Odd recirc pump

[homnspector]

Has anybody seen a recirculating pump set up like this? It is kind of Photochopped together

Download Attachment: Recircloop.jpg

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I can't figure how the water gets back to the water heater.

At the top, the pipe is teed off from the hot water line, then the pump, then disappears into the wall, no return line that I could find so I am guessing the pipe in the wall connects to a hot water line at the far end of the house. If so, it is drawing water from the hot side and circulating it back to the hot side, not the water heater. Doesn't seem like that would work, the same water going around in a loop.

What is the gadget at the top with the Schrader valve? There is also a thermostatic control in addition to a timer at the pump receptacle.

[hausdok]

It's someone's idea of a hot water loop so that someone at the far end of the house doesn't have to wait for hot water. Looks like it was engineered by someone's granddaddy who was a depression child and didn't want to spring for a plumber.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Terence McCann]

If it's for the hot water tank and is piped as you say it is, it's incorrect.

Attached is a diagram of how a circ pump should be installed.

Download Attachment: recirc.gif

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[bandag]

That thing at the top is an air bleed valve commonly seen on hot water furnaces, never saw one on a hot water heater before. just unscrew the cap and take a nail (or similar object) and push down on the valve core and any air will come out along with a shot of water. be careful