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11-06-2006, 06:45 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Livingston
Posts: 474
M.O.C. #2056
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Not much water coming from water heater
Our water from the hot side has shut down to a trickle. Both the kitchen and bathroom shut down at the same time. Sure there must be some sort of crude blocking the line coming out of the hot water tank. Drained it and flushed the best I could and it is still the same. Has anyone had the same problem?
Wondering if I blow air through the hot water line from the bathroom sink since it is the easiest to do with the hot water tank drain open would be the best approach to take before undoing pipes? Any advice? Thanks.
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11-06-2006, 07:05 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
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I had this happen a few years back with another 5er I just drained the HW tank I am sure it was just crud
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11-06-2006, 07:13 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cooper
Posts: 1,230
M.O.C. #3029
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If you have not checked the anode rod on your hot water tank lately it would be a good idea to do so. The deterioration of the rod causes a calcium like substance to accumulate in the bottom of the hot water heater. If this is the problem, with the drain open, try to flush as much of this out as you can. My opinion is that there is some of this material caught up in the hot water heater outlet.
Take care when pulling the anode rod as the risk is there to be burned by the hot water. If you can turn off the heater and flush the hot water out before pulling the rod it will help.
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11-06-2006, 09:11 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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I heard there is a check - valve on the outlet to prevent backflow of antifreeze into the tank when winterizing. It is supposed to be right where the line comes out of the tank. Could be plugged or stuck!
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11-06-2006, 10:38 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,295
M.O.C. #311
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One of the class A's beside me had the plastic fitting melt because the tank was too hot and the melting crimped the fitting restricting the hot water flow. If nothing else cures the problem check the fittings out from the tank. It was a first heard for me but could happen.
Good luck.
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11-06-2006, 12:32 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: cedar rapids
Posts: 703
M.O.C. #4962
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Replace the check valve coming out of the hot side of the water heater.
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11-06-2006, 03:07 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location:
Posts: 1,804
M.O.C. #57
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Brad I don't think it is a check valve. It is a shut off valve, to keep anti- freeze out of water-heater. You have to manuly turn it off & on.
Gene
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11-06-2006, 03:20 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wappingers Falls
Posts: 1,303
M.O.C. #6263
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Hi Gene, I agree with Brad on the check valve possibility as mine only has one valve on the cold side of Water heater, none on the hot side.
Hi Mobilrvn, Regarding hot flow and determining where the problem is...try turning on the bypass to see if flow is good. If good then you can just work through purging the gunk out of the hot water tank.
Chuck
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11-07-2006, 12:40 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Livingston
Posts: 474
M.O.C. #2056
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Love procrastination--did another flush to no avail, but later it seem to flow a little better. Today it is about the same--just hoping that it is slowing eroding the rock or whatever it is. Changed the anode about two months ago, so that isn't the problem. Will start using an outside inlet fliter even though we're mostly hooked up to city water. Maybe can back flush with the by-pass feature?
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11-07-2006, 02:05 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Gene,
I have the manual valve, but I learned from Steve and Chuck who traced it down that there is also a check valve on the outlet end of the hot water tank (I didn't know that). I believe it is necesary to make the bypass work. Theoretically the bypass is a hose that bridges from the pressure side of the tank to the outlet side bypassing the tank. The manual valve is on the pressure side, but would backfeed right back into the tank through the outlet end if it didn't have a check valve.
Brad
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11-07-2006, 02:24 PM
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#11
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 92
M.O.C. #3018
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This is probably too basic, but if you haven't done so you might check the faucet strainer / aerators for small pieces of debris.
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11-07-2006, 02:56 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Arroyo Grande
Posts: 504
M.O.C. #6460
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By any chance have you checked the aireator screens in the faucets, if the annode disintregated, it could have plugged them, Bill
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11-08-2006, 12:23 PM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wappingers Falls
Posts: 1,303
M.O.C. #6263
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Hi xthread, That would not explain why only Hot water is limited. Faucet aerator would limit both hot and cold unless I missed something he indicated only the hot water flow was low. My thought was running the bypass for hot water tank would confirm all plumbing paths for hot are clear if flow is good without hot water tank. He could then just focus on the tank as source of problem...which would likely be the outlet check valve (although he did not indicate if there were one or two valves to isolate).
Chuck
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11-08-2006, 01:17 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: cedar rapids
Posts: 703
M.O.C. #4962
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When you get fixed let us know and as I said before it's the check valve on the hot water outlet.
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11-09-2006, 08:56 AM
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#15
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Livingston
Posts: 474
M.O.C. #2056
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The winner: hazmic! Yes, it was the outlet check valve--more cheap crap installed by Montana! Got a metal, not plastic, check valve for just a few cents more, so shouldn't have that problem again. It was all corroded and partially failed. High water pressure can cause it to fail, so use your reducer. Guess it had been going out for months as we had a vibrating pipe like noise coming from the tank. According to Suburban, Montana installs whatever piping they want and as set out above, it is used to prevent the anti-freeze from getting into the tank.
Guess, if you don't winterize, you don't need a check valve. Thanks to everyone for their help and interest. By the way, had to use a hammer to break the fitting loose from the hot water tank.
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11-09-2006, 09:49 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,295
M.O.C. #311
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Glad you got it diagnosed and fixed. Thanks for sharing your lessons learned so we will know where to look ourselves.
Good luck.
Cheers,
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