"John L. Wilkerson Jr." wrote in message
...
My electric water heater (2 months old) has a problem:

When taking a shower, I set the proper water tmep at the faucets. About
5-10 mins into the shower, the water temp drops noticeably. I can
readjust the faucets and all is well for the remainder of the shower.

Testing water temps, this problem is consistent. There is a 10 degree
difference in water temps.

This heater has both an adjustable upper and lower thermostat. This
problem seems to happen at ANY thermostat setting. I can keep the top at
the "hot water" setting, and the bottom at the "A" (one level higher
setting), or keep both the exact same.

It always seems the top is hotter, regardless of what the bottom is set
at.

I do know for sure the bottom heating element does work. For a 50 gallon
tank, we don't run out of hot water. It just seems the top one
"overrules" the bottom a bit too hastily.

Life was better with the old heater where you couldn't set the top 'stat.

We do have sufficient hot water. This is more of an irritant to me than
anything.

I did do the "conversion" on the lower element to give it a higher
wattage. I just yanked the bussbar to bring it back to 3800 watts to see
if this will make any difference, and correct trhe problem.

Any advice, or do I just have to live with it?

Thanks!

This is Turtle.

I have a cure for it all. Get Natural Gas to you tankless hot water tank system
and get a Rinnal Continuum Model gas tankless hot water system and just set the
exact temperature of the water you want with a digital read out thermostat and
use all hot water. The water will stay the temperature you set it on for days
and weeks or even a shower that takes a year. You will have none stop hot water
and exactly the temperature you want it to be and will supply 8 gallons a
minute. The burners will range between 15,000 btus to 200,000 btus as need be.
Bad part $900.00+ for the equipment.

You know adjusting the temperature could do it. Set the temp. of the bottom 5
degrees hotter than the top.

TURTLE