New electric water heater - lukewarm water

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dankoos

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Have a house I bought less than a year ago. