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RJsfishin's avatar
RJsfishin
Explorer
Mar 28, 2015

Replacing Pressure Relief Valve On WH

After running w/ a plug in it for the last year, thought I better get serious about replacing it. How hard can it be ? Very hard w/o taking the heater completely out !! I thought there MUST be a special tool to get a hold on it, but I couldn't find one on ebay anywhere. So decided I have to make one, or I'll never get it out. So I notched out one side of a 6" pc of 1 1/2 sq tube, then w/ a pipe wrench on it, it barely came out. It was very tight. Pc a cake I thought, as I went to the hardware store got a new one for 14 bucks. Went to stick it in my special tool, and it didn't come close to going in !!!
Back to the store, as I did have more choices in a 3/4" valve. But no such luck, the valves were all the same, just different length stems.
A major job to make a new tool,.....so I thought,....oat oh, here goes any kind of exchange or warranty on this brand new valve !
I broke out my trusty side grinder, and ground an 1/8" off both sides of the valve, and it went into the special tool just fine. Job is done.
On an added note, while I'm looking at valves on ebay, I find the special tool for removing them that I was looking for $14.
Now the only thing that could have went worse about this job, is if I had bought the tool for $14 to remove it, then had to buy another different one to fit the newer valves. ??:M
  • You do have the satisfaction of a problem solved and a job done! Not to mention the knowledge gained.
    Cheers;
    Vic
  • That is why I don't go by Murphy's law, I go by Schwartz's law, Schwartz says Murphy is an optimist. You do have the tool to do the job next time tho..