Hot water bypass

Dusty R wrote:
There are check valves, both in and out on most water heaters, one of them is not allowing water into the water heater.

Some...not most
Some may have one on cold inlet
Some have on hot outlet (seems more common)
Some don't have any at all (3 shut-off valves instead)

There are check valves, both in and out on most water heaters, one of them is not allowing water into the water heater.

jeremywatco wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
The bypass valve is NOT used to 'temp' the hot water down.
Cold inlet valve should be wide OPEN & bypass fully CLOSED when WH is in service.
With the bypass cracked open the cold water line is connected to hot water line and the hot out check valve is being closed from cold water pressure.
You control water temp by mixing cold/hot at the faucet.

With bypass closed and no hot water flow.........check valve on hot outlet stuck closed.

Turn off water supply, open WH PRV to relieve pressure in tank and let water drain down in from top of tank.
Disconnect Hot outlet line
Inside the fitting on tank is a cheapo plastic plunger/spring/o-ring valve. Held inplace with a clip. Remove clip and internals. Then connect water line.
Turn on water supply...heat water........voila Hot water flow.

Then at you convenience install a shut-off valve in hot outlet lne and forget about that stupid check valve.

Got it, this makes perfect sense.

Is it normal for me to have much lower hot water pressure than cold water using water pump or city water? I'd say about 50-75% the flow

Shouldn't be a noticeable difference in flow Hot vs Cold.....unless something in hot side is plugging/stuck.
And the only thing in hot side not in cold side is the check valve on WH hot outlet.
Have you looked at it?

Old-Biscuit wrote:
The bypass valve is NOT used to 'temp' the hot water down.
Cold inlet valve should be wide OPEN & bypass fully CLOSED when WH is in service.
With the bypass cracked open the cold water line is connected to hot water line and the hot out check valve is being closed from cold water pressure.
You control water temp by mixing cold/hot at the faucet.

With bypass closed and no hot water flow.........check valve on hot outlet stuck closed.

Turn off water supply, open WH PRV to relieve pressure in tank and let water drain down in from top of tank.
Disconnect Hot outlet line
Inside the fitting on tank is a cheapo plastic plunger/spring/o-ring valve. Held inplace with a clip. Remove clip and internals. Then connect water line.
Turn on water supply...heat water........voila Hot water flow.

Then at you convenience install a shut-off valve in hot outlet lne and forget about that stupid check valve.

Got it, this makes perfect sense.

Is it normal for me to have much lower hot water pressure than cold water using water pump or city water? I'd say about 50-75% the flow

The bypass valve is NOT used to 'temp' the hot water down.
Cold inlet valve should be wide OPEN & bypass fully CLOSED when WH is in service.
With the bypass cracked open the cold water line is connected to hot water line and the hot out check valve is being closed from cold water pressure.
You control water temp by mixing cold/hot at the faucet.

With bypass closed and no hot water flow.........check valve on hot outlet stuck closed.

Turn off water supply, open WH PRV to relieve pressure in tank and let water drain down in from top of tank.
Disconnect Hot outlet line
Inside the fitting on tank is a cheapo plastic plunger/spring/o-ring valve. Held inplace with a clip. Remove clip and internals. Then connect water line.
Turn on water supply...heat water........voila Hot water flow.

Then at you convenience install a shut-off valve in hot outlet lne and forget about that stupid check valve.

I am pretty new here but I might know what it is. First do you have full flow coming out of you hot water facet if not you might not have your cold water inlet to your hot water heater open all the way thus with a slow fill your hot water heater will be always hot, and when you open your cold facet you overcome any hot coming out. make sure all valves are open full. good luck

is it only one valve for the bypass our TT has 3 valves the MH has 1. also check the outside shower if you have one to make sure the valves are closed.