New water heater issue....

[mrcaptainbob]

The six year old Richmond sprung a leak in the wall beneath the lower heater element. A GE replacement was installed. Nice how everything lined up! But there is now a difference in water pressure from the hot side that was not there before. All the valves have been triple checked to verify being open. What else should I look at? There is not a temperature control valve in place.

[paul52446m]

The six year old Richmond sprung a leak in the wall beneath the lower heater element. A GE replacement was installed. Nice how everything lined up! But there is now a difference in water pressure from the hot side that was not there before. All the valves have been triple checked to verify being open. What else should I look at? There is not a temperature control valve in place.

Some of these WH come with small flapper type check valves in the top of them.
At least that's what it looks like to me. Might be so it won't gravity flow?
Any way they look like they are so small that they could be restrictive.
I am sure we will have some plumber tell us all about it. Paul

[mrcaptainbob]

Water heater issue...

I guess, to be more specific, it really appears when the commode is flushed. In the past, with the 'old' heater, I could have the hot and cold 1/4 turn sink faucets on at 100%. When the toilet got flushed, the water flow was of coarse diminished, but appeared pretty equal between the hot and cold side. Now, with the new heater, same situation with both faucets on at 100%, when the toilet is flushed, the hot is greatly diminished so that, to maintain same water temp, it's necessary to close the cold water faucet by almost 75% (!). No plumbing changes were made with installation except for the necessary valves being shut off and unions being parted.

[HayZee518]

can you include a diagram of the tank's engineering - i.e. how its made? give us a model number.

[rmw]

I am guessing a tempering valve on the toilet supply? if that is the case it sounds like your tempering valve may have gone bad. You could have dislodges something when you fixed the leak and it got stuck in the valve.

[mrcaptainbob]

water issue

No tempering valve in this situation. All valves are gate, most are 1", smaller ones are 3/4". I still owe HayZee the water heater unit info.

[Nestor]

Mr. Captain Bob:

I would do the same test you did on your bathroom sink faucet on the tub & shower faucet to see if the T&S faucet behaves the same way. If only the sink is affected, the clog is at the shut off valves to the sink (if you have Brasscraft stops under the sink), but if both are affected, the clog is at the shut off valves to the bathroom.

You see, whenever you replace a water heater or do any major plumbing repairs, there can be stuff shaken loose inside the pipes, and when the water is turned back on, that stuff can then clog one or more of your hot water pipes, typically where there's a narrowing of the flow path, such as immediately upstream of a valve. I wish I had a nickle for every time I've read a post in one of these DIY Q&A forums where someone says "I just had my water heater replaced and now there's no hot water pressure to speak of at my kitchen sink any more, or there's no water at all coming from my bathroom sink any more (cuz the aerator is clogged up).

Test both the tub and sink faucets, and if they both behave the same way, then the clog is upstream of both. I'd close the isolating valve on the outlet side of the water heater and remove the cartridge from the valve you suspect is clogged. Some water will dribble out of the valve. If you can, stick a coat hanger wire through the valve to loosen any crap inside the pipe and have a helper hold a bucket in front of the valve while you open the isolating valve at the hot water heater for a few seconds only. Repeat as necessary, and you should eventuallyclear the clog.