# Water Heater TP Valve



## Jack_Clark (Sep 30, 2008)

Hey Plumbers,

My father inlaw hired a plumber to do the installation of a new water heater here in California. The permit was pulled and not finaled due to the lack of running the TP overflow to the appropriate outlet. The guy just left it hanging off the side with a 4 foot stick of 3/4" CPVC. His words were "sometimes they will sign this off".

My question is; should'nt he (the plumber) be the one responsible to run the TP overflow outside the dwelling if he pulled the permit? He now wants to charge extra to do the run. I always use 3/4" copper when I do the run. Is CPVC acceptable for this?? I thought CPVC was only used for the smitty pan drip. 

Any input here would be usefull as I want to tell the guy to stick it up his &^%$. My TP valve is ready to burst. :furious:

Thanks
Jack


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Call your local plumbing inspector.


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## Snow Man (Aug 18, 2008)

Normal practice.

As long as junior doesn't get scolded.


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## JamesNLA (Jun 2, 2006)

As of Jan 1 of 2008 CPVC is now an acceptable of single and multi-family dwellings. Yes, CPVC can be used for the TnP relief valve. Assuming the HWH is in the garage on its pedistal, it can terminate on the garage floor slab, no more than 6" above the grade. It may not terminate in a smitty pan. Smitty pan may be pipped in PVC to outdoors. Unless it's a real bit*h to get to, I always pipe the Tnp and catch pan to the outside grade. Get the inspector out there and he will / should fail it. Than take him to court for what you paid him. Or you could complain to the: http://www.cslb.ca.gov/default.asp


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## Jack_Clark (Sep 30, 2008)

James,
Thanks for the thorough and detailed response there. That's exactly what I was looking for. The above responses were ohh... lets say a little "vague". 
As for the new 2008 code regarding CPVC and were it can be terminated in a garage, do you have that particular code link available. I have been searching for it with no luck. 

On another note if you were installing a water heater for a customer with a contract and permit shouldn't this be your responsibility to make sure it passed before you were paid? I think this guy is just trying to get off the hook for the TnP. 
Thanks again


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## Forry (Feb 12, 2007)

I always remove those pesky things and cap off the hole. Why do the extra plumbing?


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## MACPLUMB (Jan 8, 2008)

*Ware heater t & p valve*

*SO THE OTHER QUESTION IS DID HE INSTALL A*
*THERMAL EXPANSION TANK PER CODE ? ? :whistling*


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## Jack_Clark (Sep 30, 2008)

:yawn:


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## protechplumbing (Oct 10, 2008)

I think it's cute how you call the heater pan a "smitty pan".

A heater pan and a smittypan are two different things. In fact, they are nothing alike. A smitty pan isn't even a "pan". It's a cover plate. The company that makes them is called "smitty pan" if I'm not mistaken. It's used to cover the hole made in the tile when converting from 3 handle t/s valve to a single handle valve or similar conversions. It has nothing to do with water heaters.


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## Jack_Clark (Sep 30, 2008)

In California it's called a Smitty Pan.


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## protechplumbing (Oct 10, 2008)

We call the cover plates "smitty pans" because they are made by smitty pan manufacturing company. As far as I know they only make shower valve cover plates. Because it's a plate and not a pan, some use the slang "smitty plate"


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## Jack_Clark (Sep 30, 2008)

Like I said previously....In California they are called Smitty Pans  Notice #4


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## protechplumbing (Oct 10, 2008)

Off topic: What's up with the ground jumper on the water heater in the diagram?


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## JamesNLA (Jun 2, 2006)

protechplumbing said:


> Off topic: What's up with the ground jumper on the water heater in the diagram?


 
It's a bonding jumper. Used to bond the hot water side of the metalic piping system. It's a safety feature to bond the entire water piping system, not just the cold side. This is common to see in newer NC building. Expect to see things like this on water softeners too.

As for the Smitty Pan, I just installed one yesterday and looked at the label. It clearly states Smitty Pan, by Smitty Pan Inc. As long as I have been plumbing, they are always called smitty pans. Some call them catch pans, but mainly smitty pan. I took a pic...but I just don't care to go to the truck and get the camera...load it to the computer, than upload it to the image hosting than post a link.....It's called a smitty pan.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

"Smitty Pan Manufacturing (Water Heater Mart)
Is This Your Company?

1927 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, CA 90717-2647 (Map)

Phone: (310) 326-4224

*Also Does Business As:Water Heater Mart
*
SIClumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning

Line of Businesslumbing/Heating/Air Cond Contractor Ret Misc Merchandise"


Would seem to indicate some relationship
to water heaters. :whistling


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## protechplumbing (Oct 10, 2008)

I thought the jumper was used to keep the ground wire tied to municipal system. I've only seen them on water softeners installed on metallic systems. I didn't think the hot side has any use in grounding. I guess it does make sense though. The more pipe surface area the better.


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## JamesNLA (Jun 2, 2006)

Plumbers have been killed when idiots decide to energize a ground wire that is tied into the piping system. They have a leak....you come out and crawl under the house where it is wet...you touch the pipe, you have a funeral in about a week.


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