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Old 06-29-2015, 08:11 AM   #1
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Fixable? Too Hot water

The manual for the Atwood water heater shows a non-adjustable thermostat.

While I have not put a thermometer to it yet, the hot water is way too hot.

Is there a replacement, hopefully adjustable or at least reasonable (120F) thermostat?
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Old 06-29-2015, 08:21 AM   #2
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A simple fix, is to crack open the by pass line, the one in between the hot & cold line, test the hot water temp, still too hot, open a little more. Solved our problem with out much effort.

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Old 06-29-2015, 09:18 AM   #3
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Mike, we've have the same issue. Maybe because the water heaters so close to the bath. Doesn't have a chance to lose heat before the faucet. Have to try the bypass trick, thanks!
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Old 06-29-2015, 09:29 AM   #4
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A simple fix, is to crack open the by pass line, the one in between the hot & cold line, test the hot water temp, still too hot, open a little more. Solved our problem with out much effort.
That is the easy fix. I have not heard of any adjustable thermostats for these water heaters.
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Old 06-29-2015, 10:51 AM   #5
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Use the winter bypass as a mixing valve!
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:30 AM   #6
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All three of my trailers have had the same issue - a Coleman pop-up, an Outback, and now the Jayco. I think the high temp is by design - since there is only 6 gallons of hot water, you won't be using a lot of it to get the temperature you want. But you have to be careful. A child could easily scald themselves. (And yourself, too, if you aren't careful!)

The bypass valve seems like a good fix that I never thought of. I love this forum!
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:52 AM   #7
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The only negative I see with using the bypass is if you need to make a adjustment to the bypass while your standing soaking wet in the shower.


Otherwise an excellent suggestion


Or would just closing down the Hot Valve at the WH to restrict the flow a little bit serve the same purpose
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:57 AM   #8
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The bypass valve seems like a good fix that I never thought of. I love this forum!
Me Too
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Old 06-29-2015, 12:48 PM   #9
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The only negative I see with using the bypass is if you need to make a adjustment to the bypass while your standing soaking wet in the shower.
Otherwise an excellent suggestion
Or would just closing down the Hot Valve at the WH to restrict the flow a little bit serve the same purpose
You can't adjust the bypass valve easily. Mine is under the bed, behind an access panel.

But, it can be set to mix some cold water to prevent scalding.


From a theory standpoint opening the bypass valve fully will give you a 50/50 mix of water from the heater and unheated water. It'll take quite a few gallons of wasted water to get the temperature delivered to the nearest faucet 'Just right'.

YMMV

I'm going to shoot for nearest faucet (bathroom sink) to "I can keep my fingers in it, but wouldn't want to". That should give me good dishwashing temp at the kitchen sink (farthest faucet).


----------------


You'll have to mix a bit of cold water in anyway to get a comfy shower. Especially when the WH is at its hottest (just as it turns off the heat source).
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Old 06-29-2015, 01:08 PM   #10
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I like the bypass idea, but isn't that essentially the same as just cranking open the Cold Water tap at the same time as the Hot water? Or is this more of a solution for young kids that could potentially burn themselves?
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Old 06-29-2015, 01:21 PM   #11
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I like the bypass idea, but isn't that essentially the same as just cranking open the Cold Water tap at the same time as the Hot water? Or is this more of a solution for young kids that could potentially burn themselves?
Kids would be the absolute reason to do this. Just general comfort and safety is what I am looking for.

Yes, mixing hot and cold at the faucet will give you warm water. But when the hot water is so stinking hot that getting the mixture right uses an extra quart (out of the ?? gallons on board) of water every time you wash your hands... Something has to be done at the source.

My old trailer had a totally manual gas valve with a standing pilot. I had the temperature set so low that you could wash your hands or dishes with pure hot water. Just a touch of cold was needed for showering. That was the most water and fuel conservative (other than the standing pilot) available. I love the electronic ignition and control from inside the trailer. But the non-adjustable thermostat is almost too high a price to pay.

--------------------

To side track this thread a bit.... I've got a 1 year old, totally manual RV water heater (I built a self-contained, portable wash station for my shop). Would swapping those water heaters be worth it?
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Old 06-29-2015, 01:57 PM   #12
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As our water heater ended up leaking due to the high temp of the water, we ended up just heating the water up and turning it off and then turning it back on for awhile before washing dishes. As we don't shower in the trailer, we don't use that much hot water. We also turn the water heater and pump off if we leave the trailer for any length of time.
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Old 06-29-2015, 02:07 PM   #13
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As our water heater ended up leaking due to the high temp of the water, we ended up just heating the water up and turning it off and then turning it back on for awhile before washing dishes. As we don't shower in the trailer, we don't use that much hot water. We also turn the water heater and pump off if we leave the trailer for any length of time.
Other than not showering, those are all very good ideas.
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Old 06-30-2015, 05:48 AM   #14
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It works!

Opened the bypass fully and got warm water in the bathroom. Nice temp for washing dishes in the kitchen.

I'll probably close it down slightly over the upcoming Holiday Weekend trip to fine tune it a bit.
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Old 06-30-2015, 06:33 AM   #15
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Our new Pinnacle had the same problem. Fortunately, it was still under warranty so we told the dealer about it. They tested the temperature of the water and agreed it was way to hot, the thermostat was at fault. They ordered a new one, installed it, and all is well now.
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