Unclogging a mixing valve

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8Muddypaws

8Muddypaws

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Jul 18, 2014
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We have an Attwood G16EXT water heater.  The maximum temprature of water at any faucet in our coach is 106F.  The tank is right around 160F so I suspect the mixing valve is clogged.

This has happened before but for some reason it started functioning normally for several months.

The major,problem is that there is no way to get at the mixing valve without completely removing the water heater.  There isn't enough room to even get a hand in there, much less a wrench.

I'm thinking I might be able to dislodge whatever is stuck in there by draining the WH tank and while it's open backflushing it with fresh water or compressed air through the output port of the valve. 

Worth trying?
 
Do not try this till someone else comments but I kind of wonder what would happen if you ran say five gallons of white viniger through the heater. 

Basically you'd use the winterize line but not bypass the heater.. Drain it, fill it with white vinegar

Remove an areator from a bathroom or kitchen faujet (You will need to do an anti splash) or remove the head from the shower hose (internal or external) and turn on the hot till no more vinegar smell/taste .. Might just de-lime it


Might also damage it.. Which is why I put the caution at the top. I DO Not know if this process is safe.

once you have fresh water replace areator/shower wand. (You want the line to be able to "Blow chunks" of lime)
 
I thought about doing that but wondered if the vinegar might break chunks of lime off the walls of the WH and make the whole system clog up for good.
 
The only possible problem with back flushing is you may have a check valve on the output side of the heater which is used when bypassing.
 
Before you flush, verify that you don't have a shower, including outside,  turned off at the head rather than the valves. If both cold and hot are turned on, the shoeer will work as a mixer.

Ernie
 
That is why I said to remove the shower head (I thought of that too) valid concern I suspect.

My porblem now Is I'm loosing flow on my kitchen facuet.. Near as I can tell only that one faucet.. And save for the wand hose it's all Pex, no "Flexible" no plumbing in a slide out the pinch or anything like that...

Oh well.. I will fix it .. Likely after Christmas due to Pay Day Locations.
 
John From Detroit said:
That is why I said to remove the shower head (I thought of that too) valid concern I suspect.

My porblem now Is I'm loosing flow on my kitchen facuet.. Near as I can tell only that one faucet.. And save for the wand hose it's all Pex, no "Flexible" no plumbing in a slide out the pinch or anything like that...

Oh well.. I will fix it .. Likely after Christmas due to Pay Day Locations.
Click to expand...

Remove the faucet aerator and see if it's clogged.
 
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