Ice cold water coming out of shower head

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Aaron k

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Jul 10, 2016
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Ok I've experienced this in 3 different campers now so I'm assuming it's normal. When taking an "rv shower" turning on the water to get wet, turning off the water at the shower head to soap up and when turning the water back on to rinse off, we get a blast of ice cold water for 5 seconds or so and then it turns warm. Anyone have a remedy for this? I don't really mind it but it's driving my wife nuts!
 
We don't have that issue with ours, it stays warm and that's even with me shaving my legs  :eek: so it's off for a while. Doesn't seem right to me. Hopefully the experts will chime in soon  :)
 
The problem is most likely with the shower head shut-off knob. If it shuts off the water flow completely,  the hot and cold water mix in the shower fixture where the hot and cold knobs are. The shower head from the factory did that on both of ours. We replaced them with Oxygenics RV spa shower heads. The Oxygenics has what they call "Smart Pause" that allows a small amount of water to dribble out when the button is in the off position.
 
I've cured both cold and hot blasts in various RV showers by installing check valves in each feed line as close to the control faucets as practical. You'll still get a slightly cooler shot momentarily just from the water in the hose cooling a bit, but nothing like the previous hot or cold blast.
 
If a check valve fixed the problem then you probably have a bad check valve at the water heater or the outside shower is not turned off using the faucets.  There shouldn't be cold water flow if neither of those is the case. As noted above most, if not all, shower heads should allow a small flow when shutoff at the head. That keeps the water hot.

Ernie
 
The shower head that's on there is the one that came with the camper. It's does allow a small amount of water to trickle out when it's shut off. I thought the shower head was defective but maybe it's supposed to do that? Anyhow even with the water trickling out, we still get the cold water blast. The trailer is a brand new 2017 passport 2920bh. Should I contact the dealer about a possible warranty issue?
 
Aaron k said:
The shower head that's on there is the one that came with the camper. It's does allow a small amount of water to trickle out when it's shut off. I thought the shower head was defective but maybe it's supposed to do that? Anyhow even with the water trickling out, we still get the cold water blast. The trailer is a brand new 2017 passport 2920bh. Should I contact the dealer about a possible warranty issue?
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I would contact the dealer. You've got nothing to loose and everything to gain.
 
Ernie n Tara said:
If a check valve fixed the problem then you probably have a bad check valve at the water heater or the outside shower is not turned off using the faucets.  There shouldn't be cold water flow if neither of those is the case. As noted above most, if not all, shower heads should allow a small flow when shutoff at the head. That keeps the water hot.

Ernie
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Depending on the plumbing layout, I've found some RV's that back pressure the cold side a bit from the hot side when the shower head is turn off, albeit with the dribble, resulting in a brief hot blast, and others that go other way giving a cold blast. Not all water heaters are equipped with a check valve, but even those that are still see the problem when the feed lines are long enough. Leaving the outside shower valves on with just the shower head turned off causes a different problem.
 
The ones I had from the factory dribbled a small amount of water also, but we had the same symptoms. Try an Oxygeitcs, you have nothing to lose doing that because they are leaps and bounds over the factory junk. If it cures your problem, you're all set.  If it doesn't you still have a lot nicer shower head. Do the easy stuff first.
 
We have had the same issue on 2 new TT. Once you get your first blast of cold water you learn to aim it the other direction really quick...lol

 
jdees said:
We have had the same issue on 2 new TT. Once you get your first blast of cold water you learn to aim it the other direction really quick...lol
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Same here, you learn real quick to aim away for a few seconds and my showerhead also drips all the while and didn't know this was a common thing. The cold water blast seems to be more prevalent while boondocking with the pump vs. city hookup, maybe a pressure thing.
 
A final (from me) suggestion; the water lines are all pressurized by the water heater, specifically the air in the water heater.  If there is no check valve (at the inlet to the heater?) Then cold water might be forced into the shower head as it drips.

Ernie
 
Every RV we've had does the same.  We learned to step out of the flow until it warms up again.  No longer a problem.

We've had Oxygenica in the last two rigs.

You'd think some smart cookie would build a shower control with an integrated check valve on the hot line?

 
8Muddypaws said:
Every RV we've had does the same.  We learned to step out of the flow until it warms up again.  No longer a problem.

We've had Oxygenica in the last two rigs.

You'd think some smart cookie would build a shower control with an integrated check valve on the hot line?
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Did the Oxygenics stop the problem completely?
 
Very common if you COMPLETLY shut off the flow of water... On mine the salesman told me all about the shower head cut off valve.. guess what.. he forgot to tell DAMON (And they did not put one in) so I had to get my own.. Originally it was a PVC quarter turn valve but that was a tad..er.. Ugly plus I had a different use for it so I got a shower cut off valve (also quarter turn inline) at Mennards.. Darn thing does nto fully shut off.. It lets water fast drip past the valve..

Two advantages to this.
1: Unlike the outside shower (which has a cut off valve that works 100%) you don't forget to close the mixing valves

2: No blast of hot or cold water.  Seems that fast drip does the job of keeping lines properly flowing and filled with what they are supposed to be filled with.
 
2: No blast of hot or cold water.  Seems that fast drip does the job of keeping lines properly flowing and filled with what they are supposed to be filled with.
Click to expand...

Our shower head does not completely shut off and has a steady flow of water when in the off position. As soon as I turn the full flow of water back on we get the cold blast
 
Where are the check valves usually installer (inlet or outlet) and what do they look like?
 
Aaron k said:
Where are the check valves usually installer (inlet or outlet) and what do they look like?
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They look like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-1-2-in-Brass-Back-Flow-Preventer-23303/204220179?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D26P-WaterHeaters%7c&gclid=COqYuInJtc4CFQkfhgodhKkIBA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Most times they are on the outlet of the water heater which would be the top pipe. Once in a while I understand, they are also on the inlet pipe which is the bottom line.  Notice the arrows on the valve. The top pipe check valve, the arrows have to be pointed away from the heater and on the bottom pipe check valve, the arrows have to be pointed at the heater.
 
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