Quetions about water heater pressure relief valve

[johnhyatt]

A plumber has installed a peculiar brass T on the relief valve pipe exiting out of the top of a common domestic 50 gallon water. The gas supply line has been routed up to the relief valve pipe and routed through the two open ends of the T and back down to the normal gas connection. The brass T and the gas routing is something I have never seen before. Is this T device something that I am unaware of or is the plumber completely insane? Does anyone have an explanation or does this water pressure relief valve/gas line intersection seem as cockeyed as it does to me?

[Joseph Meehan]

I have not heard of it, but maybe it is some sort of local code requiring a gas shut off in the event of a over heating situation where the TP valve it tripped.

[trader4]

I've never heard of it either. And I'm having a tough time visualizing this. How exactly is the T device connected to the water heater? Does it have a normal TPR valve or does this device replace that? Is there the normal water discharge pipe connected and to what? A pic of this would be interesting.

[johnhyatt]