Hot water problem

[ragnarm]

Hi, I have a 2017 Jay Fight 38BHDS trailer. The water is getting very hot. The last time this happened the thermostat had to be replaced. I am using electric power. Does gas heat use the same thermostat? In the meantime I have turned off power to the heater.

[craigav]

Which water heater do you have? (make and model#) Most I have seen do use the same thermostat. If you have a meat thermometer, I would suggest to check and see how hot the water is actually getting. ~CA

[JimD]

I believe the Suburban brand uses separate thermostats for electric and gas while the Atwood brand shares the thermostat. Get your model number and look at the manufacturer's web site for a manual and look at the wiring diagram.

[ragnarm]

Atwood. No need to use thermometer, water is usually hot, now it is scalding. Had this problem once before, replacing thermostat fixed it. I got someone to fix it, in the meantime I just turn the electric heater on for a while, then shut it off.

[Randel J]

We never leave our hot water tank on any longer than it takes to heat enough water for our immediate needs, whether using propane or electric. I guess we could have the same problem as ragnarm, but never thought to leave it on long enough to find out.

[muckinfuss]

Tip of the day: if you replace thermostats without using thermal compound (heat sink paste), the speed at which they go south again is accelerated and you get ginchy water temps. It's all over the internet, but a little dab will do ya and for that, Autozone has a tiny pack that's more than sufficient for under $5 from Wells. If your thermostat has some corrosion under it on the tank, a good cleaning and then applying the paste and the old thermostat may be all you need to do to get back on track. It wouldn't hurt to carry a spare thermostat anyway since most first timers break the plastic security cover when installing. .... just like I did the first time I went through this. Even second timers...like I did.

[JDug66]

Originally Posted by Randel J

We never leave our hot water tank on any longer than it takes to heat enough water for our immediate needs, whether using propane or electric. I guess we could have the same problem as ragnarm, but never thought to leave it on long enough to find out.

Same here, our water gets super hot very fast. Turning it off when we aren't anticipating using it and for sure overnight. It only takes minutes to re-heat in the morning.