Domestic Water Sidearm

[Andy M]

I installed my sidearm yesterday on my hot water heater. Installed the bottom to the drain with a tee, and installed the top of the sidearm to the TPR port at the top of the water heater by the use of a tee with the TPR at the top of that tee. After letting this heat all day, after 1 shower I heard the electric elements kick in and the line from the drain port to the side arm get cold. Is this normal or is my installation incorrect? I figure if I shut the power off to the elements, this sidearm would not provide enough hot water, Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[beenthere]

A pic of your described plumbing would help analyze your problem..

[sparky1]

I shut off power to my h20 heater when im running my owb. I think it is natural for it to fire up the water heater if you drain it down quite a bit. The heater senses cold water and the thermostat is going to want to kick in. I have noticed that when heating with my owb it gets the water really hott, but if you drain it down a ways it does take some time for it to re-heat the cold water.

[thecfarm]

Did you run out of hot water? I use oil for hot water and keep mine turned off. I would try it for a few days with it turned off. Should only take about 20 minutes for the electric hot water tank to heat up if needed.

[boilerman101]

Sounds like tube and shell may be air locked on your water heater side. Bleed more air/water out of the TPR valve and it should work for you. I turn my breaker on my electric water heater off and I can't run out of hot water.

[mrwood]

Just another suggestion for you. I too use a boiler to heat my domestic hot water. One thing that I did was when installing the sidearm, I used a shop vac an sucked out all of the sediment in the bottom of the tank. I had a lot of that lime shale deposit. If it is possible that you have that also then that will stop the water circulation thru the sidearm as there is no pump. It is just natural convection flow

[Andy M]

Well, I tripped the breaker for the hot water heater. After a few showers in the house, we did not run out of hot water. I think the element on the bottom was kicking on during use because the sidearm is mounted just above that element. When I installed the piping to the drain, I did flush the little bit of scale that was in the bottom of the heater, so I don't think that is a problem. I'm going to try it for a few days with the electric off and see what happens.

[thecfarm]

I hope that will do it for you. Sounds like you are all set.

[mrwood]

As soon as I fire up my boiler I shut the breaker to the hot water tanks off because I want to know if there is a problem. I figure if for say the sediment blocks the flow they the sidearm, if I had the breaker on then I would not know and then I am missing out on all that cost savings