Navies npe 240a going cold

[Tennessee Rick]

My navien 240 recirc has had the same problem going warm after 5 minutes. I bought a check valve for 6.95 and installed in five minutes. The old one was pulled out in pieces and would crumble like clay in your hand. It will be a bi-yearly Maintainence item for me to replace. I had the same experience with navien service. I understand liability issues but the problem was not electrical or gas and should be listed as a regular Maintainence issue. I won’t waste any more time with Navien.

 

[bingow]

@Tennessee Rick Thanks for sharing your experience. Our NPE 240A is now 2yrs+ with no problems (yet) and I do have a spare check valve on hand. Can you give the forum more info, such as unit age, water hardness, use of water softener, vinegar flush, etc? Thanks again.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[IrritatedJones]

My navien 240 recirc has had the same problem going warm after 5 minutes. I bought a check valve for 6.95 and installed in five minutes. The old one was pulled out in pieces and would crumble like clay in your hand. It will be a bi-yearly Maintainence item for me to replace. I had the same experience with navien service. I understand liability issues but the problem was not electrical or gas and should be listed as a regular Maintainence issue. I won’t waste any more time with Navien.

Same issue here. Not falling apart, but our 240A2 isn't even a year old yet and I'm about to put the 3rd check valve in as soon as I can find one. They are on backorder everywhere I have checked. I've spoken with Navien today and they act like it is no big deal and I should call a plumber. Unfortunately for the young man on the phone I lost my temper. Super annoying to deal with customer support that thinks just because you're a home owner you can't possibly know anything.

So, does anyone have a suggestion on these? My water isn't that hard here, and I flushed the system just before I put the new valve in back in the fall. Is this something that Navien is ever going to address?

 

[Art96142]

Same issue here. Not falling apart, but our 240A2 isn't even a year old yet and I'm about to put the 3rd check valve in as soon as I can find one. They are on backorder everywhere I have checked. I've spoken with Navien today and they act like it is no big deal and I should call a plumber. Unfortunately for the young man on the phone I lost my temper. Super annoying to deal with customer support that thinks just because you're a home owner you can't possibly know anything.

So, does anyone have a suggestion on these? My water isn't that hard here, and I flushed the system just before I put the new valve in back in the fall. Is this something that Navien is ever going to address?

I have the same issue with my NPE240A2. I did manage to get a new check valve but it has been suggested elsewhere in this forum to install an external check valve in the recirc line next to the 240. When the newly installed check valve fails this is the fix I will perform. My original check valve only lasted seven months and I do not expect more out of its successor. Water here is from from EBMUD and is sourced from Sierra snowmelt.

Art

 

[IrritatedJones]

I have the same issue with my NPE240A2. I did manage to get a new check valve but it has been suggested elsewhere in this forum to install an external check valve in the recirc line next to the 240. When the newly installed check valve fails this is the fix I will perform. My original check valve only lasted seven months and I do not expect more out of its successor. Water here is from from EBMUD and is sourced from Sierra snowmelt.

Art

I had a friend that is pretty smart in things like these suggest the exact same thing. I’ll consider that. My father actually tracked down an O-ring that is supposed to be more resistant to heat and chemicals. Its brand name is Viton. I believe it’s a FMP material from what I read. He rebuilt the old check valve O-rings and I’m going to try it next time I have to switch them out. If that doesn’t work then I’ll be putting in the external check valve.

 

[Art96142]

IrritatedJones,

Can you share the size and specs on the O-rings your father found? I was able to disassemble the old check valve and get a good look at the worn O-ring but I could only make a guesstimate on the size.

Thanks,

Art

 

[IrritatedJones]

IrritatedJones,

Can you share the size and specs on the O-rings your father found? I was able to disassemble the old check valve and get a good look at the worn O-ring but I could only make a guesstimate on the size.

Thanks,

Art

Sure. Small to large on the sheet. The largest one one the back of the check valve is slightly larger. But the small one on the actual valve is an exact match.

 

[Bannerman]

For the NPE-240A models, a single external check valve should be effective when utilizing a single recirculation loop since it should prevent backward flow from the recirculation return line from flowing to faucets/appliances.

When the NPE-240A is not feeding an external recirculation loop (settings and 2-way valve set to Internal Circulation), then an external check valve will not be effective and the internal check valve will need to be repaired/replaced since a defective internal valve will allow cold incoming water to mix with the outgoing hot water internally, just above the WH's hot water connection.

Since the newer NPE-240A2 models have been redesigned with the pump located in an alternate position, I remain uncertain if a defective check valve will continue to permit cold water to mix with hot when configured for Internal Circulation.

Regardless of NPE-240A or NPE-240A2, if the home is equipped with multiple recirculation return loops, then each return will require its own check valve to prevent flow from each return from cross flowing to fixtures/appliances within an alternate recirculation loop.