TPR Valve Queastion

Stephen G Sheldon · 11-16-2009, 02:30 PM

Attached is a connection to a TPR valve. My question is whether or not the valve shown in the picture is legal or proper. It is my undersatnding that there are to be no valves connected to a TPR. Anyone know the answer?

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**John Arnold** · 11-16-2009, 02:34 PM

No way. No how. Plus, the drain pipe isn't allowed to go up, which it seems to be doing.

**Rick Cantrell** · 11-16-2009, 03:13 PM

John
Don't be so sure, Georgia has some amendments that address this.

SECTION 504
SAFETY DEVICES

*Revise Section 504.6.1 ‘Discharge’ of the Georgia Amendments revised January 1, 2002 and rename ‘Relief discharge.’
504.6.1 Relief discharge. The relief valve shall discharge full size, separately to a safe place of disposal such as a concrete floor, outside the building, an indirect waste receptor, or other approved location. The discharge shall terminate in a manner that does not cause injury to occupants in the immediate area or structural damage to the building. The discharge pipe shall not be trapped. When the relief valve discharge piping goes upward a thermal expansion control device shall be installed on the cold water distribution or service pipe in accordance with Section 607.3.2 (GA Amendments). Provisions shall be made at the low point to drain the trapped portion of the discharge pipe.
(Effective January 1, 2005)

I'm not sure if that amendment is still in use.

**Jerry McCarthy** · 11-16-2009, 05:35 PM

At least its not a deadly as this home made IED !!!

**John Arnold** · 11-16-2009, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

...The discharge pipe shall not be trapped....Provisions shall be made at the low point to drain the trapped portion of the discharge pipe.

Whaaa?

**Rick Cantrell** · 11-17-2009, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

...The discharge pipe shall not be trapped....Provisions shall be made at the low point to drain the trapped portion of the discharge pipe.

Whaaa?

Hey, I didn't write it, I just posted it!

Lawrence Transue · 11-17-2009, 05:42 AM

No question this is incorrect.

Assuming a home owner installed this, it would be interesting to ask them what they were thinking?

**Rick Cantrell** · 11-17-2009, 06:48 AM

Lawrence
Not so fast.

John
I found the current version of the amendment

504.6 Requirements for discharge piping. The relief valve shall discharge full size, separately to a safe place of disposal such as a concrete floor, outside the building, an indirect waste receptor, or other approved location. The discharge shall terminate in a manner that does not cause injury to occupants in the immediate area or structural damage to the building. When the relief valve discharge piping goes upward, a thermal expansion control device shall be installed on the cold water distribution or service pipe in accordance with Section 607.3.2. If the discharge pipe is trapped, provisions shall be made to drain the low point of the trapped portion of the discharge pipe.
(Effective January 1, 2007)

**Jerry Peck** · 11-17-2009, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

If the discharge pipe is trapped, provisions shall be made to drain the low point of the trapped portion of the discharge pipe.
(Effective January 1, 2007)

Rick,

My reading of that does not allow a valve there, it requires "provisions shall be made to drain" the low point, i.e., the low point "shall" have an always open drain line attached which drains to (where?).

**John Kogel** · 11-17-2009, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Rick,

My reading of that does not allow a valve there, it requires "provisions shall be made to drain" the low point, i.e., the low point "shall" have an always open drain line attached which drains to (where?).

Well then it would not be a trap, it would be a drain with a redundant extension going back up.

Come to think of it, a trap doesn't need a drain, a trap is designed to trap water. They might have said it needs to be provided with a cleanout, but ...... That whole rule seems rediculous. What are they thinking?

**John Dirks Jr** · 11-17-2009, 06:39 PM

Is that valve actually capable of cutting off flow of a TPR discharge? I'm not sure it is. I know it's wrong but the type of valve and its location doesnt look like it would block the discharge. I could be wrong.

**Matthew Barnicle** · 11-17-2009, 07:33 PM

I don't think the manufacturer allows them to be trapped and the manufacturer specs should override the code.

Cobra Cook · 11-18-2009, 09:18 AM

The valve shown is only for draining from pop off?, looks like serves no other function, maybe they wanted to check the pop off for leaking, as the main line may go to where it could not be monitored. Other than that It does not affect or restrict the the pop off main line.

**John Kogel** · 11-18-2009, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cobra Cook

The valve shown is only for draining from pop off?, looks like serves no other function, maybe they wanted to check the pop off for leaking, as the main line may go to where it could not be monitored. Other than that It does not affect or restrict the the pop off main line.

Most people will agree that the discharge line should just go down, straight down if possible, as called for by the manufacturers. There is no need to route the pipe upwards, even in a basement. Put a pan under it if you like. The rule was written by a clueless bureaucrat and really should have been scrapped instead of amended. JMO.