Too Much Hot Water

[oilspot]

Anybody ever tinkered much with their hot water heater?

It appears as if we have a slight problem with ours. Our hot water is extremely hot; well beyond what I would like. I adjusted the temp with no effect.

The owners manual says the pilot may be set too high. I attempted to adjust the pilot light and it was either on or off. There wasn't much in between. I also switched the heater from ON to PILOT and the temp stayed too hot overnight and into the next morning (even with normal use).  These little 3G heaters must be pretty efficient heaters!

Has anybody else ever had this problem? or adjusted the pilot? Could it be a gas regulator problem?

If nobody has any suggestions, I'll call the seller (I have a 30-day warranty on the trailer appliances).

[RickNewcomb]

I agree the hot water comes out extremely hot.

When I first got my TM and experienced the extreme hot water, I consulted with a friend who has owned two conventional trailers. It was his opinion that the hot water heaters on trailers and RVs ran hotter than a household water heater.

In regards to it staying hot with just the pilot, I found during the summer I only needed to light the pilot and I had plenty of hot water for normal use. I've even take a shower 10 minutes after my teenage daughter and still had enough hot water.

However in the early spring and late fall when the outside temperatures are colder, just lighting the pilot didn't keep the water hot enough.

[oilspot]

Suburban thinks I indeed have some type of problem with my water heater...

The note was short, but they suggested having a experienced RV service center check the piolot light flame, gas pressure (should be around 10-in WC), and lastly replace the thermostat (which controls burner and pilot light functions).

I have an appointment at the seller's shop next Friday.  Hopefully they'll have the parts and brains to troubleshoot this issue....

[Bill]

RV water heaters are set to run hot, because there is so little water in the heater. As opposed to a household 40-gallon water heater, a 6-gallon RV water heater has some different implications.

For example, suppose you want 10 gallons of warm water for a shower, and your water heater has only a six-gallon capacity. If the water in the heater is really hot, then you might end up mixing 3 gallons of HOT water with 7 gallons of cold water, to get 10 gallons of warm water. All is well, and you still have a hot water reserve. If your water heater has a more medium setting, then you might mix 6 gallons of not-so-hot water with 4 gallons of cold water to get your shower. All is well, but you have no reserve. But if your water heater is set to WARM, then you can't get 10 gallons of warm water out of a six-gallon heater.

All of this is to say, turn it down if you must, but be aware of the implications of the low capacity. Safety overrides other considerations, of course, especially if small children are involved. But don't over-react based on your expectations of a household water heater.

Bill

[oilspot]

Bill,

I agree wholeheartedly with your explanation and is the philosophy that I operate my heaters with most of the time.

Perhaps my first post of the symptoms were not clear...  My heater is dangerously hot regardless of the temp setting.  In fact I turned off the hot water heater (pilot only setting) and still could make coffee or tea straight from the tap.

My wife and I have burned ourselves several times trying to wash dishes.

The only time we like the temperature is for showering, where like you said we have more capacity...

I think I will keep my appointment, because the extreme temperature scares me and it is covered by warranty...

[Bill]

You're right - I missed the implications of your first post. Sorry, I'll try to read more carefully in the future. Good luck with the problem, and let us know the outcome.

By the way, I am assuming that the electric heating element is turned off? You have to go outside to do it - the switch is behind the outer cover. It is hard to fathom how a gas pilot light, working alone, could keep a tank of water that hot. I know that the electric element has a separate hi-temp cutoff. It might have a separate thermostat, too.

Bill

[oilspot]

I found no electric wires around my hot water heater, so I assumed this puppy didn't have electric heat.  I found a website that seems to confirm this by deciphering the code on the model number.

I too am amazed that a mere pilot light could produce almost three gallons of near-boiling water...

Who knows what the cause is, but the stove flames were awful high too, so perhaps it is the main LP regulator.  Thank goodness I can use the warranty for the troubleshooting (there hourly rate is $72/hr!).

Ours is too hot also but we beat the system by leaving the heater off until hot water is needed. Then about 5 minutes before you need it flip the switch and it will be plenty hot very soon. Then shut it off. It will gradually cool down and be more manageable. Once you get the timing down the problem should be minimized.
To my knowledge there is no `adjustment', like a thermostat, to reduce the max temp.
However, there is no harm in having someone check it out who knows what they are doing.
Dick_B

[zemmels]

I understand the reason why the water is hot, but is there a way to adjust the thermostat? I figure a single pole faucet will help if there are not other options.

Thanks!
Dan

[mtnguy]

In my 2003 2720, the water heater does not have a pilot lite....it has an ignition devise to light the burner. I dont think there is any way to adjust the thermostat.

Chap