"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

I'm having a strange problem with the hot water in my home, and I'd
love some advice on it. A quick history -- I bought my home 2 years
ago and then the hot water heater (40 gallon electric) was only maybe 1
year old. Last summer the bottom started to leak, and i was greeted to
an inch of water in my hallway one morning. Anyway, it had a 9 year
warrenty from Home Depot, so I took it back and replaced it with a 50
gallon electric hot water heater. It was literally $10 more for the 50
gallon over 40, so figured what the hell. I live by myself, but I hope
to start a family someday.

About about a month after installing the 50 gallon hot water heater I
got a roommate, and that 50 gallon has been working great until two
mornings ago when i went to get a shower and ran out of hot water after
maybe 3 minutes. I asked my roommate if she took a long shower, and
she hadn't -- plus the washing machine nor dishwasher had been running
- this was in the morning before work. Neither of us have changed our
routines, and every morning since she moved in 6 months ago we've had
plenty of hot water to spare.

The water is hot, plenty hot when you use it, but it's just not making
enough. I felt the exit line from the hot water heater and it is warm,
and it has power... is there something that would cause this sucker to
quit making the quantities of hot water it was making? It's in a tray
and such, and there's no water in the tray or the overflow pipe (which
runs to the tray), so it's not leaking.

Any ideas?? This sucker is a pain to replace, so I hate to replace it
again -- but I like my hot showers more

Thanks or any advice or suggestions.

Ringo

All of the other suggestions are good. However you can not tell if an
element is working just by having power to it. You really need an amp meter
to check it out.

Is it really cold where you are? then the problem may just be in the
settings of the elements. Try raising the settings on the tstats 5-10
degrees. But no higher than 150 F.
The bottom stat should be the lower one. by 5 degrees.

Chances are the bottom element is the problem. Having said that there is
one other suggestion. There is a plastic dip tube on the cold water inlet
connection. It forces the cold water to the bottom forcing the hot water to
the top. (stratifying the water). If this tube is cracked then all of the
incoming water can go to the top reducing the hot water.

This repair takes time and normal hand tools. FIND the dip tube first. I
have never seen them at the Despot. Other wise your going to have to call a
plumber to fix it.
When my dip tube crapped out that is what I did cause I did not have the
time and was tired of cold water in the middle of my shower.