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Old 10-30-2013, 08:15 PM   #1
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Water heater only getting lukewarm

I just recently purchased the camper and the hot water is only getting lukewarm. I've read a lot about the bypass valve in the back of the unit. This particular one had only the single valve on the cold line at the bottom. It seems to be open with flow. Do I need to close that valve or look for something else that could be wrong
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:20 PM   #2
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You might want to check the thermostat. Most are set at 125 degrees.
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:25 PM   #3
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You also might want to check the bypass valve on the rear of the hot water tank. It may be in winter position.
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:30 PM   #4
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The reset buttons on the thermostat haven't been tripped. It's only got one valve on the back of the water heater. It's on the bottom where the cold line is it seems to be open do I need to close it
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:37 PM   #5
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There should be 2 lines going into the back of the water heater. The supply cold line and the hot water line. Most times, these are connected with a bypass line and a valve. If yours is different, i expect more troubleshooting will follow from other posters.
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:37 PM   #6
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I think I attached a picture of the back of the unit
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:40 PM   #7
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That short line between the hot and cold needs to be closed by a valve. Looks like the valve was removed.
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:42 PM   #8
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That's what I was thinking. If the valve that's there was closed it would cut the water going into the unit off
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:46 PM   #9
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looks to me like the hot water coming out of the tank is mixing with the cold supply water line. Unless, the valve on the cold water line is supposed to close the bypass but is malfunctioning. My setup is different. I have 3 valves, one on each line, Hot, cold and bypass.
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:50 PM   #10
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Yea it seems to be mixing the two. If I closed that valve do you think it would help or would it shut the water off to the unit
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Old 10-30-2013, 08:53 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strutbuster1 View Post
Yea it seems to be mixing the two. If I closed that valve do you think it would help or would it shut the water off to the unit
If you close that valve, it will shut off your cold water supply to heater, if it is functioning correctly. As i said, I have 3 valves on my 2011 Flagstaff fiver and I have had to replace all 3 because they stripped out.
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:02 PM   #12
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Think ill go get a bypass kit and install it on the unit. Thanks for the help
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:16 PM   #13
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Also check the out side shower and inside shower to see if the hot and cold water valves are open and the shower head valve is in the off position. That will cause a mixing of hot and cold water.
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:18 PM   #14
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Check the thing on the back of the head is what your saying.
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:30 PM   #15
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Guys, the valve he's showing is a three-way. It's doing both functions.

It looks to me like it's in the bypass position however. Try rotating it by 180 degrees and see if you get hot water.
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:32 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strutbuster1
Check the thing on the back of the head is what your saying.
The valve can be leaking by but now it is aligned properly. Try to set it a few times between bypass and normal, see if you can get to seat.

My quarter is on the thermostat opening too soon. One way to test is make a short jumper with alligator clips and "jump out the connecters under the rubber boot with buttons. The a/c is the lower unit on the left, the gas thermo is the lower unit on the right. On sesond thought i'll put a second quarter on the leaking valve also.
You didn't say if both heat methods are wrong?
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:36 PM   #17
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Prooane works just fine. I did check the outside shower as Frank-VA suggested and the shower head itself was open but the hot and cold handles were closed
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Old 10-30-2013, 09:54 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strutbuster1
Prooane works just fine. I did check the outside shower as Frank-VA suggested and the shower head itself was open but the hot and cold handles were closed
Ok that puts my 2 quarters on the thermostat on the left for the a/c side. These devices are very light duty and must switch up to 15 amps at 120 volts. They fail often but usually burn open. Try to temp bypass or just change. Other remote possilbility is the element is bad, dont think you would get "lukewarm" though.
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Old 10-30-2013, 10:08 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryD0706 View Post
Guys, the valve he's showing is a three-way. It's doing both functions.

It looks to me like it's in the bypass position however. Try rotating it by 180 degrees and see if you get hot water.
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Old 10-30-2013, 10:34 PM   #20
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Ditto, this what you need to get hot water from the tank without mixing with the cold. RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Travel Trailers: Hot Water Heater only gets warm It also shows the valve settings for winterization.
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