Update to my hot water issue (with attempts to fix)

[Tipofthespork]

Hello fine folks. I’m back again with another question.

Before the question I want to thank everyone here for taking the time to answer my previous ones. Being a total newbie I don’t have anything to contribute yet but hopefully will in the future.

I read the “please read first” and didn’t see my problem so I’m asking here.

As the title states, I’m only getting slightly above room temp water out of my faucets. It is actually very warm/hot for about 3 seconds then turns lukewarm.

I’ve checked the bypass valves and attempted to remedy the problem in all the different possible positions incase a valve was installed incorrectly.

I don’t have an outdoor shower so that’s not affecting anything.

I’m in a 2022 Wildwood 31KQBTS.

From what I can google it sounds like a faulty thermostat or heating element.

My water heater can use electric or gas. I’ve tried both with the same result. Leads me to believe thermostat?

Thanks in advance.

[ependydad]

This symptom is cause because you're mixing hot and cold water somewhere in the system.

Is your faucet off in the outdoor kitchen?

Do you have an outdoor hose hookup with temperature controls?

Can you post pictures of your bypass valves?

[Tipofthespork]

Originally Posted by ependydad

This symptom is cause because you're mixing hot and cold water somewhere in the system.

Is your faucet off in the outdoor kitchen?

Do you have an outdoor hose hookup with temperature controls?

Can you post pictures of your bypass valves?

Faucet is off at the outdoor kitchen.

I’m not sure about the outdoor hose temp. Haven’t seen anything like that. Just the plain old city water hook up.

I’ve attached a picture of the valves (if I did it right. )

[Tipofthespork]

After further diagnosis, it’s really affecting the shower the most. Kitchen sink and bathroom sink do ok (not super hot but very warm).

The shower is the only thing that just doesn’t get past like.

[Larry-NC]

The red end of the bypass is fine. I can't see the blue end. If it is also pointing at the water heater, it is fine.

[5picker]

Do you have a Showermiser valve?

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[loyda]

Buy a handheld temperature gun to check temperature at hot water lines

[richp]

When I had this happen once, it was because one of my valves was not completely turned to the proper direction, allowing a small amount of cold water to blend in with the heated water.

[KyDan]

It's rare but sometimes a valve can break inside and not shut all the way even though the handle appears to be in the correct position. That is gonna be hard to diagnose.
Try putting your hand on the bypass hose right in the middle.
Now have someone open a hot faucet somewhere. If the bypass hose warms up immediately in your hand I would say one of your bypass valves is not doing it's job.

[Tipofthespork]

Long story short (and I’ve asked some questions here). I believe I need to change out my bypass valves.

I posted here and Reddit about not getting anything above lukewarm water to my shower.

I’ve checked all the standard stuff (bypass valve settings, no outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen sink closed, etc)

Anyways, I got lucky and an RV tech on Reddit replied and has been helping me the past day or so.

He recommended I change my faucet as it seemed the “mixer” was broken. So I did that and still have only lukewarm water.

If I have the shower on and turn on a sink faucet I get scaling hot water out of the sink but nothing improved in the shower.

His opinion is I need to either replace the bypass valves or cut the bypass off and cap the now open end of the valves.

Figure I’ll just replace them but I don’t even know what to search for when it comes to finding replacements. Thanks.

[dalford]

The hot water only comes from one place and that is the water heater. If you get scalding water at your sink then the bypass valves are not your problem.

You say you replaced you faucet? Do you mean the valves in the shower? Faucets are typically in the sink.

If you mean your shower valves do an experiment. Disconnect the hot water line to the valve and turn on the water pump to ensure you have hot water coming out that line. You will have to figure out how to do that.

Do you have hot water at kitchen sink? Seems you have a low flow of hot water at shower.

[Bama Rambler]

Originally Posted by Tipofthespork

His opinion is I need to either replace the bypass valves or cut the bypass off and cap the now open end of the valves.

Figure I’ll just replace them but I don’t even know what to search for when it comes to finding replacements. Thanks.

