low hot water pressure after installing new tank

[DIYDIYDIY]

I had previously posted and asked for help as I had a noticable decrease in hot water pressure / flow, etc. after installing a brand new 50 gal propane hot water tank. The tank came with two short 6" dielectric connecting nipples that were lined with a blue plastic material in the inside. It also came equipped with very small inexpensive heat traps, which were basically two very thin rubber type washers with flaps that were supposed to retain the heat, but the flaps were designed to open up when water flowed thru. I did not have any type of blockage in the lines, the shut off intake valve was in good shape etc. I suspected that the combination of reduced I.D. in the nipples (blue plastic lining) and those rubber flaps on the heat traps might be the cause, but was told by many local folks I should still be getting good pressure. I had nothing to lose, so I took my installation back apart, replaced the dielectric nipples with brass ones, and removed the cheap washer type heat traps. BIG DIFFERANCE AND IMPROVMENT!! My hot water pressure and flow is now almost equal to my cold water at all faucets. My purpose in posting this is in case anyone else installs a new tank, and has reduced hot water pressure flow, they may want to make the same changes.

 

[Jadnashua]

If those heat traps are installed upside down or backwards, they'll act as a big restrictor.The flap only goes one way (easily anyways).