Water valve for heater---can you buy one....

[BobT-47P15]

......at the hardware store? Or at an auto supply?

Just the simple one like this...

[Young Ed]

Napa has them. Part # is found on the home page

[daddyo23]

I just got one from Napa. $20

[BobT-47P15]

Thanks, guys.

[Don Coatney]

I went for functionality not originality. I installed a ball valve.

Cost me nothing as I had it left over from a plumbing job

several years ago.

[BobT-47P15]

Don, I hope that bend in your heater hose is not a sharp as it appears.

That might slow down the flow of hot water to your heater.

I see the practicality of your valve.......just not too crazy about it's

appearance. I do like to turn off the water to the heater in the summer

and turn it back on when winter begins. The original style of valve is

ok for what I do. Just need a better one now.

[Young Ed]

Don I hope you have to lift up on the handle to turn the flow on otherwise I'll have to report you for a code violation

[Don Coatney]

Don I hope you have to lift up on the handle to turn the flow on otherwise I'll have to report you for a code violation

Geez, never thought about that. Glad we dont get cold weather here in Tennessee.

Would that be the plumbers code or the POC code:cool:

[Young Ed]

The valve itself violates POC code. The handle if backwards is plumbers code. Jeez i thought everyone knew that

[BobT-47P15]

Went to one of our friendly local O'Reilly Automotive stores, took the old

valve for show & tell. The first one the young man found was similar,

except that it had a round handle like you see on an outside faucet at

your house.....or maybe on the hookups for the washing machine.

I said "no thanks" - don't care for the looks of that one. It was about

$21.

So, before leaving I spoke to one of the older guys who's been there

a long time. He grabbed the book of older style stuff from the shelf,

looked in the valve section, and found one that looked like mine, with

the "T" type handle. Looked on the computer and said they should

have one in stock. Went & got it.......looks like a match.....and the

price was only $10.23 including sales tax.

The valve is a Murray brand, stock # 84703.

Hopefully it will be the correct fit when I go to put it on the head.

Will find out tonight.

With this style of valve.......I don't have to be concerned about "code violations".

[TodFitch]

<snip>

So, before leaving I spoke to one of the older guys who's been there a long time. He grabbed the book of older style stuff from the shelf, looked in the valve section, and found one that looked like mine, with the "T" type handle. Looked on the computer and said they should have one in stock. Went & got it.......looks like a match.....and the price was only $10.23 including sales tax.

The valve is a Murray brand, stock # 84703.

<snip>

It does pay to have a store with "older guys" and paper catalogs in your area. I try to do all my automotive parts shopping at the one near me (happens to be "Bob's Auto Supply") even for things like oil and antifreeze that might be a bit cheaper in the big box chain auto supply down the street just to help them stay in business.

[BobT-47P15]

The O'Reilly Automotive chain originated in Springfield, MO.......about 70

miles from here. Started in 1957. There was Charles O'Reilly, the father, and

Charles H. O'Reilly, the son. One of my high school

classmates was married to the daughter of Charlie O'Reilly....

the son. My classmate passed away a few years ago in his late 50s.

When I moved here in 1968 there was only one store. I became

acquainted with the fellows there - they were good guys. Some

have retired, some have gone to other jobs, and a couple still work

there. One fellow, now retired, painted the convert the first time.

There are now 4 stores in Joplin.

As time progressed, O'Reillys would buy the local parts store

in a small town here and there to expand the chain. Now, they

have become multi-state and more national in their scope, with 1830 stores.

Link to a history of the company: http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/History.do

[Captain Neon]

Bob, thanks for getting that part number for me. I will place an order for the very same thing next time that I am at my local O'Reilly's. My P15 had one, but it disappeared after having the head gasket replaced a few years ago, and I didn't notice until it was too late.

[BobT-47P15]

Went out to the garage this morning and tried the valve for fit in a

spare head----it does work ok. The threads in the head were rusty,

so I used a little penetrating oil and worked the valve back and forth

for a while to get it tightened down.

[James_Douglas]

Take a look at what I did here....James

http://www.dacoglu.com/cooling.htm