I know it sounds strange, but my water heater seems to fail to fully
heat the water once it initially gets hot. If I take a shower after
not using any hot water for several hours, it doesn't get past
lukewarm. Not cold, but definitely not hot. However, if I've recently
run a few gallons of hot water (i.e. within the last hour or so) the
shower is very hot for as long as I'd want to shower.
It's a 30gal, nat gas, Hotpoint model #HG30T1A, approx 4.5yrs old.
Anyone else experience this? Anything that can be adjusted to take
care of this?
Thanks,
Andy

wrote in message
oups.com...
I know it sounds strange, but my water heater seems to fail to fully
heat the water once it initially gets hot. If I take a shower after
not using any hot water for several hours, it doesn't get past
lukewarm. Not cold, but definitely not hot. However, if I've recently
run a few gallons of hot water (i.e. within the last hour or so) the
shower is very hot for as long as I'd want to shower.
It's a 30gal, nat gas, Hotpoint model #HG30T1A, approx 4.5yrs old.
Anyone else experience this? Anything that can be adjusted to take
care of this?
Thanks,
Andy


If this is an electric water heater it has two elements an upper and a
lower. And, two thermostats, one turns off the other element. Here is how it
works. As you use a lot of water the upper element comes on. As the water at
the top gets hot, it goes off and the lower one goes on to heat the reserve
water.

Al

Big Al wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
I know it sounds strange, but my water heater seems to fail to fully
heat the water once it initially gets hot. If I take a shower after
not using any hot water for several hours, it doesn't get past
lukewarm. Not cold, but definitely not hot. However, if I've
recently run a few gallons of hot water (i.e. within the last hour
or so) the shower is very hot for as long as I'd want to shower.
It's a 30gal, nat gas, Hotpoint model #HG30T1A, approx 4.5yrs old.
Anyone else experience this? Anything that can be adjusted to take
care of this?
Thanks,
Andy


If this is an electric water heater

Well since the OP wrote that is is a "a 30gal, nat gas" I doubt if it is
electric. :-)

I am glad I am not the only one who missed important parts of the
message.

I am going to make a wild, not thoughtful guess that it might be a bad
dip tube, but that does not seem to fit everything described. The only
other thing I can think of is a defective thermostat.

it has two elements an upper and a
lower. And, two thermostats, one turns off the other element. Here is
how it works. As you use a lot of water the upper element comes on.
As the water at the top gets hot, it goes off and the lower one goes
on to heat the reserve water.

Al

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Big Al wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
I know it sounds strange, but my water heater seems to fail to fully
heat the water once it initially gets hot. If I take a shower after
not using any hot water for several hours, it doesn't get past
lukewarm. Not cold, but definitely not hot. However, if I've
recently run a few gallons of hot water (i.e. within the last hour
or so) the shower is very hot for as long as I'd want to shower.
It's a 30gal, nat gas, Hotpoint model #HG30T1A, approx 4.5yrs old.
Anyone else experience this? Anything that can be adjusted to take
care of this?
Thanks,
Andy


If this is an electric water heater

Well since the OP wrote that is is a "a 30gal, nat gas" I doubt if it
is electric. :-)

I am glad I am not the only one who missed important parts of the
message.

I am going to make a wild, not thoughtful guess that it might be a bad
dip tube, but that does not seem to fit everything described. The only
other thing I can think of is a defective thermostat.

it has two elements an upper and a
lower. And, two thermostats, one turns off the other element. Here is
how it works. As you use a lot of water the upper element comes on.
As the water at the top gets hot, it goes off and the lower one goes
on to heat the reserve water.

Al

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit
My first thought was the thermostat or a lot of sediment (NG heates from the
bottom right?)

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message

I am going to make a wild, not thoughtful guess that it might be a bad
dip tube, but that does not seem to fit everything described. The only
other thing I can think of is a defective thermostat.

Here's a link to dip tube info:

http://www.thehomeinspector.com/Clients/DipTube2.html

I recently had a similar problem, with water temp being either hoter, or not
so hot. It seems the were two temperatures available :-)

I flushed the tank and replaced the anode. Also desinfected the tank, while
at it, with a 1/2 gal of chlorine bleech.

Seems the temp is stable now.

Rich

PS Have a read about water heaters he

http://www.thehomeinspector.com/Clients/DipTube.html

No wrote:
"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...

My first thought was the thermostat or a lot of sediment (NG heates
from the bottom right?)

More like from the middle I believe.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

try turning up the thermostat a bit, but first move it fully around at
least 5 times.

thermostats are kinda pricey, with a tank approaching 5 years old you
MIGHT be better off just replacing the tank. I priced a thermostat a
year ago they wanted $125 but ended up covering it under warranty since
the tank was just a year old

thermostat is about a 1/3 of new tank price????


Hotpoint are the low price tanks. At least according to a tank buying
guide here. Given that its probably better to replace it

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message:

My first thought was the thermostat or a lot of sediment (NG heates
from the bottom right?)

