hot water heater temp adjustment

[DAZ]

Can someone guide me on how to adjust the water temp on the hot water heater...I have a lacrosse unit with a gc6aa-10e hwh. Please!

[MtnGuy]

Most RV water heater thermostats are set from the factory, and are non adjustable. You may be able to switch out the hi-limit switch....not sure.

Do you want your water hotter or colder ?? The water is hotter than your typical home water heater because you only have 6 gallons of water to mix with the cold water.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

...The water is hotter than your typical home water heater because you only have a 6 gallon tank.

I think you are in error on this, the capacity of the tank has nothing to do with the temperature of the water inside. Most home water heaters have an adjustable temperature control and can be adjusted to a much higher temperature than an rv water heater. I don't know what an rv heater is set to, but would guess it is around 120° to 140°.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

I think you are in error on this, the capacity of the tank has nothing to do with the temperature of the water inside. Most home water heaters have an adjustable temperature control and can be adjusted to a much higher temperature than an rv water heater. I don't know what an rv heater is set to, but would guess it is around 120° to 140°.

I did not mean that the temperature is higher because of the volume.....I could maybe have worded that differently. The temperatures are higher because you only have x number of gallons to mix with cold water at the shower head. If the temperature in the water heater is lower, then you would use more hot water in the shower mixed with cold water to get the temperature comfortable, possible running out of hot water. Since RV water heaters typically have hotter hi-limit switches, you are using more cold water and less hot water to get that same comfortable water temperature, lessening the likely hood of running out of hot water.....if all that makes sense.

[MtnGuy]

Neil, I have done some rewording to both of my posts to make them a little better to understand.....hopefully.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

I did not mean that the temperature is higher because of the volume.....I could maybe have worded that differently. The temperatures are higher because you only have x number of gallons to mix with cold water at the shower head. If the temperature in the water heater is lower, then you would use more hot water in the shower mixed with cold water to get the temperature comfortable, possible running out of hot water. Since RV water heaters typically have hotter hi-limit switches, you are using more cold water and less hot water to get that same comfortable water temperature, lessening the likely hood of running out of hot water.....if all that makes sense.

Agree!

[Broadway Joe]

Looking at the Atwood catalog it appears that the Temp is fixed, but they offer an adjustable thermostat as an option.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by DAZ

Can someone guide me on how to adjust the water temp on the hot water heater...I have a lacrosse unit with a gc6aa-10e hwh. Please!

DAZ, you never indicated if your water is not warm enough, or 2 hot. If it is not warm enough, it could be something simple like your bypass valves being set incorrectly.

[DAZ]

Originally Posted by DAZ

Can someone guide me on how to adjust the water temp on the hot water heater...I have a lacrosse unit with a gc6aa-10e hwh. Please!

Thanks everyone, I was able to figure it out...you can adjust the temp at one of valves attached to the hot water heater and the rest of the plumbing, looks like the hot water line out has a intake of cold-water...the more cold water you let through the less hot the water comes out at the sink(s)(obviously) careful if you close the valve completely, the water comes out very hot.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by DAZ

Thanks everyone, I was able to figure it out...you can adjust the temp at one of valves attached to the hot water heater and the rest of the plumbing, looks like the hot water line out has a intake of cold-water...the more cold water you let through the less hot the water comes out at the sink(s)(obviously) careful if you close the valve completely, the water comes out very hot.

The intake valve and the outlet valves should be full open at all times except when winterizing.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

The intake valve and the outlet valves should be full open at all times except when winterizing.

And the bypass valve should be completely closed for summer time use. I have never heard of that being used to cool down the hot water, but I guess it could be used for that, if so inclined.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

DAZ, you never indicated if your water is not warm enough, or 2 hot. If it is not warm enough, it could be something simple like your bypass valves being set incorrectly.

You & Dunnic hit it ,valves not on proper! Youroo!!

[MtnGuy]

Dad-gum-it, this thread has been on my mind all day. I have been ciphering on what DAZ wrote in post #9, about the hot water line having a cold water intake.....I think he was referring to the bypass. I posted later that the bypass should be completely closed, as many of us know it should be.

For those people with small children that want to make sure they don't get burned by the extremely hot water that comes out of an RV water heater.......what would be wrong with leaving the bypass cracked open ??

Hear me out, here. Having a little cold water introduced to the hot water line before it gets to our faucets might not be a bad idea. I don't see where there would be any reduction in total time for a hot shower.....you still have 6 gallons of water in the water heater, so being premixed before it hits the shower should not be a problem. Washing dishes and such, you might not even have to mix with cold water.

The problems that I see would might be some water "creep"...hot water backing into the cold water line, but could easily be solved by a check valve in the cold water line before the bypass valve area.

Am I missing something here, or could this work ??