Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Thor Forums > Thor Motorcoach & Motorhome > Class A Motor Coach
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 02-09-2015, 03:33 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 31F
State: Georgia
Posts: 166
THOR #631
Hot water question.... 2013 Thor 4-Winds 31F

Members,
I've checked and double checked to make sure that I have the valves all set correctly so that my hot water heater is fed cold water and has an open hot water outlet and these are working and we do have really hot water and cold water at both sinks and shower.

My issue/problem is that when in the shower, if one uses the cut-off valve at the shower head to conserve water while soaping up or shampooing, when the cut-0ff valve is released you get a surge of cold and then a surge of very hot water before the normal temperature you set is restored. QUESTION: Is this normal; do others have this problem?

I've also noticed that the galley sink/kitchen sink initially delivers cold water when the cold tap is opened but then has a brief period when the water gets noticeably warm before returning to pure cold. I can't imagine where that spurt of warm is coming from. QUESTION: Have any of you noticed a similar effect?

__________________
John
Somewhere, USA
JDHoge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 08:40 AM   #2
Moderator Emeritus
 
FW28z's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2011 Four Winds 28Z
State: Michigan
Posts: 1,273
THOR #531
Do you have an on-demand water heater? Some of those have issues with temperature vs. water flow rate, and could explain the shower issue. If you have a standard heater, I have no idea.

For the galley sink, i'm guessing there is something making the cold water line warm. It might be that the installers taped the hot/cold water lines together at some point, perhaps they are too close together where they go through a bulkhead, or some other source is heating the cold water line.
__________________
The only thing that works on a RV is the owner...
FW28z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 10:46 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 31F
State: Georgia
Posts: 166
THOR #631
It is a standard 10 gallon tank-type hot water heater, gas or 110 VAC. Yes the lines run close together so perhaps that's the issue with the kitchen sink. I'll put some insulation between the red and blue pipes and see if that solves the problem. Thank you for suggesting this easy fix.
__________________
John
Somewhere, USA
JDHoge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 12:42 PM   #4
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
Every camper I've had has had the hot/cold shower issue (at least cold water coming out using the shower head shutoff).

Does a furnace vent hose run by the galley sink lines? That could easily heat up the water lines as well.
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 05:29 PM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
 
FW28z's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2011 Four Winds 28Z
State: Michigan
Posts: 1,273
THOR #531
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDHoge View Post
It is a standard 10 gallon tank-type hot water heater, gas or 110 VAC. Yes the lines run close together so perhaps that's the issue with the kitchen sink. I'll put some insulation between the red and blue pipes and see if that solves the problem. Thank you for suggesting this easy fix.
Yea, its not like the manufacturer would have sprung for a $2 piece of insulation...
__________________
The only thing that works on a RV is the owner...
FW28z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 06:36 PM   #6
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Texas
Posts: 63
THOR #1532
I get that in my shower too, release that cut-off and you get a blast of cool, then blazing hot water.
__________________
RobbieH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2015, 09:04 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,183
THOR #908
Quote:
Originally Posted by FW28z View Post
Yea, its not like the manufacturer would have sprung for a $2 piece of insulation...
__________________
blw2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 01:41 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 31F
State: Georgia
Posts: 166
THOR #631
Inspection under sink revealed that the hot and cold lines had been taped and zip tied together. Severing those connections and placing a piece of cardboard between the lines solved the problem.
IMO, the shower has the same issue (although I can't get in there to make the correction). From my work to silence the rattling of the C & H lines behind the shower wall, I know that the two are separated from the floor up. So that accounts for the rush of cold. I guess that then if you've paused for 20 seconds or more to soap up or shampoo, the tightly tethered blue and red lines under the shower have heated up enough to give you that unpleasant blast of really hot water. No solution but to disassemble (but I'm not going that far).
__________________
John
Somewhere, USA
JDHoge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 02:26 PM   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
FW28z's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2011 Four Winds 28Z
State: Michigan
Posts: 1,273
THOR #531
Glad you found the problem.
__________________
The only thing that works on a RV is the owner...
FW28z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 02:50 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,183
THOR #908
yep, just formally added two items to my RV hit list
(projects to do some day when I have time..... yeah, like that's ever gonna happen )

1) recirculation valve for shower hot water line (if I can figure out a simple way to do it)
2) insulate the shower HW line
__________________
blw2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 08:12 PM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
FW28z's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2011 Four Winds 28Z
State: Michigan
Posts: 1,273
THOR #531
You could combine the recirculation feature with a Truma on-demand hot water heater. They make one that is a retrofit into the existing hole the Atwood unit leaves.

There is a mode on the Truma that recirculates the water line, and the heater includes an auxiliary pump to accomplish this. However, you will have to find a way to plumb another water line from the hot water heater to the end of the line.
__________________
The only thing that works on a RV is the owner...
FW28z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 08:38 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,183
THOR #908
honestly, I see no need in having an on demand heater
Sure it would be nice.....

but I have no problem with the recovery time, and I have no problem just switching the atwood on a few minutes before I want to shower.... leave it off most of the time.....
__________________
blw2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thor Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.




All times are GMT. The time now is 10:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2