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Old 01-05-2025, 07:52 AM   #1
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2021 30' Flying Cloud
Sioux Falls , South Dakota
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Cold shower!

This morning I tried to take a shower, and no hot water. I went to the potty room and plenty there, so I used that. Not the easiest, but I got clean. The kitchen faucet also produces hot water, so the problem is just in the shower.


I turned the shower head so it could be on and still not get the hallway wet. The temperature device in the potty room indicated that there was no water flowing. To me, that says sensor problem.


Jo Ann showered last night, and all was fine. The only change that might affect things is that the air temperature outside was in the 50's last night and low 40's this morning. Furnace ran all night.


One more detail I just remembered. After running lots of cold water in the shower, I turned it off, went to the potty room and turned on the faucet there. I got hot water fairly quickly, so I turned it off and went back to the shower. I briefly got a bit of warmer (not even warm, just a bit warmer than the cold) water, then back to straight cold. The shower handle was turned to full hot.


Any thought about where to begin?
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Old 01-05-2025, 08:17 AM   #2
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1985 25' Sovereign
Navarre , FL
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Do you happen to have a tankless water heater? If so see the threads on the forum about them.
If you don't have a tankless water heater try turning on just the hot water valve and see if that helps get the hot water to the shower.
Our old 5' is right next to the water heater, but I had to change the valve to the shower because it hot side was completely blocked and no water would flow through it. Of course the valve was 38 years old so I did not worry too much about that.
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Old 01-05-2025, 10:07 AM   #3
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Yes, this is a "thankless" hot water heater.


As I thought about it, I'm thinking that somehow the hot water side of the mixer valve isn't opening enough to let the hot water heater know that I want hot water. This is one of those new "safety" valves, so it starts out at full cold and turning the handle counterclockwise is supposed to increase the supply of hot water, so that at the end I'm getting straight hot water.


Looks like I'll be playing plumber this week.
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Old 01-06-2025, 07:26 PM   #4
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I decided to see what was what with the shower. The first test was to put Jo Ann in the potty room so she could watch the control panel for the tankless hot water heater while I turned on the shower. Within a couple of seconds she reported that the hot water heater was on, the water temperature was in the 50's and rising. When she reported it was over 100 I checked the water temperature in the shower. Starting to get warm.


Grrr. I hate intermittent problems.
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Old 01-06-2025, 07:48 PM   #5
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2023 27' Globetrotter
Williamsburg , Virginia
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Check your outdoor shower and ensure both valves are off. This is a long shot, but if the outside hot water valve is on, it will screw up the flow through the Girard flow sensor. I assume you have a Girard. Long shot, but look at it anyway.
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Old 01-06-2025, 09:47 PM   #6
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with a tankless set the output temp to what you want. then turn the shower handle to full hot water.

as long as there is sufficient water pressure > 40 psi. all should be fine
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Old 01-07-2025, 08:05 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waninae39 View Post
with a tankless set the output temp to what you want. then turn the shower handle to full hot water.

as long as there is sufficient water pressure > 40 psi. all should be fine
This is correct!. The key is the flow in the hot water line through the heater. You should not blend hot and cold to temper the water, but use the full hot water flow to make the flow switch.
Still the switch may need to be adjusted and a circulating pump will get you hot water without waiting as long and wasting water.
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Old 01-12-2025, 11:48 AM   #8
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For a "tankless", you need to adjust the heater temp to the temp you want to shower at (108F-110F for most) and turn the shower handle FULL hot. For boon docking, add a ShowerMiser.
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Old 01-12-2025, 03:39 PM   #9
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For the past week the shower has worked just fine. Apparently it decided that I wasn't sufficiently awake last Sunday and decided to help wake me up. The next time I can talk to the mobile mechanic I'm going to ask him about going to an electric/propane tank hot water heater.
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Old 01-12-2025, 04:40 PM   #10
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I've read a couple of installation directons for the Girard and one states a minimum water flow of .90 gallons per minute. The other says minimum of 45 psi. It would be easy to check the minimum flow requirement with a gallon container.

I've also read: "A steady water flow (no pulsating) will ensure a consistent temperature and performance." The IRVWPC water pump controller would smooth out the water flow (and quiet the pump).

The last item of interest is a minimum propane gas pressure of 11 WCI with 1/2 of the LP appliances running. It's winter, if the furnace is running at shower time the fuel line pressure could be lower than required affecting the Girard performance.

Steve
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Old 01-12-2025, 11:07 PM   #11
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There’s some great advice already given. I’ll add one thing, if you’re connected to city water and the pressure isn’t high enough, that will mess with the flow sensor in your water heater. To remedy, leave the city water on full AND turn your water pump on. This will ensure that the sensor in the water heater sees the appropriate flow
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