Sidearm plumbing questions

[warno]

I want to make sure I get my sidearm plumbed correctly, could someone verify if I'm right or not. Thanks for any help.


Do I plumb the drain of the water heater into the bottom of the sidearm then plumb the top into a tee with the pop off valve?

Now this is my water heater, I know the blue circle is my popoff, but is the red arrow marking my drain?

 

[OH_Varmntr]

They are usually teed into the hot water outlet side of the water heater, then a thermostatic mixing valve installed above it to make sure the hot water from the water heater never gets too hot at the fixtures. Then install a tee on the bottom and reinstall a drain petcock for future use.

 

[warno]

Ok, I'll tie into the hot water port with a tee. Then install the mixing valve. But is the drain the port with the red arrow pointing to it? Just to make sure.


I like my caleffi thermomix valve for my boiler, are their DHW mixing valves good too? I was looking at this one

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Caleffi-521500A-3-4-NPT-MIXCAL-3-Way-Thermostatic-Mixing-Valve-Lead-Free

 

[OH_Varmntr]

It appears the red arrow is pointing to the drain, yes.

Can't say on the Caleffi mixers. I have a Honeywell on my hot water heater and it's been flawless.

 

[maple1]

I have my hot T'd into my blow off port. But my blow off port is in the side of my tank, about a few inches from the top. Was easier to do for me. Might be easier for you too, since it's pretty well on the same side of the tank as the drain.

You also want to get your sidearm as low as you can, and as close to directly in-line with the ports as you can. The less the domestic flow has to go sideways, the better it will work.

 

[warno]

Thanks guys. I plan to build a tube and shell sidearm from stainless steel at work. It will be a piece of 3" pipe for the outter shell with as many 3/8" stainless tubes as I can stuff in it and still have good flow around them. I'll make it as tall as possible too.