Hot water heater has odd connections

[urhstry]

I need to hook up a pump to circulate hot water in my hot tank but I don't seem to have connections like everyone else has. Take a look

I can't get behind the connections to cut them off and add some pipe for a T. I'm lost here.

 

[Paso One]

The lower one uses a regular garden hose connector. There is expensive good quality versions avaiable.

The blow off pressure valve should be regular pipe thread

 

[coppersnowblue]

That valve should thread out. I would look behind that plastic plate the valve goes thru. I would bet that its 1/2 or 3/4 female threads.

 

[urhstry]

I looked behind the plastic cover and it is not soldered. It looks like it goes farther in and mates up with a pipe that I can't see. As for the top valve, i know it has threaded coneections but I need to circulate the water AND have that valve work, as well as having a drain. I need to add 2 T's.

 

[modn]

Personally I've never seen a drain that didn't thread out (normally for replacement). I would dig into it, there should be one. I wouldn't do any other connection other than solder or threaded and the spigot will not give you the max flow. You could also get the manufacturer and model # and give them a call for a schematic.

 

[Marklambert61]

Conection

Just screw this valve out screw in a nipple and a Tee then screw the back in to the tee.

Had the same valve on my heater...

Mark

 

[PA Plumber]

The brass drain in your pic is threaded into the water heater with 3/4" male threads.

I would recommend a dielectric nipple when threading together different metals.

When your redoing your piping, please make sure a T & P valve is installed properly, directly into the water heater. There should be no nipples, tees, or piping of any kind between the T & P valve and the tank.

 

[PA Plumber]

After reviewing the pic again; does this water heater have a small leak?
Did it at one time?

 

[modn]

The brass drain in your pic is threaded into the water heater with 3/4" male threads.

I would recommend a dielectric nipple when threading together different metals.

When your redoing your piping, please make sure a T & P valve is installed properly, directly into the water heater. There should be no nipples, tees, or piping of any kind between the T & P valve and the tank.

How can he hook into it without putting a tee between the heater and the T&P? No argument, just wondering as I will be putting a sidearm on my water heater also. I guess I should ask: How do you do it properly?

 

[PA Plumber]

How can he hook into it without putting a tee between the heater and the T&P? No argument, just wondering as I will be putting a sidearm on my water heater also. I guess I should ask: How do you do it properly?

If the water heater has a side T&P location, there may be two 3/4" plugs in the top of the unit. One may be the anode and the other could (local ordinances/rules/laws/manufacturer permitting) be used as an alternate location for the T&P valve. If this is the case, leave the T&P on the side and just use one of the two top plugs for the loop.

If the only way to tie in the water heater into the circulation system is to remove the T&P and not have it directly tied into the water heater, a water heater should be purchased that has provision for the T&P to be threaded directly in to the tank.

One of the big water heater manufacturers really frowns on any alterations to the T&P valve. It will void the warranty. Many/most water heater manufacturers have been installing T&P valves at the factory, and shipping them that way for a few years.

 

[modn]

If the water heater has a side T&P location, there may be two 3/4" plugs in the top of the unit. One may be the anode and the other could (local ordinances/rules/laws/manufacturer permitting) be used as an alternate location for the T&P valve. If this is the case, leave the T&P on the side and just use one of the two top plugs for the loop.

If the only way to tie in the water heater into the circulation system is to remove the T&P and not have it directly tied into the water heater, a water heater should be purchased that has provision for the T&P to be threaded directly in to the tank.

One of the big water heater manufacturers really frowns on any alterations to the T&P valve. It will void the warranty. Many/most water heater manufacturers have been installing T&P valves at the factory, and shipping them that way for a few years.

Hmmm, I have one electric and one propane reliance water heaters. Neither one of them has an extra plug. They make T&P with an extra long probe, I wonder if that would work with a tee? Just reaching here, I will figure it out in the spring when I get at it. Thanks.

 

[urhstry]

After reviewing the pic again; does this water heater have a small leak?
Did it at one time?

NO leaks at all. It is in a damp basement though.

 

[urhstry]

OK now what about this little guy. How do I keep this in the system and add a line to the same area for circulation?

 

[troy3300]

That is the temperature and pressure relief valve and you can unscrew that. Then put in a nipple and a T. You can then put the T&P valve back in horizontally and then you will have 1 open port from the T left.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Can you put a Tee in the HW outlet on the tank ? This seems better than disturbing the T&P Safety valve. T & P being Temperature and Pressure. I have very poor luck with these and wouldn't suggest removing or re-installing it elsewhere in the system.

 

[Paso One]

I took pictures of my radiant floor heat water heaters. I utilized the top blow off valve for two differant uses. Has been working this way for 5 years.

I test the blow off every season by hooking to the outside water outlet and over pressurise the system till it dumps.

Heaters don't leak or anything they are working in a very wet shop where i wash vehicles thats why they look scruffy.

 

[Paso One]

The heaters hooked together.

 

[troy3300]

Not sure? All of the diagrams I have seen for a side arm shows it either where the T&P is or where the anode rod is. I would be worried about it sucking cold water threw the side arm when in use.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Not sure? All of the diagrams I have seen for a side arm shows it either where the T&P is or where the anode rod is. I would be worried about it sucking cold water threw the side arm when in use.

I'm guessing you mean sucking cold water from the bottom of the tank ? Not going to be easy to pull it away from the circulating pump.

When he said he wanted to circulate the HW in his tank I supposed it was going to be used to heat a living space in his house/shop.

Even if the water was going to be heated with a sidearm the cold water from the bottom of the tank will have to pass through the exchanger first before going to the faucets/shower and will be drawing heat from the exchanger.

I dont see a problem with it either way as long as there is no air trapped in the Tee. Opening a HW faucet a few seconds should disperse any trapped air in the Tee at the HW outlet.

 

[Paso One]

If your installing a side arm heater you can connect it to the lower drain and the anode fitting.

The boiler water circulating thru the side arm heats the water in the heater by thermo siphoning.

They are not connected in any way to the circulating pump ( the domestic water your drink that is )

Think two chambers beside each other one drinking water the other boiler water.

Water finds its own level when connected to the heater they will level out.

Ther OWB water passing by is enough to heat the water in the water heater.