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    hlhaley's Avatar
    hlhaley Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    May 14, 2008, 01:53 PM
    Old water heater 3 minutes of hot water?
    Hello- I have an old water heater and when I take a shower I have 2,3minutes of hot/warm water before it gradually gets cold. I have turned the temp gauge up is there anything else I can do. Could it be rust deposits?:confused: :(
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
    Uber Member
    		  
    #2

    May 14, 2008, 01:59 PM
    Check if you have plenty of hot water from the drain. The dip tube is probably broken off on the inside of the hot water heater on the cold side.

    What's happening is that your draining water off the top of the heater and that's where the cold is coming in. It doesn't have time to mix and therefore it's cold.

    What's supposed to happen is that you take water from the top of the tank and you fill the heater from the bottom.

    If the water heater is old, 10 yrs or so, replace it. The dip tube is replaceable.
    smearcase's Avatar
    smearcase Posts: 2,392, Reputation: 316
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #3

    May 14, 2008, 06:53 PM
    Maybe one of the elements is burned out, assuming its electric.
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