I kinda agree with dalford. You should do a little more testing to make sure that the bypass valves are leaking before changing them, but to answer your question, You need to look for "½" Pex 3-way valves" to replace the current valves.

[KyDan]

If you are getting scalding hot water at the sink it is not the bypass valves.

Also did you place your hand on the middle of the bypass pipe and see if it gets warmer to touch when the sink is on?? If the bypass hose is not getting warmer during hot water use- the bypass valves are not bypassing and don't need to be replaced.

[jeff64]

Originally Posted by Tipofthespork

Long story short (and I’ve asked some questions here). I believe I need to change out my bypass valves.



I posted here and Reddit about not getting anything above lukewarm water to my shower.



I’ve checked all the standard stuff (bypass valve settings, no outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen sink closed, etc)



Anyways, I got lucky and an RV tech on Reddit replied and has been helping me the past day or so.



He recommended I change my faucet as it seemed the “mixer” was broken. So I did that and still have only lukewarm water.



If I have the shower on and turn on a sink faucet I get scaling hot water out of the sink but nothing improved in the shower.



His opinion is I need to either replace the bypass valves or cut the bypass off and cap the now open end of the valves.



Figure I’ll just replace them but I don’t even know what to search for when it comes to finding replacements. Thanks.

Try these. 1/2" pex. Good luck trying to find these from CW. Go to Amazon and be done with it you might want to have a stick of 1/2 pex tube on hand. It's cheap and you want to cut back far enough to have a "virgin" attachment point . Remember no screw clamps , ear clamps or sharkbite type. You'll probably want to pop for the oetiker crimp tool. BTW, have you flushed out the HW tank? If you have to take those valves off, do that and blow out those lines. Good luck
!

[5picker]

Your R/V tech isn't giving you good information.
You need to do the diagnostics mentioned here and also check the hot flow to the shower valves by removing the hot line and see what you have. You should have done that before blindly replacing the shower valves and certainly before replacing anything else.

Try to trace where the hot plumbing line goes from the shower back towards the water heater.
Let us know what you find.

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[Mr. Dan]

Two threads merged

[Tipofthespork]

Originally Posted by KyDan

If you are getting scalding hot water at the sink it is not the bypass valves.

Also did you place your hand on the middle of the bypass pipe and see if it gets warmer to touch when the sink is on?? If the bypass hose is not getting warmer during hot water use- the bypass valves are not bypassing and don't need to be replaced.

So I should feel the pipe in the “loop” between the valves while the hot water is running?

[Tipofthespork]

Originally Posted by KyDan

If you are getting scalding hot water at the sink it is not the bypass valves.

Also did you place your hand on the middle of the bypass pipe and see if it gets warmer to touch when the sink is on?? If the bypass hose is not getting warmer during hot water use- the bypass valves are not bypassing and don't need to be replaced.

I’m only getting scalding water at the sink when the shower and sink are on at the same time. Does that make a difference?

[glen1971]

Why not install a new valve in the loop in your heater bypass pipe? This will stop any flow in that line, if one or both of the 3 way valves pass. Close it and see if it fixes the problem. If it does, then buy the 2 bypass valves and replace them at some point.

[Tipofthespork]

I have a 2022 Wildwood 31KQBTS. First time RV owner.

Long story short we have no hot water. Just room temp. Below is a list of attempted fixes/trouble shooting.

I have had some techs come out and they left bamboozled. Didn’t even charge me since they couldn’t figure it out.

Checked the bypass valves. They are good.

Hot water heater is making hot water. Tested at the relief valve. Also, feeling the PEX coming off the hot water heater it’s very warm.

I have replaced the shower faucet. The techs isolated and tested each sink independently.

I don’t have an outside shower.

If I turn the shower on then another faucet I get scalding hot water out of the faucet and cold water out of the shower.

If I use the freshwater tank instead of city hookup it all works perfectly.

I have an adjustable water pressure regulator and I’ve attempted to solve the problem at every possible PSI from 30 to 58.

Any ideas?