Shower Alternates from Hot to Cold

rmchad

rmchad

Heartland Owner
The shower in our Sundance changes from hot to cold as the water pump cycles on and off. If the pump would stay on during a shower, I suspect the temperature would remain the same. I have an Oxygenics shower head, but it does the same thing even with this removed.

Anyone have this problem and found a way to solve it? While the showers are invigorating, I'd rather have a steady stream of warm water.

Thanks for the ideas.
 
porthole

porthole

Retired
Check the hot water heater bypass.
Make sure the valve is closed. This is 1/4 turn valve between the hot and cold lines.
 
Last edited:
jnbhobe

jnbhobe

Well-known member
If you add an accumalator tank it will stop most of the cycleing of the pump. It has worked for us and at least 50% of our camping we use the pump
 
rmchad

rmchad

Heartland Owner
The hot water heater bypass valve is closed. I don't have this problem at the kitchen sink -- the pump stays on if hot and cold valves are both running. It acts like a pressure problem -- the low-flow shower head makes the pump cycle. When the pump is on, we get mostly hot water and when it is off we get mostly cold water.
 
rmchad

rmchad

Heartland Owner
Thanks for the accumlator tank idea. I never thought about adding one to a 5th wheel. We have one at home on our well system. I searched the web and found some pictures of how they are installed in 5th wheels.

Do you know what pressure you run yours at?
 
porthole

porthole

Retired
Before you go out and get an accumulator tank, check your pump model. The newer pumps being installed are variable speed and accumulator tanks are not recommend for this style pump.

Variable speed or not, pump cycling is to be expected.

I still would make sure the bypass valve for your water heater is closed.
 
caissiel

caissiel

Senior Member
The hot water tank has a spring loaded check valve on the hot water outlet side. It is reported that it is there to prevent back flow. But I think its more practicle in shutting down the water for the tank bypass. I have fixed this problem by replacing the check valve with a 1/4 turn brass valve. When I winterize I just close it and then bypass the water tank with the bypass lever.

On our trailer I added a surge tank and the pump runs longer during the shower, so the pressure is constent. But lately the cold water runs longer when I close the shower spray and reopen it. So I will be replacing the check valve on our unit.
 
rmchad

rmchad

Heartland Owner
What I'm thinking of as the spring loaded check valve (on the outside part of the water heater) was a pressure relief valve. Is this what you changed?

We don't have the problem at the kitchen sink, just the low-flow shower, which makes me think it is pressure related. I have ordered an accumulator tank and will see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for the ideas. In
 
JohnDar

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
The check valve Rick mentions is on the inside of the rig, on the hot water outlet at the top rear of the water heater tank. Usually it's black or white plastic. Don't do anything to the pressure relief valve on the outside of the water heater. That has to be there to vent excess pressure from the tank. The check valve at the rear of the heater prevents water from backflowing into the water heater from the plumbing system.
 
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