Hot water running out way to quick

[Meash]

Hi,
I have a 2017 Cherokee 39LS with a 6 Gallon DSI water heater. Water gets good and hot and stays hot for a while... When showering, it runs out far to soon. I am coming from a 2007 26 foot Dutchman with a 5 gallon hot water tank, and I never had an issue with running out of hot water during a quick shower. However, the new 6 gallon tank in my Cherokee, I ran out about half or 3/4 the way through my regular quick RV'er shower.

It's almost like the tank is not filling comletely and only heating up 3 gallons or so? Is this possible?

Any thoughts, ideas?

[SidecarFlip]

Simple answer is, take a shorter shower or wet down and turn the water off, soap down and turn it back on to rinse. Problem solved.

It's only a 6 gallon tank, not a residential 40 gallon heater.

[wmtire]

Check your crossover valve, as this is a common problem.

I'll edit this post with a link.

Try this link for the possible location and proper position of the crossover valve to the water heater. Posts #1 and #3. If the crossover valve is open, you are going to be pulling cold water into your hot water line downstream of the water heater..

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...st-103381.html

[Herk7769]

Since you did not have the problem with a 5 gallon water tank, you can try:

1) If you are in full hookups, turn on your propane side as well as the shore power side. That way when the cold water enters the tank you have two heating sources working together to recover the hot water.

2) My method of stretching hot water involves the same "Navy Shower" procedure that Sidecarflip uses and replaced the OEM shower wand with a low flow high pressure shower head.

I am using:

https://www.amazon.com/ETL-26781-Whi.../dp/B00F5MUB66

Bobby (wmtire) is right on if you are getting luke warm water after a burst of hot. The outside shower wand valves may also be on and shut off at the handle.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Check your crossover valve, as this is a common problem.

I'll edit this post with a link.

Try this link for the possible location and proper position of the crossover valve to the water heater:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...st-103381.html

As wmtire suggests, check the bypass (crossover) valve.
Little hot water or luke warm water is one of the most asked about questions this time of year after folks are coming out of winterizing.

Also understand, not knowing what flow rate shower head you have... at the typical 1.5-2.0 GPM flowrate of many shower heads, the pump (or city water) can easily deplete a full hot water tank in minutes.

At 1.5 gallons per minute you can deplete the 6 gallon tank in 4 minutes using all hot water or about 8 minutes using a mix. A 2.0 GPM shower head (what most Oxygenics are) is even less.

Another thing you can do... If your water heater is both electric and propane, you can turn on BOTH sources of heat and get the recovery rate much quicker.

Recovery or the duration of hot water is also very dependent on the ambient temperature of the water source going into the tank. Many underground water sources at this time of year are still very cold. Come the heat of the summer and it's a different story.

[tx333]

Maybe the amount of water flow through the shower head is higher on the new camper. My daughter just experienced the same problem although she didn't change campers just the shower head. With new shower head she ran out of water to soon. Old shower head she could shower without running out of hot water. She installed the restrictor in the new shower head but it still flowed to much water. Switched back to the old one.

[waynebas33]

I changed my shower head to a body spa shower head from camping world. It makes the hot water last a lot longer. It also creates more water pressure by using less water. Good luck!

[Beauty and Beast]

X2 What HERK 7769 said.

[Flybob]

Just to be sure, check the faucets in the outside shower. If they are on and the hand wand is off, it can effect the Hot water.

[sgtlm17]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Just to be sure, check the faucets in the outside shower. If they are on and the hand wand is off, it can effect the Hot water.

Yes very common problem