Problems with brand new hot water heater


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Old 03-07-08, 06:36 AM
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Problems with brand new hot water heater

I started having problems with my hot water heater a month or so ago. Basically, the hot water would just run out much more quickly than before. I had someone out to look at it and they tried replacing the thermostats and it only made things worse. The tank was about 20 years old so I just went ahead and replaced it with a (slightly larger) tank.

However, my problems now are still worse than they were before. Basically, in order to get the water hot enough to take a shower (and I don't take really hot showers) I have to turn the knob about 80% of the way towards the hot side, whereas before I only had to turn it about 50% of the way. Then, once it's there, the temperature only stats constant for about 2 minutes until it starts getting cold and I have to turn the knob further towards hot. Needless to say, I hit the end fairly quickly and spend most of my shower in lukewarm (at best) water. With my old hot water heater (and every one I've ever used before), the water temperature would stay constant for about 15-20 minutes before I would have to adjust the knob at all if it took that long (this was pre-problem). The new tank is also 10 gallons larger than the old one, so it doesn't make sense to me that it would produce so much less hot water.

I checked the thermostats and they were set on 115, which seems low compared to what I've read online. I cranked both thermostats up to 135 and it helped a little bit, but not much. I know when I call them they're going to give me the "well sir it's only a 40 gallon tank it's not going to give you hot water for an hour" run-around, so I was wondering if any of the knowledgeable folks around here had any insight on the matter?
 
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Old 03-07-08, 05:34 PM
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is it possable that when you had the new tank installed that the cold water supply and hot water out got hooked backwards?....(just a thought)

or have you checked to see if both elements are working...

it may even be that the "dip tube" is broken or unhooked if your tank has one

cold water on some models is piped in halfway up the tank...but inside the tank it is deverted downwards to teh bottom of the tank by the dip tube...if your dip tube is not working your water may be going directly into the middle of the tank and cooling your hot water instead of going to the bottom of the tank and pushing the hot water out of the top of the tank

just a couple of thoughts on your problem
 
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Old 03-07-08, 05:41 PM
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Get a thermometer and check the temp coming out. Pure hot water needs to be hotter than 115º both for bactreriological safety, and for adequate supply. Too hot is dangerous, so 125 or so is a good number.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by billie_boy
is it possable that when you had the new tank installed that the cold water supply and hot water out got hooked backwards?....(just a thought)

or have you checked to see if both elements are working...

it may even be that the "dip tube" is broken or unhooked if your tank has one

cold water on some models is piped in halfway up the tank...but inside the tank it is deverted downwards to teh bottom of the tank by the dip tube...if your dip tube is not working your water may be going directly into the middle of the tank and cooling your hot water instead of going to the bottom of the tank and pushing the hot water out of the top of the tank

just a couple of thoughts on your problem
The diptube is something that they mentioned might be the problem with the original hot water heater as well.

Wouldn't the new heater have a new diptube, or is that something they would've re-used from the old one?
 
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Old 03-09-08, 04:09 PM
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a new heater would have a new dip tube......factory reject maybe but i doubt it

have you checked another tap...when your shower turns cold..jump out and try teh hot water tap at the sink...coult it be you have a scald protecting mixing valve on your shower tap and it is malfunctioning?

you need to make sure that when your shower runs out of hot water...the whole house is out of hot water..check a few taps with a thermometer and then you will know for sure if your problem is just at the shower or elsewhere as well...that may help you to start looking in the right spot for your problem
 
 

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