Hot water issues in 2020 Basecamp?

[D Shauberger]

We have 3 trips in our 2020 Basecamp and have had issues with hot water on all of them.

In short - the shower will be super hot for a few seconds, followed by very cold - then super hot and very cold. I can't seem to find a setting to just keep a warm shower.

We've run it on shore power all electric as well as all gas. Typically have the heat off and the water temp on hot. This has happened on both city water and using the fresh water tanks with the water pump on. The by pass vale is in the correct (non-winterize) setting.

Any ideas? It's hard to take a shower with the extreme water temp swings.

Thanks for helping this newbee!

[mango315]

Originally Posted by D Shauberger

We have 3 trips in our 2020 Basecamp and have had issues with hot water on all of them.

In short - the shower will be super hot for a few seconds, followed by very cold - then super hot and very cold. I can't seem to find a setting to just keep a warm shower.

We've run it on shore power all electric as well as all gas. Typically have the heat off and the water temp on hot. This has happened on both city water and using the fresh water tanks with the water pump on. The by pass vale is in the correct (non-winterize) setting.

Any ideas? It's hard to take a shower with the extreme water temp swings.

Thanks for helping this newbee!

are you using boost at all? I don't have any suggestions, we just got our 2020 and i will test out the shower and hot water out tomorrow before our big trip...let us know if u fix the issue

[Rolind]

Our experience with our 2020 basecamp x is exactly the same. The water temp is so very sensitive to even the slightest adjustment to the cold water valve. Eventually you figure it out, but when boondocking and showering outside, one person showers and One has to man the faucet for adjustment. I usually turn the hot on full and then use the tone of the water pump to adjust the cold. It ain’t perfect but it gets the job done!

[Mrvad]

Try installing a shut off valve at the shower head so once you get the right temp just use the shut off valve. Our showers are usually quick on and off wet, wash , and rinse. Hoping after a few trips you get it mastered. One more thing I find that in the morning running my heater for a bit seems to get the water hot faster.

[D Shauberger]

Thanks for the responses - yes I have a shower head with a shut off valve, that has been part of the problem. We adjust the temp to be warm, wet down, soap up with the valve closed at the shower head and then when we open the valve, we never know if we are going to get very hot or ice cold.

I agree, so far just keep moving the water vales to mix in real time sees the key - just trying to figure out if this is normal or if I have an issue.

Any other Base Camp users that have figured this one out?

Thanks again for the help,

David

[MinnesotaRob]

Nothing but problems for 3 years - GOOD LUCK!

[Melchior]

I am not sure if the Bambi has an on demand hot water like our 2020 Atlas but what our dealer said to do was find a hot water temperature that you like and run the faucet on full hot so as not to have to adjust the cold as much. Seems to work ok but still a short period of compensation when you turn it off after lathering up and turn it back on. Less of an issue when hooked up at a resort and just leave the shower running constantly.

[bibbs]

Sounds like a typical problem with a tankless water heater. The water needs to be flowing at a constant rate to get consistent heating.

[morjampit]

We just took our new Basecamp X out for its first trip and had no hot water at all. It turns out the bypass valve was in the "on" position and thus hot water and cold water were mixing. Is that a possibility? It apparently was delivered to the dealership with this problem.

[Mrvad]

I’ve never had to mess with the bypass valve. Did you turn on the water heater a good half hour before using it? I also run on propane for water heating, seems to work better.

[D Shauberger]

Yes - I checked all the valves using the diagram posted on another thread. Bypass valve is in the correct position. I don't have a "MIX" valve on my 2020 Basecamp. I've tried electric and Propane. I just seem to get super hot water for a few seconds, then ice cold. I am using the shower "off button" trying to get wet, lather up and rinse off. (using less than 6 gallons of water in a shower) - Issue is the temp swinging from scalding hot to freezing cold in a matter of seconds.

Thanks for all the input - I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.

I did find a valve right on the Truma Hot Water output that is all the way on - possibly if I close it a little it will save the hot water flow (but I'm thinking this is no different than using the hot water valve on the shower.

So far best results have been hot water valve at the shower 100% open and using the cold water to mix to temp )just lots of adjustments for short bursts of water.....Anyone else having this issue with their BaseCamp?

[D Shauberger]

We set the base Camp up at home on city water and took the shower head into the Driveway.

Set the Truma to propane and Boost.

Got a good mix of warm water.

What we learned is when you shut the water off at the shower head (not using the shower hot and cold valves) - for whatever reason, the first 10 seconds or so after you turn it back on are ice cold - then it goes back to the same warm setting. So our issue is (as backpackers) - we were trying to conserve too much water and re-adjusting the temp as soon as we turned the shower head back on. By letting it run about 10 seconds after each turn on at the shower head, our temp stayed constant and it looks like we will have a system we can use. Thanks for everyone's input..I think we are good now.

[Bill.Phelps]

Same problem with my 2019. Can't figure it out.

[D Shauberger]

Hi Bill,

What worked for us was making sure all the valves (bypass, etc) were in the right position (but if you are getting any hot water they most likely are OK).

Put the Truma into "boost" 20 minutes before your shower.

We tested it (in our driveway) by using City Water hooked up and passed the shower head outside the pass thru door with one of us inside adjusting the water temp.

What we learned was this - we could adjust the hot cold mix by having the hot turned up fairly high and adding the cold as needed to reach a comfortable temp. The original problem was we would be taking a "Navy Shower" have a good temp on the wet down, then when we turned the shower head off to soap up - when we turned the shower head back on it would be ice cold, we would adjust the cold down - then it would be scalding hot. We finally figured out that if you balance hot and cold and get the temp right, when you turn the shower head off to soap up - when you turn it back on, give it about 10 seconds to flow ice cold, then it returns back to the nice warm mix you set. This suprised me because I couldn't understand how the water would get so cold in the brief time the shower head was turned off - but that's what all our testing in the driveway showed us. So now we set the hot /cold mix, wet down. turn off the shower head, soap up, turn the shower head on down low at the drain - Don't re-adjust the hot/cold mix and in a few seconds our warm water is back.

I hope this helps!

David

[JDub802]

Originally Posted by morjampit

We just took our new Basecamp X out for its first trip and had no hot water at all. It turns out the bypass valve was in the "on" position and thus hot water and cold water were mixing. Is that a possibility? It apparently was delivered to the dealership with this problem.

I second this response. The bypass valve was in the "on" position delivered to us. It needs to be "off". To be clear, this valve is midway between the truma and the shower wall under the bench seat. As soon as we put in off position, the water temperature worked perfectly.

[Mrvad]

Hello, I’ve never even tried my water heater on electric. I run mine on gas full time weather I’m hooked up or boondocking. Seems that the gas heating it up works great. Do you set it on hot for around 30 minutes before showering? That’s what I do plan ahead 30 minutes. I did take a couple trips to get it down and last trip had three people take three showers in a row While boondocking with nice water temp, the last one was getting cold at the end of her shower. I was impressed at how good the shower was after that. But it did empty my water and fill my black quick! Be aware when you offer showers to others camping with you, had to hook the truck and take to the dump station in the middle of our weekend. Luckily it was close by. I know the shower head has a shut off but it doesn’t seem to shut all the way so u can install a simple shut off ball valve before the hose and it makes for a complete shut off and no water dripping on you while you are soaping up.