Only getting warm water thru taps

Submitted: Sunday, Aug 21, 2016 at 19:46

ThreadID: 133267 Views:5814 Replies:3 FollowUps:7

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ozwildlifecarer

We have an SW6DEA hot water system which for the last 2+ years has delivered lovely hot water thru our taps. Just recently though the water is warm only. It's the same on 240 and gas.
The strange thing is when we check the temp of the water in the tank via the release valve it pretty hot.
We haven't touched or changed anything so can't figure it out. Is there maybe a valve that allowing cold water to mix with the hot that needs replacing?
Appreciate advise
Boris and linda

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Reply By: MEMBER - Darian, SA - Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 07:19

Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 07:19

Sounds like you have a tempering valve in the system...commonly available in plumbing and hardware stores...plenty of info on these valves on the web. Two years isn't enough service life though, for the system (my HW service is 7+ years and still good...the Suburban is a great unit...reliable and effective)...maybe you have a blockage ?

AnswerID: 603688

Follow Up By: ozwildlifecarer - Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 09:48

Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 09:48

Thanks Darian.
Where is the tempering valve located?

FollowupID: 873292

Follow Up By: MEMBER - Darian, SA - Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 11:30

Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 11:30

Quick pic of my valve...

Tempering valve

.
Red pipe right is from HWS. Red pipe down is to hot water taps. Black pipe left is cold water in. Good luck with it.

FollowupID: 873298

Follow Up By: TomH - Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 14:17

Monday, Aug 22, 2016 at 14:17

Masters have them on discount ATM Expect to pay north of $85 for that one. have just replaced a Solar one RRP was $141 Got it for $104 a few weeks ago.
They should have little mesh filters in each inlet/outlet, similar to washing machine taps,check they arent blocked before you buy a new one

FollowupID: 873300

Follow Up By: ozwildlifecarer - Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 11:39

Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 11:39

We located temper valve ours has s red cap which we removed . Do we turn the whole metal piece?
Husband nervous about it leaking. In the middle is a smaller but to like metal with a small hole in it. With a washer around it. But no idea what to do. The metal bit under cap is really tight in.
We had a gas fitter out yesterday who who then told us he knows nothing about caravans took off the tempering valve gave it a quick clean and charged us $80.with no change.
We don't seem be able to get any help from caravan repairers jayco . Emailed coast ev who deal with them and he told us to clean it out and if that doesn't work replace it. Does it have to be a red cap model and where the hell do you get them. Gas fitter had no idea . Get very frustrating . We're in Bega nsw

FollowupID: 873517

Follow Up By: MEMBER - Darian, SA - Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 13:54

Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 13:54

Bugger...$80 for nothing ! I've never dismantled one so can't advise there. Sounds like you need to travel to the nearest specialist van repairer....they would know the ins and outs of the hot and cold plumbing...with the low pressure 12v pump (free camping) and the mains pressure having to share the delivery system there are a number of possible issues...would be nice to eliminate the T valve, but anothet $100+/- will hurt if thats not it. Best of luck with it !

FollowupID: 873525

Reply By: Brad R2 - Tuesday, Aug 23, 2016 at 11:43

Tuesday, Aug 23, 2016 at 11:43

As Tom mentioned clean the filters on the inlet side, as your sacrificial anode corrodes away you can get stuff caught by the filters that block the flow of hot water to the tempering valve, ie. Less hot getting through with the same quantity of cold so the hot water ends up cooler. Second check the tempering valve, under the plastic cover they usually have an adjustment to vary the temperature of the hot allowed through the valve, if it's moved it can be returned to full hot by adjusting, just google the model number and brand of the valve for an instruction sheet. Whilst you doing all that it might pay to change the anode as they can decay fairly fast, our latest has only lasted 9 months in our suburban.

AnswerID: 603736

Follow Up By: TomH - Tuesday, Aug 23, 2016 at 17:47

Tuesday, Aug 23, 2016 at 17:47

That model valve gets hotter if you turn it anti clockwise It is 5 turns from full cold to fully hot. the centre of it winds out to give more hot water. I pulled my old one to bits to find out how it worked It needs a small tool with a triangle cutout to fit the piece on the head of it. Its an RMC Heatguard.
RMC instructions

FollowupID: 873357

Reply By: ozwildlifecarer - Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 17:57

Saturday, Aug 27, 2016 at 17:57

It's not an RMC sorry.
What's puzzling us is the fact that in the morning eg the water is reasonably hot not as hot as should be tho but by the evening it's barely warm.
The frustrating thing is there seems to be no one we contact that services they units in this area begs nsw of can give us any information. Coast RV told us it's the tempering valve so we will get s new one but why Foes the water come thru the taps cooler in evening even tho water in unit it hot.??

AnswerID: 603900