per this video, it actually intentionally uses the cold line as part of the recirc loop,(that may be the case in your home, even though they’re demonstrating it with a non-instantaneous heater, if the house was not built with the traditional 3rd line that acts solely as the recirc line) until the ‘bridge or bypass valve’ 1:13 into the video, senses the desired temperature and closes os lol
mixed reviews about it
this vid is about your specific model, but once again involves that independent recirc line, not the cold line carrying on 2 functions as needed at various different times.
in short, you may have to live with that lukewarm on the cold side, if it’s part of the recirc loop
Plumber came by while I wasn’t around, so I’m getting the story second hand from my wife. Apparently he was worried one of the faucets didn’t have a diverter on it and that was causing the problem (he didn’t install himself, one of his employees did). However, when he checked there were diverters everywhere they should have been.
He now wants to open up one of the walls and see what is going on back there (not sure what his theory is now). I need to talk to him before that happens as I think what mentioned in your last post (i.e., it’s unsolvable) might be the case.
In the mean time he wants us to just keep the recirculator running continuously and see what happens. Wife is not sure if he actually did anything while he was checking out all the pipes.
Is the dedicated recirculation line something that had to be in the house beforehand. I’m sure we didn’t have one. But if a house doesn’t have one is it not something that the plumber could have put in when installing the heater.
in my experience, you have to get into ceilings and walls and it’s half an ordeal to travel piping from wherever the most remote fixture is, back to the water heater.
It’s a pretty minor problem in the grand scheme of things. I guess what I don’t get is how the plumber thinks it can be fixed in any manner. Based on what you’ve posted and other stuff I’ve read, it doesn’t seem like there is a fix that is even possible.
the crawl-space location of the heater is likely unique, and you never know if some water lines were present in that crawl space because of ducting that would keep it adequately warm etc.
id have to get eyeballs on it, and sign-off on locating any additional water piping in the crawl-space, but that could conceivably allow for minimally invasive location of a recirc loop, if fixture location layout cooperated.
everything’s different, tho, and that’s the fun stuff!
these instantaneous heaters are still so new. that cat that made the video explaining 4 varieties of the system wasn’t even certain about some shit. Hope you and your wife aren’t too frustrated, but this is more ammo for me to not, as a plumbing pro, entertain even futzing with these machines. Headache fucking central
It’s not that big a deal. There is really only one time it comes up. My wife likes the water cold to brush her teeth (I don’t really care one way or another). Those times are predictable enough that it’s pretty easy to set a schedule when the recirc is off 95% of the time she wants to do that.
I seriously doubt that they would be able to put in a recirc line easily given what you’ve said. The bathrooms are quite far from the heater and from each other.
So I’m helping my Mom with a water heater purchase. The plan is to just replace an existing 75 gal. Here is what I’m trying to figure out:
There are quotes for two models. What’s the difference between the two. Literally the only thing I can find is that one has a longer warranty than the other
Should I get a mixing valve? Should it be thermostatic?
I’m in and out of homes and businesses dozens of times per week, and cannot recall encountering a thermostatic mixing valve ever on a heater.(on shower valves I see them regularly) The Legionella fear is also something I’d never heard of.
You can actually call A.O. Smith’s technical support line and talk with a rep about the differences in models. I’d be curious about that myself. If they use a stronger gauge steel for one heater or the other, I might be inclined to prefer that 1.
My folks literally have the original water heater in their home from when they purchased the house in 1991. It’s a lteral and figurative tank errr. I’ve had to replace minor components, but the inner tank that deals with all the temperature and pressure extremes from expansion and contraction( when the burner fires on and off obvs.) is the most critical design element. The integrity of the welds, and the strength/ thickness of the steel sheeting that bend into the cylindrical form of the inner tank, imo are responsible for this.
New heaters, in my experience, are built to fail at 10-year intervals.
they are fine, plumbing supply houses all over KC keep them in stock. but like I said, give 'em a call! google their tech support number.
No. Just have it heat water to 120 degrees, which is standard. Faucets and shower valves throughout the home act as mixing valves and are designed not to scald for the most part.
