Hot water mixing issue at shower

coss370 · 12-22-2020, 01:09 AM

Hey guys,

I need a little help with my stupid hot shower valve. I have one of those residential type hot shower where it is just one big knob to turn it. Problem is that I would only get lukewarm water even when I have it on full hot. The water coming from everywhere in the coach is fine, so it is just the shower. I can get more hot water by turning on any cold faucet while I am showering. What do you guys think? Do I have a shower faucet that needs adjustment or do I have issues with my water pressure/water lines themselves? I believe the shower is tee off the bathroom sink, so in theory they should be working together. Yet I believe the shower valve is mixing in too much cold water, the bathroom sink is fine. That sink has the traditional left/right valve.

Want a B · 12-22-2020, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coss370

Hey guys,

...residential type hot shower where it is just one big knob to turn it. Problem is that I would only get lukewarm water even when I have it on full hot. The water coming from everywhere in the coach is fine, so it is just the shower. I can get more hot water by turning on any cold faucet while I am showering....

Outside shower hot AND cold valves are on and shower head is turned off?

coss370 · 12-22-2020, 06:33 PM

tried both, its like the cold pressure and volume is too much, thats why turning on the cold water helps lower the volume and gets me more hot water. I wonder if this has to do with the shower valve

eric1514 · 12-23-2020, 12:01 AM

Many residential shower valves, like the MOEN positemp in my Class C have a way to limit the amount of hot water available for mixing at the valve. This is a user adjustable setting meant to help prevent scalding accidents. If it is set too low, your shower may never get warm enough even though you might have plenty of really hot water. Also, what worked in the summer may not work in the winter as the cold water is, well, colder and exacerbates a too low hot water setting.

See who makes your valve and google the instructions for setting this stop, if your valve has that feature.

Good luck.

Nspekter · 12-27-2020, 11:40 PM

Like Eric said. Usually you remove the handle with a little allen set screw and there's an adjustable stop underneath it. You might have to remove another piece of trim as well. Easier if you look up your model.

coss370 · 12-28-2020, 04:40 AM

I have a new model, no manual and the manufacture used some gunk to jam the access hole. The manufacture sent me a new one, I am going to take that apart to play with it. I am turning the sink water on to shower in order to get a hot shower

Nspekter · 12-28-2020, 06:05 PM

Is the one they sent you identical to the one that's installed? And still no way to identify the manufacturer or model? Wow. At least you have it to take apart and see how to adjust the setting. Depending on how gunked up the hole is and what it would take, it might be easier to swap out for the new one.

coss370 · 12-28-2020, 07:27 PM

It’s very difficult to swap out the whole thing as cabinets are behind it I am going to take the new faucet and play with it to see if it is even adjustable as some had said the Rv ones don’t work like residential ones. It’s just very hard to see what type of screw inside the hole due to the putty and lack of lights. I will try when I am home after this trip. With the cold weather we can’t really dry camp anyway, so we have full plug in nightly. We just have to dump daily.

coss370 · 01-08-2021, 01:53 AM

Ok bad news. The replacement valve is here and I got the handle off. Problem is that it isn't adjustable. So here are my options.

1. Remove my cabinet to change this valve, there is a chance the new one will do the same.
2. Somehow lower my water pressure on the cold side but not the hot side so my cold water doesn't overwhelm it.

If I go with 2, what pressure/volume regulator can I use?

GeorgeRa · 01-08-2021, 03:21 AM

I have pressure regulator with the gauge for shore water, got in on McMaster Car. It seems you have an obstruction somewhere on cold water line on line going to the shower head, using an endoscope you could trace it and fix the source of the problem. I use this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 but there are many different models.

Nspekter · 01-08-2021, 05:23 AM

Can you post a picture of the valve?

coss370 · 01-08-2021, 11:02 AM

It's this disaster. I removed it, nothing is adjustable inside. https://www.rvfaucets.com/4-empire-r...de-handle.html

My issue isnt pressure, I have tons of it on both sides. I just get no hot water from my shower. The only way I can get it is to run another cold water faucet and decrease the cold pressure and then I get nice hot water. This works great if you have a giant tank, but I have a class b with a little tank. Every shower I lose 1/4 from running the cold. I honestly can't boondocks like this

SteveJ · 01-08-2021, 01:58 PM

Options in order of ease of implementation.

Replace the faucet with the same or different brand, may or may not help. A two handle faucet might be advantageous in this situation.

Install a pressure regulator or a simple ball valve on the incoming supply.

Or do what we do to save water when boondocking. We only fire up the water heater when it's time to shower and then only heat it enough to get to shower temperature. We use a remote electronic meat thermometer with the probe slid in at an angle in the foam insulating jacket on the water heater. When the thermometer shows 95* it's actually about 101 in the tank due to temperature lag. Doing it this way means no mixing at the shower valve, just straight "hot", and less water used to get the temp correct. We can do two Navy showers on the six gallons of warm water available and not run out of warm water. Obviously, we have to heat water in a pot on the cooktop when doing dishes or washing up. Not a big sacrifice for us.

Bud · 01-08-2021, 02:08 PM

"Obviously, we have to heat water in a pot on the cooktop when doing dishes or washing up. Not a big sacrifice for us."

Not really Steve. I do exactly as you Except no hot water is needed for dishes.

Fill one glass half full of skim (fat free) milk and another one half full with whole mike. Now rinse them both out with hot tap water and take a look. You just need dish soap. I suggest giving it a try at home.

GeorgeRa · 01-08-2021, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coss370

It's this disaster. I removed it, nothing is adjustable inside. https://www.rvfaucets.com/4-empire-r...de-handle.html

My issue isnt pressure, I have tons of it on both sides. I just get no hot water from my shower. The only way I can get it is to run another cold water faucet and decrease the cold pressure and then I get nice hot water. This works great if you have a giant tank, but I have a class b with a little tank. Every shower I lose 1/4 from running the cold. I honestly can't boondocks like this

It seems that you are dealing with a contradiction, you can get hot water by reducing cold water pressure at the shower head but you have tons of pressure on both sides, whatever these sides are, good luck solving your dilemma.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coss370

Hey guys,
I need a little help with my stupid hot shower valve…………………

You could replace the stupid shower valve with a smart one.

coss370 · 01-08-2021, 06:08 PM

I am trying not to remove my cabinets and finishes to get to this stupid valve. My other option is to get a shop to do it. Knowing the work of the RV mechanics, they will probably break more stuff doing it than me sigh

GeorgeRa · 01-08-2021, 08:47 PM

Your issue is most likely a flow constraint on hot water line somewhere between teeing of the main hot water line and the shower valve, it can be far away from the “stupid” valve.

SteveJ · 01-09-2021, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

"Obviously, we have to heat water in a pot on the cooktop when doing dishes or washing up. Not a big sacrifice for us."

Not really Steve. I do exactly as you Except no hot water is needed for dishes.

Fill one glass half full of skim (fat free) milk and another one half full with whole mike. Now rinse them both out with hot tap water and take a look. You just need dish soap. I suggest giving it a try at home.

Darling wife would never go for the no hot water thing for dishes.