Well...sort of. At least the problem no longer exists. I removed the
stop valves, checked both them and the flexible tubing to the Moen and
could not find any evidence of blockages. Still, I replaced the old
style stop valves with ball types. At some point while I was testing
the flow with aerator in place the flow stopped completely. The
aerator was clogged with white, hard debris, assumed to be calcium.
I have no idea where in the system this was originally lodged, but I
now have full pressure on both hot and cold sides. (I guess I would
still suspect the cartridge itself although it was thoroughly
inspected and is clear plastic so any debris should have been
detected.)
The perplexing part is the water comes from a reservoir not a
well and should be very soft.
Was this calcium or something else, and if calcium, why?
Thanks all for prior help.
Frank

?
"frank1492" wrote in message
...
Well...sort of. At least the problem no longer exists. I removed the
stop valves, checked both them and the flexible tubing to the Moen and
could not find any evidence of blockages. Still, I replaced the old
style stop valves with ball types. At some point while I was testing
the flow with aerator in place the flow stopped completely. The
aerator was clogged with white, hard debris, assumed to be calcium.
I have no idea where in the system this was originally lodged, but I
now have full pressure on both hot and cold sides. (I guess I would
still suspect the cartridge itself although it was thoroughly
inspected and is clear plastic so any debris should have been
detected.)
The perplexing part is the water comes from a reservoir not a
well and should be very soft.
Was this calcium or something else, and if calcium, why?
Thanks all for prior help.
Frank

That makes sense. Ever pull the anode of you water heater? We did that on
one at work recently and it was covered with white crud that looks like
calcium. There was a recent thread about all of this a couple of weeks ago.
My guess is that a glob of crud was hiding, possibly in the valve body of
the shut off and slowing flow.

I suggest you flush the water heater as they often have deposits on the
bottom.

On Jan 18, 10:24*pm, frank1492 wrote:
Well...sort of. *At least the problem no longer exists. I removed the
stop valves, checked both them and the flexible tubing to the Moen and
could not find any evidence of blockages. Still, I replaced the old
style stop valves with ball types. At some point while I was testing
the flow with aerator in place the flow stopped completely. The
aerator was clogged with white, hard debris, assumed to be calcium.
I have no idea where in the system this was originally lodged, but I
now have full pressure on both hot and cold sides. (I guess I would
still suspect the cartridge itself although it was thoroughly
inspected and is clear plastic so any debris should have been
detected.)
* * *The perplexing part is the water comes from a reservoir not a
well and should be very soft.
* * *Was this calcium or something else, and if calcium, why?
* * *Thanks all for prior help.
* * * * * Frank

That white hard debris may be the remnants of the tube from inside
your hot water heater.

Please recall this is a Marathon all-plastic heater. I assume the
above comments still apply.

?
"frank1492" wrote in message
...
Please recall this is a Marathon all-plastic heater. I assume the
above comments still apply.

If the minerals (or whatever solids) come from the water, they still apply.

frank1492 wrote:
Please recall this is a Marathon all-plastic heater. I assume the
above comments still apply.

There was a problem some years ago where dip tubes in water heaters
disintegrated (recalls resulted). If the particles are plastic (do they melt?)
that could be the problem. The next result would be not enough hot water before
it cools off.

On Jan 19, 12:39*am, "Bob F" wrote:
frank1492 wrote:
Please recall this is a Marathon all-plastic heater. I assume the
above comments still apply.

There was a problem some years ago where dip tubes in water heaters
disintegrated (recalls resulted). If the particles are plastic (do they melt?)
that could be the problem. The next result would be not enough hot water before
it cools off.

I had one of those suckers. I tried to get in the recall but got
told my heater wasn't supposed to have that problem. But it did and I
took what was left of the white plastic dip tube out which was
practically nothing and drained a ton of white bits the size of large
grains of sand out of it. It was interesting how the tube seemed to
uniformly disintigrate into the same sized grains.

It was pretty easy to tell these were not calcium. They were more of
a bone white.

On Jan 18, 9:24*pm, frank1492 wrote:
Well...sort of. *At least the problem no longer exists. I removed the
stop valves, checked both them and the flexible tubing to the Moen and
could not find any evidence of blockages. Still, I replaced the old
style stop valves with ball types. At some point while I was testing
the flow with aerator in place the flow stopped completely. The
aerator was clogged with white, hard debris, assumed to be calcium.
I have no idea where in the system this was originally lodged, but I
now have full pressure on both hot and cold sides. (I guess I would
still suspect the cartridge itself although it was thoroughly
inspected and is clear plastic so any debris should have been
detected.)
* * *The perplexing part is the water comes from a reservoir not a
well and should be very soft.
* * *Was this calcium or something else, and if calcium, why?
* * *Thanks all for prior help.
* * * * * Frank

By stop valves, do you mean what are commonly called shutoffs?

Unfortunately the aerator containing the bits went out in the trash,
but my recollection is that the debris looked exactly as you describe
it- large grain of sand size, bone white. Trying to melt them would
have cliched it.
What should I do at this point? The water temp seems fine.
Thanks all for your help.
Frank




On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 04:39:13 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

On Jan 19, 12:39*am, "Bob F" wrote:
frank1492 wrote:
Please recall this is a Marathon all-plastic heater. I assume the
above comments still apply.

There was a problem some years ago where dip tubes in water heaters
disintegrated (recalls resulted). If the particles are plastic (do they melt?)
that could be the problem. The next result would be not enough hot water before
it cools off.

I had one of those suckers. I tried to get in the recall but got
told my heater wasn't supposed to have that problem. But it did and I
took what was left of the white plastic dip tube out which was
practically nothing and drained a ton of white bits the size of large
grains of sand out of it. It was interesting how the tube seemed to
uniformly disintigrate into the same sized grains.

It was pretty easy to tell these were not calcium. They were more of
a bone white.

Yes, shutoff. I have seen right angle ones referred to as "angle
stops."



On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:12:03 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Jan 18, 9:24*pm, frank1492 wrote:
Well...sort of. *At least the problem no longer exists. I removed the
stop valves, checked both them and the flexible tubing to the Moen and
could not find any evidence of blockages. Still, I replaced the old
style stop valves with ball types. At some point while I was testing
the flow with aerator in place the flow stopped completely. The
aerator was clogged with white, hard debris, assumed to be calcium.
I have no idea where in the system this was originally lodged, but I
now have full pressure on both hot and cold sides. (I guess I would
still suspect the cartridge itself although it was thoroughly
inspected and is clear plastic so any debris should have been
detected.)
* * *The perplexing part is the water comes from a reservoir not a
well and should be very soft.
* * *Was this calcium or something else, and if calcium, why?
* * *Thanks all for prior help.
* * * * * Frank

By stop valves, do you mean what are commonly called shutoffs?