hot water slow after pipe+valve replacement

[Twowaxhack]

There should be an arrow pointing up

Get a mirror to look for it on the back side

You could also just connect a garden hose to the hose bibb below the pump.......turn the hose valve on......then turn the yellow handle ballvalve off.

The flow should continue......if it doesn’t then the check valve is backwards.

This will help get any air that could be trapped in the return, although I doubt that’s your problem after a few days of running the system.

 

[JG plumbing]

It going the right way.

Edited : wrong, lol.

 

[JG plumbing]

If you follow two wax's instructions (bleed the air) and your water is still slow to heat then there is something wrong with your pump.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I find them with the motor running but the impeller isn’t turning so no water gets moved.

 

[waterstuff]

I stuck a cam in the back and got a pic: But still no arrow.
I think typically in plumbing the direction is "heads-up", for both pumps and valves.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The check valve may not be opening even though it’s direction may be correct.

It looks soldered in, he may have burnt it up and melted something inside.

Or the pump is bad.

I explained how to check if the valve is installed in the proper direction.

That’s all I have, good luck to you.

 

[JG plumbing]

This is the arrow. It's going the right way. I try to use a swing check(horizontally) for these.

Bleed the line to make sure it's not air. Then worry about the check valve. I'm going to say you really don't need one since the pump has one anyway.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If it’s pointing down then it’s the wrong way.

Someone should teach them to draw an arrow correctly as well.

 

[JG plumbing]

Oh wow. It is wrong. I second guessed myself last night and edited my comment.

 

[JG plumbing]

OK so officially now, call the plumber. Tell him he messed up and to fix it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If it’s backwards he gets to buy a new pump too.

I would close the yellow handle valve at the bottom and open the hose bibb and see if I had flow. Just to make sure it’s backwards, I have zero confidence thats an arrow. Looks like some type of logo.

Almost like there’s one pointing up and one down. It’s not as clear as I’d like.
That’s for sure.

 

[waterstuff]

Yeah, that's a weird check valve...this looks like a logo indeed...
I searched check valves in various hardware sites and in general, the flow is "heads-up".
So if this was set backwards, why should I get a new pump?
Should I turn off the pump asap?
The installer is coming Monday to inspect.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Why don’t you hook a hose to the bottom hose bibb and turn the yellow ballvalve off.

If you get great flow then it’s not backwards.

If you don’t get flow then it’s backwards.

Pretty simple to check.

If it’s backwards the pump wasn’t getting fed any water. Water is how to pump cools itself.

 

[waterstuff]

I just tried that. No flow! So the check valve was set backwards!...
I shut off the pump. I hope it didn't fail. I had it on a timer (15 min ea hour) and at low speed (5 GPM). Last 5 days.
Many thanks to twowax!

 

[Twowaxhack]

I just tried that. No flow! So the check valve was set backwards!...
I shut off the pump. I hope it didn't fail. I had it on a timer (15 min ea hour) and at low speed (5 GPM). Last 5 days.
Many thanks to twowax!

Leave that yellow handle ballvalve in the off position.

If you don’t water could feed from the bottom of the tank to your hot water fixtures, this would cause you to get cold water at the hot fixtures or weird temp fluctuations depending on the flow dynamics at the time.

 

[waterstuff]

Follow-up:
today the plumber came by and took out the check valve. Indeed it was set backwards. There was a tiny directional arrow on the side of the valve, not very visible. He re-installed it and now hot water is very fast to all the faucets.
This forum rocks!