# The amazing needle!



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Went to repair a tub drain and saw these in the garage. Unbelievable! There going into a filter for his aquarium.
I offered to change it for him, but he said, "its held for two years, why change it now".


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

Whats up with that pex going straight into the w/h and for use on the T&P ?
We cant do any of that around here.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

I'm assuming that's the backwash discharge for an
RO.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## TPWinc (May 30, 2011)

Mississippiplum said:


> I'm assuming that's the backwash discharge for an
> RO.
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


The Yellow line probably is but look at the black one on the cold supply. 

BTW the whole set up looks like a$$. I would never hook up pex staight to a heater like that. A thermostat failure will melt that pipe long before the T&P valve trips. Just one more way to flood a house. Saw it happen to CPVC last November.


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## TPWinc (May 30, 2011)

Just looked at it closer. That house is piped in copper. I guess that is their attempt at a dielectric union. LOL!


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

When I see a Sadle on pex, that tells me a total hack was there lol. And those pex insert fittings can't be used on a t&p discharge cause it reduces the inside dia. Of the pipe.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

the relief valve piping is reduced to 1/2" that is just wrong..... and where in the heck is that pipe going anyways


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## Qball415 (Nov 20, 2010)

I understand all the modernazation of materials and incidentals.
This is just poor craftmanship, I wish we can just have copper like in the good ol' days.


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Mississippiplum said:


> I'm assuming that's the backwash discharge for an
> RO.
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


Yes it is. He was acting all proud that he thought of connecting the drain to the relief line. I told him it was an invitation for termites. He did'nt want to hear it.


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

89plumbum said:


> Yes it is. He was acting all proud that he thought of connecting the drain to the relief line. I told him it was an invitation for termites. He did'nt want to hear it.


I'm sure you CYA on the contract.


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> I'm sure you CYA on the contract.


Well, I make no mention of it in my bill as I was there to fix something else. Verbally, he has been warned.
Also A S. They do allow you to tie directly into an ewh (not gas)with pex. At least here in orange county. You see it EVERYWHERE.


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## gitnerdun (Nov 5, 2008)

89plumbum said:


> Also A S. They do allow you to tie directly into an ewh (not gas)with pex. At least here in orange county. You see it EVERYWHERE.


 Yup, sarasota too.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Ridiculous. Saddle valves are not permitted. Can't tie into a T&P relief line with some other line. And can't reduce a T&P relief from 3/4" to 1/2". That's just the (3) code violations I'm seeing. 

And what about those big grey mobile home fittings? I guess they'll hold but.....probably not rated for hot water. If it's not rated for hot water than it cannot be used on the T&P drain line.....:blink: That would be the 4th violation if those grey fittings are not rated for hot water.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

If the T&P were to ever be called upon to release excess temp. and/or pressure, the steaming hot water will travel down the pex and run into the smaller diameter 1/2" causing a restriction. Some of the steaming hot water will look for another avenue of escape and travel into that small diameter yellow pex tubing. Then, someone at the other end of that yellow pex could, in theory get scalded, perhaps an innocent child.

That's why only experienced licensed plumbers should be installing W/H's.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Mississippiplum said:


> When I see a Sadle on pex, that tells me a total hack was there lol. And those pex insert fittings can't be used on a t&p discharge cause it reduces the inside dia. Of the pipe.
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


I think the H.O was the hack:whistling2:


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## greenscoutII (Aug 27, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> Ridiculous. Saddle valves are not permitted. Can't tie into a T&P relief line with some other line. And can't reduce a T&P relief from 3/4" to 1/2". That's just the (3) code violations I'm seeing.
> 
> And what about those big grey mobile home fittings? I guess they'll hold but.....probably not rated for hot water. If it's not rated for hot water than it cannot be used on the T&P drain line.....:blink: That would be the 4th violation if those grey fittings are not rated for hot water.


Speaking of the Quest fittings, what I can't figure out is, since the PEX is crimped and most HO's don't have crimpers, some plumber must have hooked up to that.....


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

greenscoutII said:


> Speaking of the Quest fittings, what I can't figure out is, since the PEX is crimped and most HO's don't have crimpers, some plumber must have hooked up to that.....


They sell crimpers and rings at home depot and lowes. So any homeowner or handihack can become a "pex professional"

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Tommy plumber said:


> And what about those big grey mobile home fittings? I guess they'll hold but.....probably not rated for hot water.


Those big old Qest fittings actually are rated for hot water. When I was an apprentice my boss made me use those horrible things all the time, both for plumbing certain things and for some hot water heating stuff. Always hated them and didn't trust them. That said, I never saw one fail that wasn't *really* old. They are (were?) actually quite a reliable fitting. But I still hate them.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

I like how the termite guys put the sticker on the wh. It says "do not remove":laughing:

Like the WH will be there forever................

Tards.


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## billy_awesome (Dec 19, 2011)

Tommy plumber said:


> That's why only experienced licensed plumbers should be installing W/H's.


I don't think that's the case, I think I could of done a better job on my first day of work as an apprentice. It should be: "CRACKHEADS SHOULDN'T INSTALL WATER HEATERS!" :thumbup:

Saddle clamp on valves are junk anyways, I see them everywhere and sometimes 3 or 4 on a house because the needle is so small it gets blocked off with iron and calcium deposits within a few years.

Pex right off the water heater is a joke too! A bad thermostat, mixed with the incorrect t&p piping is a recipe for a bomb to go off, anyone see that clip in mythbusters?

I wish as plumbers, we could file reports with cities or counties to force the home owner to have the crap work done correct that could harm people, just because it's a home and not a business doesn't mean innocent people can't be harmed!


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Judging from the amount of meringue on that PEX 90 on the cold side, I'd say that fitting has been leaking for quite awhile.


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