Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-16-2015, 10:50 AM   #1
New Member
 
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Portland , Oregon
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2
Shower temperature fluctuates

I have a few month old 2014 19' Flying Could and when I take a "Navy" shower (stopping the water flow at the shower head), my water temperature fluctuates greatly. I turn the water on and adjust the temperature, then turn it off at the shower head--when I go to turn it back on (after a minute or two), the water starts off warm and then turns very cold. After about 5 to 10 seconds, it will get very hot and then settle to the "normal" temperature where I had set it.

I've taken it into the dealer a couple of times and they have not been able to fix it. Now, I just got a call with the "everything is working as designed" message. This can't be right; can it??? I've never had this happen on any other rv or trailer I've owned or been in.

Thank you for your help.

Bill
BillyAir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 11:00 AM   #2
Rivet Master
 
Remax gal's Avatar
 
2014 27' FB Eddie Bauer
Lake Placid , Florida
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 641
We have a 2014 Eddie Bauer and ours does the same thing. I almost hate taking a Navy shower for that reason!


Laura & Tom
__________________
Let the good times roll!! Laura
Remax gal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 11:56 AM   #3
Rivet Master
 
dznf0g's Avatar
 
2007 30' Classic
Oswego , Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
Images: 5
I wonder if the addition of the mixing valve on the water heater is a good idea....except for the scalding potential. Mine doesn't have it and I have never experienced either slow running hot water nor the temp fluctuation.

However, there are two examples of situations that are normal. If you do not have a quick shutoff on the shower hose line...and shut off the water during your shower with the main faucet, you pass from warm through cold to off. then the reverse...cold to warm when you turn it on. This causes a section of line to have a "bubble" of cold water in it and you will get a little shock. It's also kind of hard to get the main faucet in exactly the same spot as you previously adjusted. For this I'd recommend a hose shutoff like this:

Newport Brass 216 Shower Volume Control - Home By Decor

Shop for your color and price.

The second situation is normal also, but less of a "shock". When navy showering, when the water is off, the line from the heater to the shower cools off. In my unit, the line runs under the floor across the trailer. If it's cold under there, I get a shot of cool, but not cold water when I turn it back on. That one isn't even a concern for me, but the hand held hose shutoff is a BIG improvement.
__________________
-Rich-

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
dznf0g is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 12:13 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
Skater's Avatar
 
1995 30' Excella
Bowie , Maryland
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,345
Our trailer has done that a few times, but yours sounds much more constant. I've never been able to figure out why it does it sometimes and not others, but I do know it only does it when we're using the pump.

My guess is that the changing water pressure (as the pump cycles on and off) means that the shower gets more hot water sometimes. I know it SHOULD be even pressure in both hot and cold systems, but maybe something in how the camper is plumbed (a couple extra elbows for the water heater, for example) means the cold side can build up a bit more pressure...
__________________
1995 Airstream Classic 30' Excella 1000
2014 Ram 2500 Crew Cab with Cummins 6.7L Diesel

Sold but not forgotten: 1991 Airstream B190
Sold: 2006 F-250 6.0L Powerstroke Supercab
Skater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 12:31 PM   #5
Rivet Master
 
AWCHIEF's Avatar
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi , Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
Images: 33
My previous shower head would do the same. I now use a Oxygenics with the trickle button and no longer have that inconvience.
__________________
MICHAEL

Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
AWCHIEF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 01:28 PM   #6
New Member
 
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Portland , Oregon
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2
Thanks everybody. I am using the shut off on the shower head and not the main faucet. It is definitely every time I take a shower. I can't believe that the water is cooling off in the line--simply not off long enough--plus it is COLD, not cool. It really is disappointing considering I have never experienced this in other rv's before...
BillyAir is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 01:35 PM   #7
Rivet Master
 
AnnArborBob's Avatar
 
2014 27' FB Eddie Bauer
Chelsea , Michigan
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,792
Images: 12
If your problem is "normal" per your dealer, then we have an abnormal 2014 Eddie Bauer. In our unit, the water maintains its temperature very well, even when shutting off briefly for the Navy Shower thing. I suspect you have a bad mixing valve in your unit. Ask them to change it for you or do it yourself.
__________________
Bob Martel
WBCCI# 5766
AnnArborBob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 01:45 PM   #8
Rivet Master
 
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia , Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
My 2014 FC 20' behaves exactly the same way. I think it has something to do with the hot water mixing valve at the water heater which is supposed to keep the temperature of the water cooled down to a safe level while allowing the water heater to run at a high temp. When that is combined with the considerably different lengths of pipe to the shower in the cold side vs. the hot side the temp of the water simply varies too much. I am not sure that there is a universal solution to the problem as each model of trailer has a different pipe layout and length.

I am not happy with mine, but live with it.
idroba is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 01:49 PM   #9
Rivet Master
 
Foiled Again's Avatar
 
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach , Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
Stupid button! Naw... haste makes waste!

Curse internet shopping. When I added the Oxygenics head onto #2 (Safari) in 2006 it had a collar to regulate flow from bare trickle up to full force. When I put one in #3 (EB) it came with the pop on/pop off button which I liked a lot less. The other model is still around but most internet text is too limited to tell you the differences between model numbers.

