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Lumatic · 07-03-2009, 08:07 PM

On the road in CO:
Went to Mesa Verde, now at Royal Gorge

1. This widget is leaking, is it a check valve or wut? Can I eliminate it? It is in a water line near the water heater.

2. My hot water heater burner flame is sputtering. Adjusting the air mix does not solve the problem. Also my pilot will stay lit for a few hours but goes out. Other gas appliances are fine. The regulator is from the 70

overlander63 · 07-03-2009, 09:11 PM

Marshall, the widget doesn't look to be going anywhere, I'd lose it, especially if it started leaking.
For the sputtering water heater, I'd check the tube that goes up through teh water heater, it could have a spider or bug inside it interfering with the drafting.

Ganglin · 07-04-2009, 05:45 AM

Not sure I'd loose the valve. From the 72 diagram it appears to be the line relief valve. Could try taking it off and cleaning it - maybe soak it in some CLR - you do of course always carry some CLR with you while on the road... ;-)

The diagram shows an additional line off the valve dropping down through the pan - your looks like it has a tray for it to drain into..?

Isadora · 07-04-2009, 06:34 AM

It looks a lot like the pressure regulator valve in our 74 Argosy that the screw-in plug vibrated loose on, driving on Arizona's lovely BIA roads. We had to replace the plug, got a new one at the local Home Depot since we suspect the missing one is now somewhere in the bellypan, having rolled down a plumbing hole in the floor.

Lumatic · 07-04-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ganglin

Not sure I'd loose the valve. From the 72 diagram it appears to be the line relief valve. Could try taking it off and cleaning it - maybe soak it in some CLR - you do of course always carry some CLR with you while on the road... ;-)

The diagram shows an additional line off the valve dropping down through the pan - your looks like it has a tray for it to drain into..?

What you are seeing that looks like a pan is the top of the furnace duct.

So what does a line relief valve do?

Inland RV Center, In · 07-04-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lumatic

On the road in CO:
Went to Mesa Verde, now at Royal Gorge

1. This widget is leaking, is it a check valve or wut? Can I eliminate it? It is in a water line near the water heater.

2. My hot water heater burner flame is sputtering. Adjusting the air mix does not solve the problem. Also my pilot will stay lit for a few hours but goes out. Other gas appliances are fine. The regulator is from the 70

That device is the "high water pressure pop off valve".

It is not wise to remove it.

Someone has capped it off, more that likely because it was leaking. An old pop off valve can develop a leak. A small length of copper tubing is attached to that valve and the other end goes out thru the underbelly.

Replacing it, "properly" would be a smart move, since it does protect the water system from excess pressure than could happen, saving a fractured copper tubing or fitting disaster.

In the Airstream circles, that valve is called the "111" valve.

Andy

Isadora · 07-04-2009, 08:35 AM

As I understand it, the pressure regulator valve reduces high city water pressure and keeps it from blowing water lines apart in the trailer. At least, that is what ours does.

Lumatic · 07-04-2009, 08:52 AM

That would make sense considering this was one time I did not put a pressure regulator on the hose and the volume of water appeared more than a drip.

Isadora · 07-04-2009, 09:29 AM

Ours has a cap on the top that spells out the pressure am't reduced.....unfortunately for my colorblind husband, it is in red and he can't read it so I have to get down and crawl back in there behind the bathroom closet under the bottom shelf in the 6" of clearance there is back there with the flashlight.

That gave me bruises squeezing back in there.

Now we also have an extra pressure regulator that we put on the hose. Not having that problem again.