I installed a new lowboy hot water heater under the counter. Unfortunately the pressure relief valve was on top of the tank and I did not have enough clearance.
I installed a brass close nipple and elbow and another brass nipple and installed the pressure relief valve horizontally.
Is this OK? I don't see any reason why this would not work, even though it's not hooked up directly to the tank.

Thank you

it is in the wrong place. it will sense pressure but not temperature.

POTENTIALLY LETHAL SAFETY HAZARD

ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY WRONG AND UNSAFE

The 'relief valve' for a water heater is a TEMPERATURE and PRESSURE relief !

relieves at 210 degree F. OR 150 psi (some tanks will have 210/125)

By mounting it 'remote' and horizontal you have removed the temperature sensitive rod from DIRECT IMMERSION in the heater AND lowered/voided the btu per hour rating of the valve assembly.


the white 'probe' is what senses temperature - it MUST be FULLY IMMERSED in the BODY of the water heater - repeat: FULLY IMMERSED in the BODY of the heater

If the heater you bought does not fit the space, you will need to get one which does fit without any modification to the TPSRV (temperature-pressure safety relief valve which is ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED to be PROPERLY installed.

ps. there are 'some' models of water heater with the TPSRV directly mounted in the side (all the way up, of course)


pps. your insurance will NOT cover your damages if the heater fails and subsequently explodes due to your modification which rendered the TEMPERATURE relief inoperative or ineffective

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

packy,

imo: a major issue is the reduction in effective discharge BTU capacity as well as the reduction and serious lag in 'temperature sensitivity/reaction time'

I am sure you will concur that the OP's action is DANGEROUS and needs IMMEDIATE correction !



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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 2 times.

hold onto your hat, my friend from SC... I concur....

O ~ M ~ G

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

How many reasons do you want for it to be illegal. What you have done is converted a T&P safety valve into "P" safety valve.

The flow reduction would be minimal, but the temperature lag would be "infinite" because it will NEVER sense the actual temperature inside the tank.

Do a search on water heater explosions during the last part of the 19th century and early 20th century and how a simple, properly installed T&P valve virtually eliminated these disasters.

There are plenty in the early 21st century if they cannot find the ones from the 20th century.

when superheated water loses its compression it acts ALMOST as an:
BLEVE ~ boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion ~ as it instantaneously flashes into steam which occupies 1,700 times the volume of liquid water

a 30 gal hot water tank has the POTENTIAL of 9.7 lbs of nitroglycerine if superheated to 250 degree F. by a runaway stat ~ then, since water is incompressible, should the safety pop wide open it will flash/BLEVE into steam (the pressure builds due to the dissolved air)

if you still don't get it ~ GOOGLE it

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 4 times.

Wow! Didn't think about the
temperature. I will correct
it right away.
Thanks for the response.



Edited 1 times.

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638