TPR Gas Shut Off Valve

[inspectorwill]

Is anyone familiar with gas T&P shut off valves on water heaters? If I remember correctly, the gas line from the T&P valve to the water heater gas controls should be a rigid connection but I cannot find the documentation anywhere. This particular water heater has a flex connector from the gas supply to the T&P and a flex connector from the T&P to the control unit. Thanks.

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[Jim Katen]

If you're referring to a Watts 210 valve, I've never heard that it had to be plumbed with hard pipe.

Here are the installation instructions:

http://stargroup.com/additional_info/Wa ... 0Specs.pdf

[In-Depth]

What tha?? I've never heard of a TPRV on a gas line before. Is this a California/West Coast thing?

Jim

[hausdok]

What tha?? I've never heard of a TPRV on a gas line before. Is this a California/West Coast thing?

Jim

No,

Watts 210 type valves have been around for a long time; it's just that we home inspectors don't talk about them a whole lot. They're typically used where it's impossible to configure a TPR properly to drain via gravity. If lazy installers would take the time to go get one and install it along with a water heater when they discover that they can't properly configure the TPR drainage, instead of ignoring the rules or coming up with some other jerry-rigged arrangement, we'd see more of them.

The TPRV isn't "on" the gas line. The Watts is installed instead of the TPRV and works strictly by temperature. It has an immersion probe similar to a TPRV and at 210?F it shuts off the gas to the water heater. The white thingie in the center is the manual reset button.

I agree with Jim, I've never seen any requirement for hard piping. Around here they'd probably plumb it with the bendable stuff as shown because it would be more seismic friendly. That is a pretty sloppy looking install though.

To the OP,

I've edited your post and rotated the picture so that we no longer have to lie on our desktops to view it. Next time, if you open that picture on your own computer first you can rotate it so that it displays upright and then save it that way before you post it.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[ejager]

I like the idea of shutting off the gas in the case of over-firing, but the Watts installation manual still requires a pressure relief valve, though it does not appear to be attached directly to the heater. Is it possible to install a PRV in a some other location where proper drain is achievable (laundry room?), provided the other requirements for the drain/discharge tube are met?

[inspectorwill]

Thanks Mike for rotating the picture, thought I had done so before posting. Have a call in to Watts because each of the diagrams do show a pressure relief valve with drain line which was not installed on this water heater.

[Richard Moore]

Really no need to call Watts, Will. If it doesn't have a pressure relief valve, then it's wrong. But, keep in mind the PRV could be elsewhere. The rule is no shut-offs between the tank and the PRV and the IRC requires them to be "in a water line close to the tank". In a situation such as a basement, where they want to discharge to the exterior, "close" might mean a room above. It would need to be "accessible" but it might not be readily visible.

If you are sure there is no PRV, then report it as a hazard in need of repair. If not certain, then explain it's need, that you didn't or couldn't find it, and recommend someone either provide evidence of it's existence and location or have a plumber install one.

[Charlie R]

Learned something new today with this, Thanks.

[inspectorwill]

Thanks Richard, I saw your post after speaking with the plumber and Watts. The requirement of the PRV makes perfect sense but the installing plumber insisted it was not required so I called Watts and they said exactly what you said. PRV is required.

[hausdok]

Belt and suspenders.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[mike11]

Hi, i'm new here and i've just read this post.

FWIW: in Bay Area Ca. we installed the Watts 210 in the T&P port using hard pipe on either side of the W210 and flexi-connectors at the gas valve and the isolator.

W210's were always installed with a Watts 530C calibrated PRV installed on the water service at the hose bib, just before the service entered the property. The W530C was to control the pressure of water entering the W/H, of course.

No conventional T&P was installed, and the W/H was typically a "Stubby" - apparently, Stubbies are no longer made.