[Shop-talk] well that can't be good...

[scott.hall at comcast.net]

I tried poking around with a wire--nothing. It's not a ball valve, so I'm thinking that it's entirely possible that the wire just couldn't make it though the valve. 

Doug Shook suggested replacing the valve itself, which sounds like a fine idea as soon as I figure out how to get the old one off. I think I'll also try the 'backflush' option as well. 

I'd like to salvage this one for as long as possible. It's worked well so far, and ultimately I'd like to replace it with a solar water heater, if we stay in the house. I think the issue may be heavy sediment in the water. The new house has a whole-house sediment filter that clogs up about every two weeks. It never occurred to me, but the old house (the one with the heater I'm asking about now) may very well have the same issues--in addition to the lime scale I was asking about a while back, I wouldn't be surprised if we had sediment as well. The toilets get a lovely brown-orange color fairly quickly that the rental house (on city water) never did. you live on a well most of your life and that sort of thing doesn't seem strange until you type it into an email to a few hundred people... 

I detest the filter on the new house (as it clogs up the water pressure drops, and it clogs so quickly that you only get full water pressure for about a week, it seems), but perhaps I need to be investigating a filtration option at the old house, in addition to the softener. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randall" <tr3driver at ca.rr.com> 
To: shop-talk at autox.team.net 
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 10:22:06 AM (GMT-0500) Auto-Detected 
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] well that can't be good... 

> the question is: what do I do now? I just closed the valve, just in case, 
> but it seems to me that this is probably not a Good Thing. 

Not tried it on a water heater, but it's a common operation on Triumphs ... 
open or remove the valve and stick a length of stiff wire into the hole. 
Poke & prod until it works through the crud. I've even used a drill bit 
(turned only with my fingers, so can't cut into sound metal) or a dental 
pick. 

But honestly, if your water heater is that far gone, it's probably time to 
replace it anyway. There may well be other openings that are only clogged 
with sediment & rust. And discovering that your old heater has been leaking 
for hours or days unnoticed; followed by not having a hot shower until it's 
replaced is an experience I'd rather not repeat.