|
|
Post by Ragtop on Apr 5, 2020 10:48:31 GMT -5
Anybody got one of these attached to your water heater?
I just got a new water heater installed on Friday. The old one was 12 years old; it had a circulation pump on it that was about to croak, making bad noises. So I got the new water heater and a new circulation pump.
Bad news, though. I took a shower Saturday morning. Had nice hot water for a minute, then nothing but cold. Then it got lukewarm for the remainder of my shower. This was in the shower in the master bath, which is clear on the other end of the house from the water heater (which is why we have the circulation pump- it's a looong ways). I tried the other shower, which is very close to the water heater, same deal.
I called the plumber. He'll be out tomorrow morning, says he needs to install a check valve. Okay, what do I know?
If you've got a circulation pump, does it have a check valve? Just curious.
|
|
|
|
Post by LTB on Apr 5, 2020 11:35:19 GMT -5
Anybody got one of these attached to your water heater?
I just got a new water heater installed on Friday. The old one was 12 years old; it had a circulation pump on it that was about to croak, making bad noises. So I got the new water heater and a new circulation pump.
Bad news, though. I took a shower Saturday morning. Had nice hot water for a minute, then nothing but cold. Then it got lukewarm for the remainder of my shower. This was in the shower in the master bath, which is clear on the other end of the house from the water heater (which is why we have the circulation pump- it's a looong ways). I tried the other shower, which is very close to the water heater, same deal.
I called the plumber. He'll be out tomorrow morning, says he needs to install a check valve. Okay, what do I know?
If you've got a circulation pump, does it have a check valve? Just curious.
I do not have one but a check valve makes sense as you have a circulating pump...don't want water going back into the hot water heater if something occurred with the pump |
|
|
|
Post by Kurt H-D on Apr 5, 2020 14:02:02 GMT -5
I don’t have a circulation pump, but I am a Plumber. Yes, you want a check valve installed in with the circ pump.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ragtop on Apr 5, 2020 15:29:17 GMT -5
Thanks guys.
Kurt, does the check valve go before the pump or after it? Or does it matter?
|
|
|
|
Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 6, 2020 2:40:48 GMT -5
The check valve goes on the cold supply to the water heater, before the hot recirc return tee. Looky:  |
|
|
|
Post by Ragtop on Apr 6, 2020 5:55:32 GMT -5
Hey, thanks for that, Peegoo! I'm a complete idiot when it comes to plumbing, but any fool can figure out that diagram.
He'll be here at 8am to install the check valve.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 6, 2020 9:21:34 GMT -5
Make sure he installs a check valve and not a Czech valve  It's standard practice to install a check valve with a recirc pump, and I'll bet the plumber did install one and simply placed it in the wrong location. |
|
|
|
Post by Ragtop on Apr 6, 2020 9:53:21 GMT -5
Well, he's been here and gone. A bit red in the face, however. Turns out he installed the pump upside down. Didn't see the arrows.
So he flipped it around and installed two check (not Czech!) valves. Seems to be working properly now.
He needs to slow down. He was in a huge hurry on Friday when he was here, trying to squeeze me in between two big jobs. That was the problem. Nice guy, though, I didn't make a big deal out of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kurt H-D on Apr 6, 2020 14:53:22 GMT -5
Huh, you learn something new every day. I’ve always piped the hot water return into the drain at the bottom of the water heater. |
|
|
|
Post by LTB on Apr 8, 2020 4:13:14 GMT -5
Huh, you learn something new every day. I’ve always piped the hot water return into the drain at the bottom of the water heater. What does piping the hot water return into the drain side of the hot water heater do for you? Is there any benefits ? |
|
|
|
Post by Kurt H-D on Apr 8, 2020 13:36:32 GMT -5
What does piping the hot water return into the drain side of the hot water heater do for you? Is there any benefits ?[/quote]
I don’t see a whole lot of advantage one way or the other. You want the hot water return at the bottom of the tank, just like cold water coming in. Coming in through the drain opening gets it there, but the dip tube on the cold side gets it there just fine, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Apr 8, 2020 14:40:57 GMT -5
I agree, Kurt HD. Six of one, half a dozen of the other |
|