More like from the middle I believe.

Are you guys serious?

The burner is at the very bottom - you can see the flames. So it heats from
the very bottom.

Rich

wrote in message:

thermostats are kinda pricey, with a tank approaching 5 years old you
MIGHT be better off just replacing the tank. I priced a thermostat a
year ago they wanted $125 but ended up covering it under warranty since
the tank was just a year old

thermostat is about a 1/3 of new tank price????

Why are people so eager to fill up the dumpsites?

Even if it does cost 1/3, you're saving 2/3. Of course we have a very sick
system of free enterprise, if small parts are that expensive. Try to find a
cheaper source for the part first, or a cheaper plumber.

Change the anode at the same time and maybe the drain valve and you have
practically new water heater for 1/3 the cost.

Rich

Big Al, she said "nat gas".

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Big Al" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
I know it sounds strange, but my water heater seems to fail to fully
heat the water once it initially gets hot. If I take a shower after
not using any hot water for several hours, it doesn't get past
lukewarm. Not cold, but definitely not hot. However, if I've recently
run a few gallons of hot water (i.e. within the last hour or so) the
shower is very hot for as long as I'd want to shower.
It's a 30gal, nat gas, Hotpoint model #HG30T1A, approx 4.5yrs old.
Anyone else experience this? Anything that can be adjusted to take
care of this?
Thanks,
Andy


If this is an electric water heater it has two elements an upper and a
lower. And, two thermostats, one turns off the other element. Here is how it
works. As you use a lot of water the upper element comes on. As the water at
the top gets hot, it goes off and the lower one goes on to heat the reserve
water.

Al

actually N/G heaters heat from the bottom and interior flue. Theres a
heat deflector inside the entire flue to disperse the heat into the
tank.

everyone should disassemble a tank someday, its a learning experience

On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 17:52:45 -0500, "RichK" wrote:


wrote in message:

thermostats are kinda pricey, with a tank approaching 5 years old you
MIGHT be better off just replacing the tank. I priced a thermostat a
year ago they wanted $125 but ended up covering it under warranty since
the tank was just a year old

thermostat is about a 1/3 of new tank price????

Why are people so eager to fill up the dumpsites?

Good question.

Even if it does cost 1/3, you're saving 2/3.

Absolutely. With compound interest, this money wll be worth a lot
when it is time to retire.

Of course we have a very sick
system of free enterprise, if small parts are that expensive. Try to find a
cheaper source for the part first, or a cheaper plumber.

Change the anode at the same time and maybe the drain valve and you have
practically new water heater for 1/3 the cost.

Rich



Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

RichK wrote:
"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message:

My first thought was the thermostat or a lot of sediment (NG heates
from the bottom right?)

More like from the middle I believe.

Are you guys serious?

The burner is at the very bottom - you can see the flames. So it
heats from the very bottom.

That is where the fire is, but the heat moves up the center of the water
heater through the vent and the heat is transferred to the water through the
walls of the vent all the way up. It is not just at the bottom. I would
agree that there may be more heat transferred at the bottom, but a
significant amount of heat is also transferred all along the vent. There
are even baffles in the vent to slow the flow to allow more heat transfer.



Rich

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Why are people so eager to fill up the dumpsites?

Even if it does cost 1/3, you're saving 2/3. Of course we have a very
sick
system of free enterprise, if small parts are that expensive. Try to
find a
cheaper source for the part first, or a cheaper plumber.


Change the anode at the same time and maybe the drain valve and you
have
practically new water heater for 1/3 the cost.


Rich

Ahh! You must realize hotpoint heater have at longest a 4 year warranty
according to a buying guide here. brand new they are aboiut 250 bucks

it doesnt make economic sense to spend 50% of a new tank on a
thermostat. besides changing a thermostat is a hassle. I had to have a
licensed plumber do mine, and show the receipt to the home buyer as
part of selling a home. inspector claimed there was a gas leak plumber
found nothing!

with a low end tank the thermostat replacement may likely cause a new
leak, when the tank is disturbed.

I hate doing jobs twice

wrote in message

Ahh! You must realize hotpoint heater have at longest a 4 year warranty
according to a buying guide here. brand new they are aboiut 250 bucks

Yes there may be these cases :-( Anyone who buys a 4 year water heater for
$250, should have his head examined. Then 4 years later spend another $250,
because some marketing enlightened designer made sure it fails after 4
years.

In my book it should be illegal to make water heaters that last 4 years.
But as long, as fools keep buying them, they will be on the market.

The OP did not say (maybe did not know) the expected life of his heater, so
it's difficult to make a rational decision. Another requirement I'd make -
clearly mark the year of manufacture, expected life and efficiency of every
appliance.

Most people easily fall for the tricks of the so called "free market" - free
to rip you off :-(

The saying that market competition "brings out the best in products and
worst in people" (D. Sarnoff) is no longer true. It's now the worst in
both.

Rich