Setting Hot Water Temperature

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UK-RV

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Guys

Is it possible to set the temperature of your hot water?

We find that during the night the furnace may turn on (Im assuming) to heat the hot water to temperature - this can be noisy in a quiet campground.

As we always end up adding cold water to our hot supply, it would seem to make sense to turn the hot down a little.

BTW, should we turn the water heater switch from propane to electric during the night to solve the problem (though someone told me electric will take ages to heat the water).

And finally, should we just leave both the propane and electric switches ON at all times.

Thanks
Paul
 
Paul,

We leave the hot water on electric and only turn on the propane when boondocking.  There is no need to keep both on, use one or the other.  It's your preference which to use.  It's not your furnace that heats the water, but the hot water heater on propane can sound like the furnace, but is usually much quieter as there is no blower involved.  The noisiest part of the furnace is the blower, not the burner.

Normally the gas burner has no adjustable thermostat, but sometimes the electric heater does.
 
Paul

As long as you are parked at a campground, you might as well let the park heat your water (using electric) rather than your propane. Yes, the electric takes longer but is quiet and "free". It keeps the water in our tank hot enough for my shower and shave. For Marlene, we may turn on the propane while she is showering and the water keeps running. The propane has no thermostat, the electric thermostat can be replaced with another setting but ususally the supplied one is at the lower end. The sound you hear during the nite is the furnace fan for coach heat. It is unlikely that you will hear the propane burner on the water heater.
 
Thanks Guys

I will try the electric only options and see how we get on.

The noise we hear is a load clicking noise and then a dull 'roaring' noise.

We dont have the coach heat on during the night, unless really cold weather is due.

Thanks
Paul
 
The roaring is the burner, still quieter than the furnace blower :)  The propane hot water heater does have a thermostat, but it's not adjustable.
 
UK-RV said:
Thanks Guys

I will try the electric only options and see how we get on.

The noise we hear is a load clicking noise and then a dull 'roaring' noise.

We dont have the coach heat on during the night, unless really cold weather is due.

Thanks
Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

If your hot water heater is really loud, you may need to adjust the air/fuel mixture. There is a silver tube over the burner assembly with holes in it. sliding it in one direction or the other will change the mixture and the level of noise. All burners will make some noise but it usually doesn't bother your neighbors.
 
Bernie:

In my case, with the electric overheating, are you saying there is no adjustment possible, but the thermostat has to be replaced with one with a lower setting?  I was not sure what you meant in your message.

Since you and others here indicated that normally the propane is faster and warmer, something is definitely wrong on my coach.  My electric is very fast, and water is too hot out of the sink.  We are using propane all the time now because of the problem.
 
I find the electric to be just as fast as propane. Using both at the same time is the fastest, but something I do only rarely, like when I forgot to turn the heater on and want to take a shower right away.

Atwood DSI gas/electric heaters have fixed thermostats but Atwood sells a couple different heat ranges, at least for the propane side of things. They also have an adjustable t-stat available that fits many Atwood models.  I don't know about Suburbans. Some of the Atwood gas-only heaters have adjustable gas valves to control heating, but you don't see many of gas-only models anymore.

Smoky: it sounds as though your electric t-stat is malfunctioning.  The propane side t-stat senses heat by direct contact to the tank wall and won't react properly if the t-stat is not making good physical contact. I don't know if the electric side uses the same principle, but its something to check.
 
Smoky said:
In my case, with the electric overheating, are you saying there is no adjustment possible, but the thermostat has to be replaced with one with a lower setting?  I was not sure what you meant in your message.

Since you and others here indicated that normally the propane is faster and warmer, something is definitely wrong on my coach.  My electric is very fast, and water is too hot out of the sink.  We are using propane all the time now because of the problem.
Click to expand...

Smoky

AFAIK there is no adjustments on the water heater re temperature. I have had my electric thermostat replaced on our Suburban 10 gal model with a higher temperature one. If I can find it, you can have our lower temp one that was replaced. The different thermostats just keep the water at different temperatures.

I don't think the propane is necessarily warmer, tho we have found it to be a little faster in heating, but your mileage may vary.
 
Bernie:

When things were working right, the propane was indeed faster.? I guess Mr. Electric felt challenged by Mr. Propane and he decided to compete!? ?:D
 
  My Atwood  Model GC6-A6  6 gallon gas/electric Water Heater (1993) has a simple lever control to adjust the gas heated water temp. This is on the Jade control. If you have a Robertshaw  Unitrol control, it has a temperature control knob.
  When on electric,  remove the junction box cover to get at the temperature control indicator. OF COURSE YOU WANT TO SHUT OFF YOUR ELECTRIC SUPPLY FIRST!!!
    If they have IMPROVED? the heater design since my trailer was built, then all bets are off!
      S. Sheinkopf
 
Smoky said:
Bernie:

When things were working right, the propane was indeed faster.? I guess Mr. Electric felt challenged by Mr. Propane and he decided to compete!? ?:D
Click to expand...

Hopefully they will get Mr. Electric back under control while you are at Pomona.  Sure hope those full hookups at QZ didn't give Mr. Electric that extra energy. ;D ;D
 
Were any of these "too hot" water problems fixed? If so, how?

TIA
 
My too hot problem was fixed at Pomona by the Suburban crew.  They said my 140 degree thermostat was defective and they replaced it with a 130 degree thermostat.  It works fine now and is still plenty hot.
 
Thanks Smoky. That's about the only thing it could have been. Glad you got it fixed.
 
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