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Water Heater Has Me Stumped
#7846029
05/20/20 10:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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OP
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Hey folks. I'll try to be as thorough as possible without droning on and on. I'll use bullet points.
I replaced water heater with the exact same make and model as I had before. A Rheem.
When I turn on any hot water faucet in the house the pressure is normal. After a few seconds it slows to a trickle. It takes about 10 seconds.
Cold water pressure is fine.
I can't figure out the hot water being fine at first and then slowing down. It was fine until I replaced the water heater (It sprung a leak).
As I was typing this I had a thought. I turned on a hot water faucet and let it run until it slowed. Turned it off and back on. Still a trickle. Maybe I do have sediment in my lines and the water heater builds pressure over time but once that pressure is gone, it's gone for a while and I need to clean my pipes? Maybe sediment in the lines caused the other heater to fail at 7 years and when I turned the house water off and relieved the pressure it allowed it to settle somehow in the pipes causing a restriction? Not on well water but my water is not soft by any means.
It's a standard electric water heater, no special hospital or nursing home unit.
I've changed a few water heaters in my day and this is a first to me. I'd like to go into it somewhat educated. Am I on the right track with the weird sediment angle? Thoughts please? Thanks in advance.
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7846040
05/20/20 10:33 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,950
don k
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You check the aireators ? I know I spelled wrong. The usually catch all the crap.
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7846043
05/20/20 10:39 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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Yeah, but the pressure is fine at first. I'll check them all, though. Thanks!
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7846121
05/20/20 11:54 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9,972
Old Rabbit
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I would suspect your supply valve (stop valve) going into your water heater is not fully opened. If it is only opened a small amount, it will let enough water through over time to build up enough pressure to give you a good flow then rapidly drop off. If it was trash breaking off it would have already plugged the aerators and would also restrict the cold water flow. The gate/seat may have become detached. Have someone open up the hot water and gently tap the side and back side of the valve body to see if it will get pushed open by the water pressure. You can also open and close the valve with a faucet open to see if it will get it to move. Listen for water flow into the heater. You will probably need to replace the stop valve.
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Old Rabbit]
#7846137
05/21/20 12:06 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416
bill oxner
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I would suspect your supply valve (stop valve) going into your water heater is not fully opened. If it is only opened a small amount, it will let enough water through over time to build up enough pressure to give you a good flow then rapidly drop off. If it was trash breaking off it would have already plugged the aerators and would also restrict the cold water flow. The gate/seat may have become detached. Have someone open up the hot water and gently tap the side and back side of the valve body to see if it will get pushed open by the water pressure. You can also open and close the valve with a faucet open to see if it will get it to move. Listen for water flow into the heater. You will probably need to replace the stop valve. Yep. Either incoming or out going. Check both.
Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: bill oxner]
#7846150
05/21/20 12:19 AM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 110,795
dogcatcher
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I would suspect your supply valve (stop valve) going into your water heater is not fully opened. If it is only opened a small amount, it will let enough water through over time to build up enough pressure to give you a good flow then rapidly drop off. If it was trash breaking off it would have already plugged the aerators and would also restrict the cold water flow. The gate/seat may have become detached. Have someone open up the hot water and gently tap the side and back side of the valve body to see if it will get pushed open by the water pressure. You can also open and close the valve with a faucet open to see if it will get it to move. Listen for water flow into the heater. You will probably need to replace the stop valve. Yep. Either incoming or out going. Check both. X3
Combat Infantryman, the ultimate hunter where the prey shoots back. _____________"Illegitimus non carborundum est"_______________
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7846165
05/21/20 12:31 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,833
Lazyjack
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If you used heat trap nipples, they are directional. One or both may be istalled wrong. Look carefully at instructions or for dierectional arrows on nipples.
Incoming (cold) should point down. Out going (hot side) points up.
If the 2nd amendment was written just to include guns for hunting, why is there not an amendment to protect fishing poles?
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Lazyjack]
#7846176
05/21/20 12:45 AM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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If you used heat trap nipples, they are directional. One or both may be istalled wrong. Look carefully at instructions or for dierectional arrows on nipples.
Incoming (cold) should point down. Out going (hot side) points up. Well the nipples attached to the tank came already attached but I'll check that. There is no discharge valve at the heater but I will check the inlet valve. Might give it a few love taps.
