New AS Water way too hot!

[JFScheck]

Originally Posted by tpi

Mine's hot too. But I like it that way because when mixed with very cold water it extends the shower time. I use less hot in the mix.

Second on that - extends the range of my hot water heater by mixing in more cold then hot - 6 gallon feels like 15...

[Gringo]

thats great. I'm glad to hear you like it that way.

I don't.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Gringo

thats great. I'm glad to hear you like it that way.

I don't.

Gringo,

Play with your knobs at the tank.

(will it effect hot & cold?)

[Gringo]

I beg your pardon?....
last time I was playing with knobs behind the tank I got a lecture like you wouldn't believe..Seriously, I won't have my hands on it again until mid August. I'm on an island between the Bahamas and Hispaniola.

[Bill M.]

Ahh, I think I get it. Use the water heater bypass valve as a mix to send both cold water from the line and hot water from the heater to the faucet. Sorta of a mixing valve. Will try that if I get the new water heater to work.

[Gringo]

yeah, thats just the kind of fiddling around I had in mind.

[AirsDream]

Originally Posted by Gringo

thats great. I'm glad to hear you like it that way.

I don't.

You certainly almost never will need water that hot if you stay in the far South. In fact, much of the time you won't need a water heater at all. I only leave mine on for perhaps twenty minutes on the average day, to save propane. (It's not much about the cost, but rather that given where I usually camp, where the trailer lives, etc., it's a couple hour process to go get a tank filled ...)

I thought my water was too hot also until I spent some time in cold weather, with freezing temps ... as someone mentioned above, when your incoming water stream is near freezing, you will want all the hot water you can get to mix with the cold in order to get a decent length shower, not to mention dish washing, etc.

But do check out Wheel Interested's note about the Posi-Temp valve. It could have been delivered mal-adjusted. On my trailer, and in usual camping weather, a good, comfortable temp. for showering, etc. is delivered when the valve is set almost exactly at the halfway point between hot and cold. Nearly at the same precise point as my home shower units, which also have Moen vavles. Works for me. YMMV.

[Gringo]

Well, that might be how it's working but under that scenario, if it's comfy at the half way point then it's potentially scalding when a big walrus of a dude like me bumps the handle all the way over.

I'd be interested in a setting where you could not get uncomfortably hot water out of the spigot no matter what you did with the control.

I don't see the use for scalding water at the faucet. I mean, yeah, 212 degree boiling water does sterilize most bacteria, but that's not what we are talking here, is it.

Does 140 degree water kill any more bacteria than 110 degree water? I suspect not many. Both temperatures are going to thin grease, So what's the point?

Which, come to think of it, is what I am trying to figure out how to do.

[richinny]

there is a lot of temperature info here:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policie...PD2005_344.pdf

[Gringo]

115 deg. in patient accessible places, 140 deg. max in professional situations.

I still don't want 140 degrees (60 C) showering down on my tender untanned parts when my shoulder hits that mixing valve.

[tpi]

Atwood Adjustable T-Stat 93105

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by tpi

Atwood Adjustable T-Stat 93105

Nice find tpi!!!

[Bill M.]

I do not think that will work with the new gas-electric model. I put one of those on my old gas only heater last year. wish I could move it to the new one, but the place for mounting one of those is not on the heater any more. I think maybe the pilot light model comes with an adjustable stat of some sort, but the DSI model does not appear to have one and no place for the thermostat shown in the picture.

[A W Warn]

Gringo,
If your water heater is working within it's normal ranges try adjusting the shower valve. I'm not sure which type faucet came in your trailer, but most shower valves made these days have an anti-scald adjustment made into them. Look at the manual and manufacturer's data sheet to see if your's does.
If it does, it's a simple adjustment. You have to remove the handle from the faucet, remove the escutcheon trim, then adjust the valve limiter to where the max hot water temp suits you (I like 120F max as mandated by building code). I use a cooking thermometer to check while it is flowing. Easy peasy. No more pink behind when you move around in the shower. I'm a big guy too, head touches the top, bottom & arms touch the sides when I move around. DW says it sound like I am wrestling someone in the shower.

I have done this adjustment on a few shower valves myself. (I'm a retired/part time general contractor) If you get this adjusted correctly, the water will still be hot at the sink faucets and the shower's hot water supply will be ample enough for two showers in a row, safely.

I hear there is a tropical storm in the gulf today. Headed inland soon?
Alan

[Brick]

Originally Posted by lewster

There are 2 thermostats available for that unit: 130*F and 140*F. These control the water temps in the tank and the duration of the LP or 120VAC heating cycle.

You should do one of 2 things:

1. have the thermostat changed for the lower temp model...or.......
2. add more cold water into the mix at the faucet.

The second would be my choice!

I have the opposite problem with my Atwood on my 2011 International 25FB. Water heater fires and cycles, but it never gets more than tepid, too cool for dishes or showering! Are the thermostats something I can order and replace myself, or do I have to have a dealer do it?

[Silver Goose]

Always work with power off...

On the Atwood water heaters I've touched (6 gal DSI), there are 2 thermostats behind a black foam rubber cover more or less in the center of the water heater as seen with the front door open. Make a note of which wire goes where. They are typically held in contact with the actual tank surface with a spring and a clip. One thermostat shuts down the gas if the water temp gets too high and functions as a safety backup for the other that is typically set to a temp close to 135°F. They may look similar but the markings on each will reveal its temp setting. These are for gas operation.

For electric if so equipped, there are a similar pair of thermostats on the back side of the tank behind the box where the 110v connection is made. A bit more effort is needed to get to these in most configurations.

If you have a dual mode water heater, the first question is to determine if the water temperature is incorrect in gas or electric mode to decide on which pair of thermostats to inspect..

It the water temp is too high, it could be a faulty thermostat, most likely the primary as the safety is set higher. But it could be that the thermostat is not making good contact with the tank surface and simply positioning it correctly will fix the problem.

If the water temp is too low this could be either thermostat, as either one will shut off the heat. The 1st thing I would check for low hot water temp is the bypass valves. Some water heaters have a 3 valve arrangement in the form of the letter H. If the middle valve was left open, it will mix cold water with the hot water at the output providing warm water. This is an easy fix and is normally noticed after bringing the trailer out of its winter hibernation.

[DaveFL]

Sounds like a job for IR thermometer, HOT would be anything over 110 but by using thermometer you will know exactly where you stand.