We have an 80 gallon water heater. Downstairs shower head has regular shower head, upstairs one has a fast flow shower head. If one person showered in each for average 10 minutes, is it normal 5 hours later to have no hot water for it to "build up again"? We have checked the circuit breaker on it, and the temperature setting. Something isn't right. Each person that showered did not have overly hot hot water to begin with.
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Rossando
Well-Known Member
GPM(gallons per minute) is usually 1.1-1.3 for faucets in California. 15 mins is about 15-20 gallons. 2.2gpm and more for unregulated fixtures.
Heating up a tanked water heater to 110-130 degrees is about 30-40 mins from cold if water is slightly warm then half the time roughly.
Electric water heaters will take hours to heat up the water with those heating elements, usually one is working at a time never both but read the spec sheet this might have changed but i doubt it.
Hopefully you don't need a water heater. That will run you about 1.5k-2.5k depending on your property.
Heating up a tanked water heater to 110-130 degrees is about 30-40 mins from cold if water is slightly warm then half the time roughly.
Electric water heaters will take hours to heat up the water with those heating elements, usually one is working at a time never both but read the spec sheet this might have changed but i doubt it.
Hopefully you don't need a water heater. That will run you about 1.5k-2.5k depending on your property.
Thank you for this. I should have said in my post the water heater is new. About four months old. It is strange to me only 2 people showered and there is no hot water for dishes. Any tips on other major things to “check”?
Take a pic of the water heater setting, How hot is the water coming out at the kitchen sink?
Set the tank temp 120F min. My personal setting is 160F, But I have a mixing valve for the hand sinks.
What temperature is the water heater dial at?
80 gallon water heater is a decent size, Whats the KW?
if its Electric, you may need to hit the reset button on the heating element dial
I would check the thermostat settings and probably turn it up some. Make sure you read the directions on how to set the thermostats. Be sure to turn the power off first.
To compound the problem your shower valves may have limited hot water by a “ limiter “ that limits the amount of hot water you can mix into the shower. It’s an adjustment. This may or may not apply to your situation.
Being that you do not have hot water for dishes tells me you’re simply running out of hot water so I suggest making your water hotter so you’ll need to mix less of it into your final temp mix. Cold water is cold right now for most since we’re in winter months. This requires you to use more hot water for showers.
To compound the problem your shower valves may have limited hot water by a “ limiter “ that limits the amount of hot water you can mix into the shower. It’s an adjustment. This may or may not apply to your situation.
Being that you do not have hot water for dishes tells me you’re simply running out of hot water so I suggest making your water hotter so you’ll need to mix less of it into your final temp mix. Cold water is cold right now for most since we’re in winter months. This requires you to use more hot water for showers.
Rossando
Well-Known Member
Let us see what your whole system looks like for hot water. Boiler, tanks, pipework etc.
Assuming it was perfect when first installed, something is definitely not working right. If you don't have a circuit breaker tripped, then you may have to call a pro unless you have ohmmeter and start delving into repair steps.
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Mitchell-DIY-Guy
Well-Known Member
What kind and size (gas/electric/gallons) was there prior to this new WH being installed? Was that working OK? Did the new water heater EVER work OK?
If electric, need a thorough check of the power to the WH. Breakers/fuses/disconnects/wiring.
As the plumbing pros note, you need heating elements checked along with thermostat settings.
Wouldn’t hurt to check INCOMING cold water temp. It’s probably very cold now in MA, meaning you need a lot of “rise” from incoming to 120-160 setting.
Who installed it?
If electric, need a thorough check of the power to the WH. Breakers/fuses/disconnects/wiring.
As the plumbing pros note, you need heating elements checked along with thermostat settings.
Wouldn’t hurt to check INCOMING cold water temp. It’s probably very cold now in MA, meaning you need a lot of “rise” from incoming to 120-160 setting.
Who installed it?
Do you have a standard electric heater ? Or a heat pump heater , or what ? With an 80 gallon tank, you shouldn't be running out.
Hello all- Update on this (apologies I was away for a couple days). There was no hot water, not even from the kitchen sink. Looked again at the display, and there was an error code- a blue triangle with an exclamation point. I cleared it, the manual says it could be a few things. Going to call someone to come take a look if this happens again. I appreciate all the helpful comments!!
Well, we never did find out what kind of heater op has. If it's a heat pump.. ivevheard they can be pretty slow to re-heat.
Hi, it is a heat pump. We have the temp set at 130. The tank is located in the basement, and I am thinking the basement got too cold, as we use a wood stove, and a lot of times the oil burner does not kick on.
You say to cold... what temp is it down there ? Those things don't work to well if it's cold.
Mitchell-DIY-Guy
Well-Known Member
As home inspectors, we were always told never to turn on or test an air conditioner for a house if the ambient temperature outside is below 65°, as damage could occur… so I would imagine an extremely cold basement might prove problematic for a heat pump water heater.
They say they work down to 40 degrees, but I'm very skeptical .. depends on what mode there running. If it's cold and in heat pump only mode... I'd think it would struggle.
My basement goes down to 58 when it's cold out... and I am skeptical about using one. I'd have to run it in combo mode where it would use the electric elements if it needed them.
My basement goes down to 58 when it's cold out... and I am skeptical about using one. I'd have to run it in combo mode where it would use the electric elements if it needed them.
Mitchell-DIY-Guy
Well-Known Member
Right. If you look at detailed heat pump charts and calculations, the available BTU/Hr for heating is quite dependent on the ambient temperature. I had a dual fuel heat pump at my home in Michigan. The crossover point was 37 degrees; at or below that, the gas furnace would be used, but above that, it was the heat pump. The amount of heat the HP could make (# of BTU/Hr) at 38 degrees was vastly different than what it could make at 55 degrees. In HP mode, of course, you need a lot less BTU/Hr to heat your home when it's 55 outside than when it's 38 outside. These are significantly different heating requirements, in fact. But with hot water, you need that same number of gallons, at the same temperature regardless of what the ambient temperature is.
I think I'll stick with my gas water heater...my garage in NC can actually get to freezing, based upon some frozen cans last winter!
Yes indeed. I'm just over the line in sc, just below charlotte. It's 59 in my basement, 37 outside at the moment. I use a geothermal (well water, open loop) heat pump and it works pretty ok, since it uses the well water temp (around 59) all year. I do keep looking at those hp water heaters, but will probably just put in a marathon. (No annode , pb tank) when mine finally does go.
