Entropy

Relax in southern comfort on the east bank of the Mississippi. You're just around the corner from Beale Street and Sun Records. Watch the ducks, throw back a few and tell us what's on your mind.
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

My replacement t&p relief valve arrived, but I am still waiting for my strap/band clamp to secure the hot water tank for another attempt to remove the sacrificial anode.

I may go ahead and replace this dripping t&p valve this weekend, because I can.

JR
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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JR. wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:30 am My replacement t&p relief valve arrived, but I am still waiting for my strap/band clamp to secure the hot water tank for another attempt to remove the sacrificial anode.

I may go ahead and replace this dripping t&p valve this weekend, because I can.

JR
oops... the new valve doesn't fit (too short)... correct part on order, now I know what the 'L' in the part number stands for.
t&p.jpg
While the replacement checked all the boxes for temp and pressure, and thread, the missing "L" apparently stands for long

I happened to have a 3/4 NPT to 3/4 GH thread adapter left over from another project, so now I have a hose connected to the still dripping valve output. As expected after I exercised the old valve the drip got worse... this morning I find a couple gallons of water in the catch bucket the hose is dripping into.. before I collected maybe a quart from a weeks worth of drips.

If this gets worse I could shut off the water supply to the heater and go without for a few days. The correct replacement is due next week.

JR

[update: my drip bucket fills up overnight so leaking several gallons daily.

After the load of dishes I am washing right now I will turn off my hot water heater and cut the feed water off.

Replacement part is due Tuesday so still a few days away...if on time. /update]
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

Old houses suck... hot water replacement relief valve is still a couple days away, and hot water heater is shut off since yesterday.

BUT by strange coincidence the cut off valves under my bathroom sink started dripping, I've had my local friendly plumber replace the cut off valve for my toilet within the last two years because it wouldn't stop dripping, and water drips can feed mold and other badness... I am tempted to have the plumber replace the two under my kitchen sink at the same time. They are roughly the same age so past due.

I also have a slow drip on my back yard hose faucet (he already replaced the front yard hose faucet). This is probably evidence of using cheap faucets when my house was built, or just that my house is getting old.

JR
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terkio
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Re: Entropy

Post by terkio »

Replacing faucets and stop valves is not rocket science.
I do it myself, I cannot afford a plumber for this 😱.
That is just a matter of using the right gasket and perfectly clean mating surfaces. Gentle torque is all that is needed when things are done right.
Cleaning and letting soak in vinaiger works like wonder. Stuff comes back like new. Faucet rubber stops can get a second life, just by flipping.
It takes more time to me but I am confident, the job is done good if not better.🙂
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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terkio wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:16 pm Replacing faucets and stop valves is not rocket science.
indeed... but my local plumber lives just up the street, and he is not usurious.
I do it myself, I cannot afford a plumber for this 😱.
I'm pretty cheap and have already looked on amazon for some replacement valves. I don't trust the original construction.
That is just a matter of using the right gasket and perfectly clean mating surfaces. Gentle torque is all that is needed when things are done right.
Cleaning and letting soak in vinaiger works like wonder. Stuff comes back like new. Faucet rubber stops can get a second life, just by flipping.
It takes more time to me but I am confident, the job is done good if not better.🙂
I am not going to bug my local plumber on a weekend, I usually grab him when the stops at the the post office to pick up his mail. I am tempted to have him change out all the old valves just to justify the visit...This is not rocket science, but it is not heavy lifting for him. I hired him the remove the stuck anode from my heater and he gave up...

JR

[and- The leak from the faulty T&P valve was supposed to stop when I turned off the cold water feed into the heater, and I thought it did but just to be safe I stuck the drain hose into a bucket. This morning the bucket was full. Both sinks in my house use the single knob control that mixes hot and cold water together. Apparently pressure from the cold water side is leaking back into the hot water side and pressurizing the heater so it keeps leaking. arghhhh /and]
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

JR - You need to look into Shark Bite "stop" valves. No plumber required.

I have a number of the Shark Bite stops installed on the copper lines.

https://www.sharkbite.com/products/push ... top-valves
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

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mediatechnology wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:11 am JR - You need to look into Shark Bite "stop" valves. No plumber required.

I have a number of the Shark Bite stops installed on the copper lines.

https://www.sharkbite.com/products/push ... top-valves
I don't know if they were shark bite but I've used plenty of push-on fittings for the low pressure plastic plumbing around my RO water filter. They seem to work well enough.

I don't have a copper tubing cutter that may be needed to get a clean end.... back in the 50s-60s me and my bothers made plenty of copper fuel lines for car engine repairs, etc. We had the flaring tools and all.

I already called my neighbor the plumber who only lives several houses up the road. He will swing by later today or tomorrow. I feel a little guilty because he has done small jobs for me before for free... I'd like to give him enough work so that he will bill me. I get the sense that he tries to take care of his old neighbors unlike some other plumbers I have used. The one who replaced my water main was your typical less generous stereotypical tradesman.

==

The correct long shank T&P valve just showed up so now I can get my hot water heater back in service. 8-)

Later

[update- that was easy... getting the correct part makes a huge difference. /update]

JR
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JR.
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Re: Entropy

Post by JR. »

I really hate it when physical things do not behave as expected (its the laws of physics).

I previously mentioned it was an odd "coincidence" that the sink cut off valve started dripping after I shut off the hot water heater... Now after repairing the heater and bringing it back online, the drip has stopped. WTF?

This is inexplicable. I am inclined to replace the under sink shut-off valves anyhow, but what is going on?

No hurry for the plumber to repair a drip that stopped dripping. :-)

[update, still some moisture... just not dripping like before./update]

JR
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mediatechnology
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Re: Entropy

Post by mediatechnology »

I recall that we cut off the old stops with a hack saw and then used emery cloth to de-burr the copper line before installing the Shark Bite.
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terkio
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Re: Entropy

Post by terkio »

JR. wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:49 pm I really hate it when physical things do not behave as expected (its the laws of physics).

I previously mentioned it was an odd "coincidence" that the sink cut off valve started dripping after I shut off the hot water heater... Now after repairing the heater and bringing it back online, the drip has stopped. WTF?

This is inexplicable. I am inclined to replace the under sink shut-off valves anyhow, but what is going on?

No hurry for the plumber to repair a drip that stopped dripping. :-)

[update, still some moisture... just not dripping like before./update]

JR
I think, this leak variation is from temperature.
One can feel the temperature difference at the hot and cold water pipes under a sink.
It is likely, the shut off valve, needs a new gasket at the pipes.
These red gaskets like cardboard can become leaky. Try a tab of retighning, some 1/8 turn. But be ready first, with new gaskets, old ones are not reusable, when tempered they desintegrate.
There are better gaskets. I replace with Aramide, blue/green color, stiffer.
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