Hot water heater Hot and Cold hookup

[Peter Hughes]

Question,

I'm looking for some information that shows why there is a hot and cold water hook-up on each hot water heater.

According to some plumbers it makes not difference which side is for what.

If this were true, a water heater manufacturer would not label the cold and hot location on the water heater.

In addition, why bother with a shut off valve if it doesn't matter which is in and which is out. Some of the plumbers say either side is OK.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Some plumbers are not very clever.
You are supposed to install equipment as the manufacturer intended. Water heaters heat water most efficiently when the water is going through them as designed.

[Jae Williams]

The cold water entry goes into a pipe to the bottom of the unit where it is heated (heat rises). The hot water exits from the top.

If the pipe were reversed the hot water would draw from the bottom where the colder water is.

Some plumbers are "plumb loco".

Read the manufactures specs...

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

image post malfunction. Danger Will Robinson.

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

Try it now.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

The cold water entry goes into a pipe to the bottom of the unit where it is heated (heat rises). The hot water exits from the top.

I concur...

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

David,
Your illustration is prettier than mine but mine has got discrepancies to make it more realistic. i.e. no extension tube on the TPR

[Brian E. Kelly]

Any diagrams for this one fellas?

You are not going to trick me into telling someone how the internal piping of their water heater looks/works without me seeing the the manufacturers drawing/schematic.

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by dedwards

David,
Your illustration is prettier than mine but mine has got discrepancies to make it more realistic. i.e. no extension tube on the TPR

I see more than just a missing TPR extension. I envision both of the pictures as being in the attic--with no drip pan...

[Jae Williams]

...or they're in a crawlspace and no concrete under them--they're in the dirt..

[Jae Williams]

...or they're actually drawn sideways--both units are installed horizontally with an exhaust fan in the chimney drawing the flame into the heating tube and out the chimney...

[Jae Williams]

...or they're not really water heaters. They are extraterrestrials in that form so they can spy on us. (See the UFO thread)

[Jae Williams]

...and now I'm going to take my medicine...

[Jae Williams]

...who are these guys in the white coats???

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Jae, that's one of those plumbers cracks.