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7847613
05/22/20 01:43 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,870
topwater13
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Being that it is happening on EVERY faucet I would bet the trouble is at the water heater itself. I would disconnect the hot water outlet flex check that heat trap nipple....as stated. Those started becoming common as efficiency demand increased. They don't make up THAT much difference imo. You can pull out the insert inside the nipple with a pair of needle nose. I bet that does it.
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7848236
05/23/20 12:57 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,294
oldoak2000
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Make totally sure you connected H to Hot and C to Cold; they may have REVERSED on different year versions even the same model - you may still get hot water, but the inner dip tubes/ heat trap valves often not reversible.
Also, your OLD water heater may have actually been connected in reverse (wall ports reversed) but didn't have heat-trap valves and 'still gave hot water', etc. - confirm and make totally sure you know which is which.
Do you have an expansion tank? connected on COLD side? Try connecting water hose to drain valve, and see what it does when opened fully ….
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7853661
05/28/20 03:31 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,257
Texas Dan
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Keep us informed. I'm one of those who always enjoys hearing what fixed a problem I've never seen before.
"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7853960
05/28/20 09:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,369
Bildo
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Do what top water said remove the insert on the hot side. If you have it hooked up with a flex line run it into a bucket turn on the valve and check the flow that will isolate the issue
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7853992
05/28/20 09:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,848
Texan Til I Die
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Do you have a drip pan under the water heater? And if you do, is it rigged with a sensor that will automatically cut off the supply side (cold water) if it senses water in the drip pan? My sensor went wonky on me a couple of years ago and started cutting off the hot water at random times. Very similar symptoms to what you're describing.
Silver spurs and gold tequila keep me hanging on. Pretty girls and old cantinas give me shelter from the storm.
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7854042
05/28/20 10:30 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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I have it in a drip pan that drains to the outside but no sensor or anything. I'm back at work and cold showering in the morning. I'll pull those nipples this weekend and checlk for "flow control" devices, and I'll try the Topwater, Oldoak, Bildo, and Texan 'til I Die routes also. Then I'll sweat off and replace the valve, I think. I'll keep you all posted, thanks to all and keep 'em coming if you got 'em!
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7854169
05/29/20 12:39 AM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12,176
ntxtrapper
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This is going to sound pretty basic but make sure you opened the supply line all the way that goes to the water heater.
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7854462
05/29/20 10:48 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 12,420
RedRanger
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Attach a hose to the top of the water heater where it discharges, if it flows after turning water back on then you probably have lots of sediment in your fixtures. Always run hot side of tub first to clear debris and sediment after changing water heater.
If you do have good flow, then start looking at your angle stop/shut off valves to each fixture, run them and see if pressure is strong
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: RedRanger]
#7862454
06/06/20 05:57 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,561
Slow Drifter
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Attach a hose to the top of the water heater where it discharges, if it flows after turning water back on then you probably have lots of sediment in your fixtures. Always run hot side of tub first to clear debris and sediment after changing water heater.
If you do have good flow, then start looking at your angle stop/shut off valves to each fixture, run them and see if pressure is strong OK, I kinda' did this. I was really doubting the sediment thing, but the idea of the hose got my little hamster moving. I ran the hose from the supply line valve before the water heater. Guess what? No water! The supply valve wouldn't open completely. Bad internals I guess. I had to sweat it off so instead of sweating on a new valve I sweated on a male adapter and added a threaded female to male valve for the supply line so if it happens again it'll be a much easier replacement. Thanks again everyone for the assistance!
"I have no idea what WW-III will be fought with, but WW-IV will be fought with sticks and stones." A. Einstein
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7862581
06/06/20 08:43 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,833
Lazyjack
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If the 2nd amendment was written just to include guns for hunting, why is there not an amendment to protect fishing poles?
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7887199
07/01/20 05:25 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,257
Texas Dan
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Another testament of the need to assume nothing and check the simple things first.
Glad you got it fixed.
Last edited by Texas Dan; 07/01/20 05:36 PM.
"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7887207
07/01/20 05:32 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 91,416
bill oxner
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I wish other THFers would give us the rest of the story like you just did.
Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill
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Re: Water Heater Has Me Stumped
[Re: Slow Drifter]
#7888480
07/02/20 07:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,373
Bullfrog
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Sounds like trash plugging up the inlet valve?
Man if I knew what Oxner knows I could throw away what I know
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