Purging New Water Heater Of Air

[Ford850]

A common mistake it to turn on the COLD water instead of hot, so someone thinks after a few burps of air, that they are good to go. Another common mistake is not letting the hot water run long enough. A new heater tanks has a lot of air to bleed so it does take a few minutes. I looked up the installation manual for this one out of curiosity, and they have this in a bold section:

NOTICE: The tank must be completely empty of air and full of
water before connecting electrical
power to avoid Dry Firing. Dry
Firing may result in the upper element burning out. This is a common installation mistake. After
you make the water connections,
but before you connect the electrical power, open a hot water faucet
and let the water run full until all
the air is removed. Let the hot water run full for three minutes
or longer before connecting any
electrical wires. A Dry Fired upper
heating element is an installation
error and is not covered under
warranty

 

[downsizingnow48]

I installed an on demand water heater in our Virginia house. The instructions were very clear. Open all the hot water faucets in the house and let run for some while until the flow is completely steady. No issues. Why would anyone make up their own way to do it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Googled his manual last night. Says that "common" installation failure is dry firing the element and to let water run full strength for three minutes. It would have been nice of them to explain why, otherwise it is just one of those typical instructions that says to unplug for five minutes when ten seconds will do, because if they say that, people will do one second.

I'm thinking, if I had installed that tank, I would have done exactly the same thing. Water coming to hot tap, good to go!

 

[ray66v]

Experienced plumbers have told me not to use the P-T valve to bleed air.

We all do it. I have done it many times. But, apparently it's not recommended. You can have issues with debris getting into the valve and causing it to fail.

Since, you have to open valves in the building anyway to let out air. It's better to pick a sink or tub at a high point, (always remove the aerator if it has one), and open the hot side valve before filling.

 

[PILOON]

Experienced plumbers have told me not to use the P-T valve to bleed air.

We all do it. I have done it many times. But, apparently it's not recommended. You can have issues with debris getting into the valve and causing it to fail.

.

Don't see how that would happen, after all it is a new tank and should be clean.

 

[civilian]

Don't see how that would happen, after all it is a new tank and should be clean.

Sediment in the water supply, possibly?????

That being said, what about draining for the winter, ie closing the cottage for the winter, then opening it in the spring. Gas or propane water heaters, no problem. Open hot and cold faucets to bleed air out. But with electric water heaters and unknown water fill and outlet pipes length, not as easy. "Knock on wood" I have been fortunate to have opened the same cottage with an electric water heater by just opening faucets to bleed air. I need to check where the upper element is in relation to the PT take off is. Also don't know if removing an anode bar to release air out. (I was also told by the person showing how to open/close this cottage to purge air via the PT valve. Someone else told me that was not a recommended procedure.) Next week when I open that cottage I will look closer at the electric water heater. Jon

 

[Industrial Toys]

So it leaks and you give it a squirt to clean it out. I seem to recall that you are supposed to operate the relief from time to time, but I bet you would stand a good chance of some sidiment and chinese "O" Ring, not sealing up again.

 

[civilian]

So it leaks and you give it a squirt to clean it out. I seem to recall that you are supposed to operate the relief from time to time, but I bet you would stand a good chance of some sidiment and chinese "O" Ring, not sealing up again.

Same blankity problem with the drain valves not sealing properly after draining in the fall. Grrrrrr. Jon

 

[kenmac]

So it leaks and you give it a squirt to clean it out. I seem to recall that you are supposed to operate the relief from time to time, but I bet you would stand a good chance of some sidiment and chinese "O" Ring, not sealing up again.

as a certified plumber for more than 30 years, installing hundreds of water heaters, I have always bled all air out by using the taps (fixtures) within the home.
As the W H is filling, turn on the hot water at several fixtures. This will bled all air from the tank and lines

 

[ray66v]

So it leaks and you give it a squirt to clean it out. I seem to recall that you are supposed to operate the relief from time to time, but I bet you would stand a good chance of some sidiment and chinese "O" Ring, not sealing up again.

If, you want to chose to believe experienced plumbers are too dumb to realize that's all they had to do. So be it.