, he changes the rod out every 5 years.
changing the rod is key to long life
Why re-pipe from CPVC? Or maybe it's polybutene and not really CPVC?
Nothing wrong with CPVC.
PEX A or PEX B?
A professional should use PEX A as it does not have the flow restriction that PEX B has inherently because of the crimp fitting.
I was under the impression that PEX A was more for professionals and required a more expensive crimping tool. Most DIY would use PEX B
Both are used by professionals, is wha I was getting at. Pex A is "expansion" type, and B is crimp style. PEX A can be crimped or expanded, B is crimp only. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, and one is really no better than the other. I really depends on the system and its requiresments.
Alot of PEX A has to do with liability of installation. PEX A cannot be connected, unless you expand first. PEX B on the other hand can be fully assembled, and even tested, without being crimped. Over the years, many people have flooded houses and buildings with uncrimped joints. Simply put, with PEX A, you cannot......not connect it.......if that makes sense.
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