Alternative Power sources - Re: Running out of hot water in showers while getting enough in faucet

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Re: Running out of hot water in showers while getting enough in faucet

David Williams

2007-06-08, 1:25 pm

-> If the shower has a mixer valve, it might be useful to check the mixer
-> valve in the shower for max setting and proper function.

-> One test might be this:
-> 1) let the sink run on full hot until the temp stabilizes. Measure and
-> record the temp.
-> 2) Repeat with the shower.
-> 3) compare the two temps. If the sink is hotter, then perhaps that
-> same differential will exist as the hot water runs out.

-> Another test:
-> Does the shower maintain constant temps when other water demands (such
-> as a toilet or sink) are suddenly turned on?
-> If it doesn't then, perhaps the mixer valve cartridge is defective.

-> Food for thought.
-> Phil

The OP said he has several showers in his house, including at least one
with two separate taps for hot and cold (therefore no mixer valve), and
that *all* the showers run out of hot water before the faucets.

I still can't think of any explanation for there still being hot water
from the faucets when the showers have run cold, other than the
possibility that the showers are being fed water from part-way down the
tank (boiler, whatever), so they run cold when there is still hot water
in the top of the tank that the faucets can use. Possibly, some
previous owner wanted to prevent his teenagers from wasting too much
water in the showers. I'd suggest that the OP should look at his
plumbing to see if this is the case.

dow

philkryder

2007-06-09, 3:25 am

On Jun 8, 8:46 am, david.willi...@bayman.org (David XXXXXXXX) wrote:
> -> If the shower has a mixer valve, it might be useful to check the mixer
> -> valve in the shower for max setting and proper function.
>
> -> One test might be this:
> -> 1) let the sink run on full hot until the temp stabilizes. Measure and
> -> record the temp.
> -> 2) Repeat with the shower.
> -> 3) compare the two temps. If the sink is hotter, then perhaps that
> -> same differential will exist as the hot water runs out.
>
> -> Another test:
> -> Does the shower maintain constant temps when other water demands (such
> -> as a toilet or sink) are suddenly turned on?
> -> If it doesn't then, perhaps the mixer valve cartridge is defective.
>
> -> Food for thought.
> -> Phil
>
> The OP said he has several showers in his house, including at least one
> with two separate taps for hot and cold (therefore no mixer valve), and
> that *all* the showers run out of hot water before the faucets.
>
> I still can't think of any explanation for there still being hot water
> from the faucets when the showers have run cold, other than the
> possibility that the showers are being fed water from part-way down the
> tank (boiler, whatever), so they run cold when there is still hot water
> in the top of the tank that the faucets can use. Possibly, some
> previous owner wanted to prevent his teenagers from wasting too much
> water in the showers. I'd suggest that the OP should look at his
> plumbing to see if this is the case.
>
> dow

Thank you David.

Something is chopping this thread up into separate threads, which
makes understanding context difficult.

It seems to happen to several of the threads that I see you respond
to.
Wonder what is causing THAT?

-------- Anyway, back on topic.....

One possible explanation is the the "hot feed" to all the showers is
sent through a anti-scald mixing valve to avoid potential scalding.

This may be code, or it may be just a good idea to prevent scalding
from an overheating furnace.

This device is an example of a "whole house" scald preventer:
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/scald.html

If a device like this is in use,
And If it is defective,
And If only the showers are run through this device (which might make
sense since they are the most dangerous),
then it could have an effect similar to a defective anti-scald shower
control valve.

I realize that this doesn't meet the Occam's razor test.
But, it does meet the Sherlock Holmes test.

Phil

Steve Ackman

2007-06-09, 1:25 pm

In <1181366862.265544.197030@z28g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, on Sat, 09
Jun 2007 05:27:42 -0000, philkryder wrote:

> Something is chopping this thread up into separate threads, which
> makes understanding context difficult.
>
> It seems to happen to several of the threads that I see you respond
> to.
> Wonder what is causing THAT?

You don't have to wonder. Just look at the headers.
David XXXXXXXX is using a newsreader (which doesn't
identify itself) which doesn't include references.
Therefore each time he "replies" he is actually
starting a new thread.

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