Inlet plumbing?

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Did connecting the hose to the drain with the ballvalve up top off solve the issue ?
I don't think so, with that setup I expected the water temp at the faucet to instantly be much closer to thermostat setting but it was still 20F less than thermostat.

I posted my results for that test in reply #28
 
A new dip tube wouldn’t help you then.

You have another problem other than a dip tube issue.

Cross connection, leak or wiring/thermostat issues.

What faucet are you Checking the hot water temp at ?
 
Dip tube tested OK
Cross connection tested NEGATIVE
Wiring tests OK
Thermostats test OK
Leak check NOT DONE (no water meter) but I don't have reason to suspect a leak might exist (well pump isn't kicking on unexpectedly, no visual signs of leaks)

I have primarily been checking the hot water at the kitchen sink faucet. But I also checked it at bathroom tub and sinks yesterday once or twice.
 
I just tried the faucet in the laundry room which is adjacent to the garage/water heater. A bit closer to the unit and has the separate hot/cold valves. The kitchen faucet is a one handle design. The hot water in the laundry room is coming out at 130F while the kitchen is at 120F. So this makes me realize the mixer valve thingies in the kitchen faucet may be diluting my hot water.

Then I tried the bathroom which is one room further from the heat than the kitchen, with separate hot/cold valves, and that hot water is only 120F as well.

Questions:
1) What would be "normal" measurement at inside faucet when thermostat is set at 140F?
2) What is normal heat loss in the pipes (CPVC)?
3) How much add'l heat loss when you go one room further?
 
To answer your questions I’d have to know a lot more info then take that info and do math.
That’s not necessary to get you hot water for your house in most situations.

Turn the thermostat up until your happy with the temp on all your faucets. Don’t worry about what the thermostat says, worry about what temp your water is coming out. Bump it up until you’re happy. Give it 24hrs to equalize and always check the temp after the tank first turns itself off signaling a full tank. Consistency is key.

It wouldn’t surprise me if your thermostats were up to 10 degrees out of calibration.

The best way to check the temp is by popping off the temp&pressure relief valve within a few minutes of the heater turning itself off signaling a full tank of up to temperature water. But your T&P is old and needs to be replaced due to its age. If you open it, it may not close……

If what you’ve told me is true then there’s nothing wrong with your water heater other than the thermostat may be reading on the lower end of the acceptable temp range. Post some pics of your thermostats
 
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But your T&P is old and needs to be replaced due to its age. If you open it, it may not close……
Yeah to heck with that...

If what you’ve told me is true then there’s nothing wrong with your water heater other than the thermostat may be reading on the lower end of the acceptable temp range. Post some pics of your thermostats
I got them from this Utilitech tune-up kit from Lowes 🤷‍♂️

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Yeah I dunno man, I need to reset and re-define the problem if there even is one.

After replacing the elements a while back I had to crank up the t-stats to 140F to get nice hot water. Was satisfied with that for a few months but I figured that was early sign of a t-stat on its way out. The the hot water started running out quicker than it was. So I decided to start with replacing the t-stats. I started the new ones out on 120F as recommended but the hot water was not very hot and running out quick. So it seemed at that point the new t-stats solved nothing. Put them up to 140F and still felt like the hot water wasn't lasting as long as it should. After looking at a parts diagram, the only thing left to replace was the dip tube. So I started down that path which led me to post here... striking out. 😒
 
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You might have a leak. Turn the water off to the heater for 30 minutes and then open it back up, don’t use any hot water during this. If you have a leak you will hear water rush in to fill the pipe back up. You shouldn’t hear anything when you open the valve back up.

Of course you can always just watch your pressure gauge for a while and make sure it doesn’t drop.
 
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You might have a leak. Turn the water off to the heater for 30 minutes and then open it back up, don’t use any hot water during this. If you have a leak you will hear water rush in to fill the pipe back up. You shouldn’t hear anything when you open the valve back up.
Ooh OK I can do this. Will report back.

Of course you can always just watch your pressure gauge for a while and make sure it does drop.
If that gauge wasn't broken... indeed. :)
 
OK shut cold water inlet off, didn't use any water at all for about 1h45m and when turned back on and heard just the tiniest bit of inrush at the valve. Normal or concerning?
 
OK shut cold water inlet off, didn't use any water at all for about 1h45m and when turned back on and heard just the tiniest bit of inrush at the valve. Normal or concerning?
Well it’s not normal and it indicates a leak. Maybe a small leak but definitely a leak. A tiny leak wouldn’t cause the water heater any issue other than running more often.
 
Well it’s not normal and it indicates a leak. Maybe a small leak but definitely a leak. A tiny leak wouldn’t cause the water heater any issue other than running more often.
Alright.

I do have a tub faucet that intermittently drips. I assumed it was cold water side but maybe not. I'm not even sure it it's leaking at the moment. So this could explain the small loss in the heater tank, or not.
 
A real small drip would not cause your water to be luke warm. Did you check to see if you have a good dip tube in the cold line yet??????????
 
A real small drip would not cause your water to be luke warm. Did you check to see if you have a good dip tube in the cold line yet??????????
I didn't open the cold water inlet up and put my eyes on it, but go back a page or 2 you can read about the test I did per @Twowaxhack's suggestion, and it results indicate the dip tube is not the problem (if there even is a problem).
 

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