Water heater expansion testing
- Thread starter pizzamonger
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Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
It's called a heat trap. They MUST be installed on the proper side (H or C), as on the cold side, the ball is designed to float to the top to help limit convective water circulation (water flow opens it up when it gets pushed down), and on the hot side, it is designed to sink (water flowing out, pushes it up, opening things back up again), preventing convection on that side. Because the body is metal, that will still conduct, but the balls will limit the convection. There are some other designs that use little flappers. They can help, but won't prevent the conduction.
Some ETs can be used for both potable and hydronic (heating) uses, one designed only for a WH should not see the full output of the WH, or it will degrade its life. Some heat from the convection probably won't have much effect on the cold side.
Some plumbers do not install the heat traps. They don't fail often, but could, and restrict the flow.
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pizzamonger
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Appreciate your responding to my posts, but I don't understand your answers.
Don't understand.
What body?
Is this the answer? My cold water supply line to the WH feels pretty dang warm at times. There is a flexible line between the ET and the WH, it's warm. After the ET it's copper going into the wall, pretty dang warm. Not all the time. Not a huge deal?
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
The heat traps are one-way valves, so you must install them on the proper side of the tank or they'd block normal flow when you open a fixture.
Metal will conduct heat...the heat trap only limits the convective current of the water inside of the pipe.
To limit wasting energy, insulate the lines to and from the WH. On the cold side, if there is a decent heat trap installed, it won't need insulation very far. As I said, the metal will conduct, but the heat trap blocks a lot of the convective water flow, so you'll still get the cold line warming up some. Not as much if you have a heat trap installed. Depending on how the line is run, convection could warm up a fair amount of the cold supply pipe.
Metal will conduct heat...the heat trap only limits the convective current of the water inside of the pipe.
To limit wasting energy, insulate the lines to and from the WH. On the cold side, if there is a decent heat trap installed, it won't need insulation very far. As I said, the metal will conduct, but the heat trap blocks a lot of the convective water flow, so you'll still get the cold line warming up some. Not as much if you have a heat trap installed. Depending on how the line is run, convection could warm up a fair amount of the cold supply pipe.
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