Hot water doesn't work when sprinklers run...help please

[BrokeLoser]

Hello everyone....newbie here.
I have a weird problem...when my sprinklers run my hot water doesn't work. The cold seems to work fine.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[johnjh2o]

It's hard to say without seeing how it's piped. Could you post a picture?

John

 

[IFIXH20]

What do you mean by hot water doesn't work -- the water temp is not hot or you have low hot water pressure. Are you on city or well water, What type of water piping do you have in your home ? Sorry for all the question.

 

[IFIXH20]

John, you are officially the fastest key boardest in the east.

 

[Henrikus]

Hello everyone....newbie here.
I have a weird problem...when my sprinklers run my hot water doesn't work. The cold seems to work fine.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Is your hot water using gas water heater, electric or other?

 

[BrokeLoser]

What do you mean by hot water doesn't work -- the water temp is not hot or you have low hot water pressure. Are you on city or well water, What type of water piping do you have in your home ? Sorry for all the question.

The hot water barely dribbles out of any faucet in the house.
We're on city water
Piping: Copper / under slab

Thanks

 

[BrokeLoser]

Is your hot water using gas water heater, electric or other?

Yep, gas water heater

 

[BrokeLoser]

It's hard to say without seeing how it's piped. Could you post a picture?

John

What exactly should I take a picture of?

 

[johnjh2o]

Where are the sprinklers connected at? Do they connect to the main inside or outside of the house? What is the size of the line there connected to? And what size line is run to the sprinklers?

John

 

[BrokeLoser]

Where are the sprinklers connected at? Do they connect to the main inside or outside of the house? What is the size of the line there connected to? And what size line is run to the sprinklers?

John

They are connected to the main outside the house.
Sorry but I haven't looked at the line in a while but if I remember it right the line is 1 1/4 or 1 1/2.
The lines to the sprinklers are 3/4

Thanks

 

[johnjh2o]

You got me on this one. I can see pressure drops in both hot and cold but can't understand it being just the hot. There must be something I'm missing here. Hopefully someone else on here will have a answer for you.

John

 

[BrokeLoser]

You got me on this one. I can see pressure drops in both hot and cold but can't understand it being just the hot. There must be something I'm missing here. Hopefully someone else on here will have a answer for you.

John

Yeah, I hear ya. I'm totally stumped on this as well.

 

[johnjh2o]

If you cover my air ticket I'll take a look at it for you.

John

 

[stevemachine]

The only thing I could possibly think of that could cause this is if your line tees off to the sprinkler before it tees off to the water heater and there being some sort of blockage in between the tees. I mean water will take the path of least resistance. But again it really depends on how it's piped cause if it tees off the the water heater before the sprinkler it wouldn't make sense. Has it been doing this for a while or just all the sudden? I've never heard of this happening before.

 

[johnjh2o]

The only thing I could possibly think of that could cause this is if your line tees off to the sprinkler before it tees off to the water heater and there being some sort of blockage in between the tees. I mean water will take the path of least resistance. But again it really depends on how it's piped cause if it tees off the the water heater before the sprinkler it wouldn't make sense. Has it been doing this for a while or just all the sudden? I've never heard of this happening before.

For that to happen there would have to be two feeds to the home for the cold water and the other directly to the water heater. Doesn't make sense. Unless the heater isn't in the house.

John

 

[stevemachine]

Fair enough John. That is true

 

[phishfood]

^300 Man!!!!

 

[IFIXH20]

Do you have a gate valve above the water heater ,if so the gate could be partically close. What about dielectric unions above the water heater,they could be partically block. This could cause low pressure when the sprinkler turn on.

 

[johnjh2o]

Do you have a gate valve above the water heater ,if so the gate could be partically close. What about dielectric unions above the water heater,they could be partically block. This could cause low pressure when the sprinkler turn on.

You may be right, but he would have volume problems on the hot even when the sprinklers we off. Although they may not be as noticeable. I'm all over the place on this one. Time for my night cap.

John

 

[stevemachine]

Haha you know it phishfood, best auger out there. We use the 300 and the 100 for 1 1/2 or 2" lines. They are amazing.