Horror story. I had to run into work on an emergency and jumped out of the shower leaving a mess... and leaving the shower head lying in my "bucket of shampoo, etc". I didn't notice it was on trickle instead of turned OFF. Came back 9 hours later. I'd drained the black tank just before getting the call... I took a 2 minute shower and ran... and didn't change the valves back so the black was open and the gray was shut.... and when I got back the gray tank had filled and the shower had filled...
and when I went in the jiggling caused a slop of water to go into the hallway!

I like to wrap up in a big bath sheet when I get out of the shower - man those things will catch a ton of water in an emergency. I immediately realized what had happened and ran for the gray tank valve. A few more minutes woulda been major flood!

Now, I always hang the shower head up, no matter how much of a hurry I'm in. The button works, but boy make sure it's OFF before departing. When I do boondock it bothers me that it takes over a gallon of water to go through the shower head to get warm water. I have occasionally filled a pot with the cold water, to save to wash dishes, etc.

Paula
__________________
Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.
Foiled Again is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 01:57 PM   #10
4 Rivet Member
 
Currently Looking...
ottawa (greely) , Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 390
Blog Entries: 1
My previous 2012 19 flying cloud would be a bit cooler when using the shut off on the shower head when taking a navy shower ,but not cold and then when turned back on not burning hot , although we only used the shower maybe 5 times and when I cycled the on off on the shower head it was not more then 1 minute and this was when outside temperature was around 75 f hope this helps .

Don
__________________
2012 silverado ext cab 4x4 ,5.3 L , 6 speed trans,3:42 final drive,tow package standard box 6 1/2 foot . 2014 honda forza 300 scooter, #2 2015 honda crf 250 L (Dual sport)
scamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 02:19 PM   #11
Rivet Master
 
KJRitchie's Avatar
 
2008 25' Classic
Full Time , Texas
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,309
Is the shower valve one those that you can set the maximum temperature when turned all the way to hot to prevent scalding? Maybe you need to adjust it so when the valve is all the way to the end of the hot zone it is comfortably warm.

Mine is like that and I don't experience fluctuations to cold. I have to turn my faucet all the way off since I don't have a shower head with a on/off valve when taking a navy shower. When turning it back on I move the handle quickly to its stop on the hot side.

I only leave it off for less than a minute typically.

Kelvin
KJRitchie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 02:22 PM   #12
2 Rivet Member
 
peetoe's Avatar
 
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Park City , Utah
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 27
Mine does it as well. Drives my wife nuts. Would love to hear a solution
peetoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 03:08 PM   #13
Rivet Master
 
dznf0g's Avatar
 
2007 30' Classic
Oswego , Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
Images: 5
Let me ask a question. Someone on here stated in another thread that the newer water heaters (with a mixing valve) heat to a higher temp than the old ones. Is that true? If so, is the temp adjustable?

My understanding of others' opinions is that the theory is that, with a mixing valve and higher water temp, one can use more water volume without running out of hot water.

If they are adjustable, I'd turn it down and eliminate the mixing valve. They are an occasional problem....and inevitable, IMO.

I can get a bit over two showers with the old non-mixing valve, 6 gallon units before the water gets luke warm.

If there are just two of you, or back to back multiple showers are not needed, why have it?
__________________
-Rich-

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
dznf0g is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 03:26 PM   #14
Rivet Master
 
terryV's Avatar
 
2002 31' Classic
Currently Looking...
Monroe , Iowa
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 649
Hmmm... interesting. My Southwind MH did that from the day it was new. I turned the head so it did not spray on me while I waited for the warm water to come back.

My '02 Classic does not do it. I was pleasantly surprised, thinking how great Airstream quality is.
terryV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 03:50 PM   #15
Rivet Master
 
lsbrodsky's Avatar
 
2012 25' FB International
Trent Woods , North Carolina
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,120
The temp out of the water heater is not adjustable like it is on a home unit.
Larry
lsbrodsky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2015, 04:13 PM   #16
4 Rivet Member
 
The Ice Man's Avatar
 
2011 27 FB International
Tucson , Arizona
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 258
FWIW
Part of the problem may be the way you initially arrive at your own perfect temperature. Virtually all RV systems suffer from some version of this behavior. The solution from the Beaver site, many years ago, was as follows:
1) Turn on the water full hot
2) add cold - rotate the single lever control in newer AS - until your temperature preference is reached.

Use the Navy Shower Button

BTW some complain that the shower drips when the button is "on." This is by design to remind you the water isn't off and to help you remember to avoid Paula's problem (we all been there, Paula).
The Ice Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Shower water temperature fluctuations Okiestreamer Sinks, Showers & Toilets 1 09-19-2014 09:32 PM
application temperature for vulkem bhsl8 Leaks - Weatherstrips, Gaskets, Caulks & Sealants 10 02-25-2007 09:35 AM
Temperature Gauge cookieduster1 Mechanics Corner - Engines, Transmission & More... 5 04-26-2003 06:50 PM
Wheel Bearing Temperature Road Ruler Axles 23 10-16-2002 08:54 AM
Wheel Hub Temperature 74Tradewind Axles 4 07-23-2002 07:26 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.