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Old 12-01-2009, 10:24 AM   #1
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2003 25' Classic
Fort Worth , Texas
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Hot water mystery

On my 2001 25' Excella Classic the hot water, for no obvious reason, dropped off to a trickle at all of the outlets(i.e. kitchen sink,lavatory sink and shower). Cold water flow is normal at all of these points so clogged screens at the fixtures aren't the problem. No valves, including the bypass valves, have been turned and the hot water tank is full and functioning. 3 days ago all was normal and all systems functioning normally. Local temperature is above freezing. I am considering taking off the shower head and hooking up a garden hose to the plastic shower hose, opening the hot water side of the shower valve and turning on the water and trying to force any blockage in the hot water line back into the hot water heater tank which is opened and drained at this time. According to the fresh water schematic this should be a straight shot back to the hot water tank. Any thoughts or remedies.

many thanks,
DJ
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Old 12-01-2009, 10:42 AM   #2
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Sure sounds like 'crud' from inside the water heater tank has found it's way into the hot side of your piping...

It's too bad someone doesn't make some kind of hot water 'filter screen' on the output of the water heater to catch this 'curd'...I guess a rigid schedule of flushing the water heater tank is the only solution...

We had to change the Moen kitchen faucet due to this problem...apparently it was being used when the 'crud' came down the line and got lodged into the Hot water inlet pipe...

Our AS has copper piping, so I cut the tubing coming into the faucet and tried to back flush by removing the faucet cartridge and attaching a pressure hose...some of the small balls of 'crud' came out, but not all of it, and the flow was still bad - so I changed the entire faucet assembly with a new unit!

We were fortunate that the other faucets weren't effected...and since then, I've replaced the water heater assembly as well - the original heater was just way past it's prime, and updating with an auto lighting unit was in order - but I've flushed it since installation last year, and no 'crud' was found, so far...

Ray
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Old 12-01-2009, 12:58 PM   #3
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Try setting the valves on your water heater to bypass mode (close two and open one). Then if you have good water flow at all of your hot water faucets (it'll be cold water directly from the pump), you'll have narrowed the problem to the outlet of the water heater.

Chris
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Old 12-01-2009, 01:17 PM   #4
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On my 89 Excella there is a backflow restricter valve in the line that comes out of the top of the water heater. I have had crude from the water heater tank build up in this valve.
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Old 12-01-2009, 03:07 PM   #5
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As mentioned above my first thought is the calcium that build in the hot water tank has gotten into the lines. That is not that likely because the output line from the heater is quite high. Unless you had a faucet open while filling the hot water heater there should be no way the material that settles in the tank should get to the outlet pipe of the heater.

Another possibility is a kinked or collapsed line coming off the heater.
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Old 12-01-2009, 04:44 PM   #6
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2003 25' Classic
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hot water mystery

As an update, when I set the bypass valves in the normal position I now have normal flow on both the hot and cold water sides. If I bypass the hot water heater I still get an extremely slow flow(trickle) out of the hot lines and normal flow out of the cold lines. I am starting to suspect the bypass is not opening completely even though it appears to be and thus allows only a trickle of cold to pass thru to the hot water side.

DJ
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Old 01-10-2011, 08:08 PM   #7
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I am having this problem with my 2000 Safari 25'.

1. Low flow/low pressure on the hot water at shower, lavatory, and kitchen sink while on city water.
2. Normal flow/normal pressure on the cold water at shower, lavatory, and kitchen sink while on city water.
3. Water heater has been drained and flushed
4. This occurs on all hot water lines whether WH is by passed or not.

Has anyone found the cause and solution?
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Old 01-11-2011, 04:29 AM   #8
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There is a process called electrolysis that occurs with water heaters . It's caused by the combination of heat and dissimilar metals . For this reason the nipple going into the water heater is plastic lined . I have seen two things that would block the outlet of the water heater . One is the use of a nipple that was not plastic lined and the corrosion builds up and blocks the outlet pipe . Two the plastic liner comes loose from the pipe and collapses and blocks the outlet pipe . This may not be your problem but if you narrow it down to the water heater you may want to remove the outlet nipple and check before condemning the water heater.
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Old 01-11-2011, 06:55 PM   #9
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I appreciate your thoughts

Quote:
There is a process called electrolysis that occurs with water heaters . It's caused by the combination of heat and dissimilar metals . For this reason the nipple going into the water heater is plastic lined . I have seen two things that would block the outlet of the water heater . One is the use of a nipple that was not plastic lined and the corrosion builds up and blocks the outlet pipe . Two the plastic liner comes loose from the pipe and collapses and blocks the outlet pipe . This may not be your problem but if you narrow it down to the water heater you may want to remove the outlet nipple and check before condemning the water heater.
I appreciate your thoughts. I'm betting on lime/mineral deposits from the water heater that got in the faucet's valve stems. I'll dig into it before this spring. I'll try to remember to post when I figure it out.

Thanks

Thanks!
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Old 01-11-2011, 07:21 PM   #10
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I had a similar thing happen to me. It turned out that one of the inside guts of the valves had started to come apart and was blocking the water flow.

The valves are easy to disassemble and verify they are or are not jamming the water line.
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Old 01-13-2011, 02:52 PM   #11
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I found the reason for my low flow problem this afternoon, though I'm not sure what is causing it. Of the three valves envolved in the bypass at the water heater, the one in the hot water line is malfunctioning. When the valve is opened all of the way the line is partially blocked. When I close it to about 3/4 open, water flows freely. When I close it is functions properly. The other two valves flow freely when they are completely open. Has anyhone else had a problem like this?
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Old 01-13-2011, 02:57 PM   #12
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I hate to give the same old answer, but guess where the valves were made.
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Old 01-13-2011, 02:57 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dwight View Post
I had a similar thing happen to me. It turned out that one of the inside guts of the valves had started to come apart and was blocking the water flow.

The valves are easy to disassemble and verify they are or are not jamming the water line.
We had this problem on the valve that goes to the toilet. It is an easy fix, just unscrew the nut that holds the T-Handle of the valve from the valve and go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy the same valve and then only replace the T-Handle in your existing valve....
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Old 01-13-2011, 03:30 PM   #14
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Thanks Dwight!
One problem solved. On to the next!
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