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Old 05-23-2021, 10:19 AM   #1
Dkentaz65
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Water Heater Leak

I have a suburban water heater. We went from phx Az to Jackson Wy. I always turn the gas and electric on for the heater. I noticed it was leaking. I had replaced the pressure relief valve and anode rod in last 6-8 months, removed the air pockets etc.

However, i decided to turn the electric off and see what happens. It stopped leaking.

Does it get too hot or did altitude cause issue? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
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Old 05-23-2021, 10:46 AM   #2
bobbecky
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The water system is a closed system, it can not absorb pressure increases from heating the water, so, if there isn’t an air pocket at the top of the water heater, the only way to release the excess pressure is by the pressure relief valve to open and drain some water. It is working correctly, no replacement is needed, and you don’t want to install a higher pressure relief valve or you will risk damaging the plumbing.
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Old 05-23-2021, 11:21 AM   #3
chuckster57
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When you replaced things, what method did you use to refill the tank?

If you opened the pressure relief valve until you saw water , you lost the air gap.
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Old 05-25-2021, 08:38 AM   #4
Devin_Noel
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The pressure relief valve in a RV gets used a lot. They never really trip in home units, but all the time in RVs. You should open them to purge the air out of the water heater every time you fill it up after it was drained. It's a tiny sealed system & water expands when heated. So it will either spike the pressure & possibly blow lines, or make the pressure relief valve work. If it keeps leaking, you may want to manually trip the valve so it will wash out any debris that may be causing it to not seal properly (caution the valve & water coming out will be hot). If it doesn't stop dripping slightly on its own after 10-30 minutes it may need attention. If it does stop before 30 minutes or so, that's normal.
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Old 05-25-2021, 08:49 AM   #5
Javi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dkentaz65 View Post
I have a suburban water heater. We went from phx Az to Jackson Wy. I always turn the gas and electric on for the heater. I noticed it was leaking. I had replaced the pressure relief valve and anode rod in last 6-8 months, removed the air pockets etc.

However, i decided to turn the electric off and see what happens. It stopped leaking.

Does it get too hot or did altitude cause issue? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Actually.... YES ..... but it isn't a big deal... however, the only time you need both is when taking a LONG shower or back to back showers.. then turn on the gas side... otherwise the electric is plenty..
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Old 05-25-2021, 09:53 AM   #6
flybouy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Devin_Noel View Post
The pressure relief valve in a RV gets used a lot. They never really trip in home units, but all the time in RVs. You should open them to purge the air out of the water heater every time you fill it up after it was drained. It's a tiny sealed system & water expands when heated. So it will either spike the pressure & possibly blow lines, or make the pressure relief valve work. If it keeps leaking, you may want to manually trip the valve so it will wash out any debris that may be causing it to not seal properly (caution the valve & water coming out will be hot). If it doesn't stop dripping slightly on its own after 10-30 minutes it may need attention. If it does stop before 30 minutes or so, that's normal.
Purging the air WILL CAUSE IT TO LEAK. The pocket of air is necessary to allow the water to expand when heated. The Suburban WH manual clearly states this. The proper way to purge the hot water line is to open the water faucets while the tank is filling and close them when the air and water stop "spitting" and a steady stream of water flows.
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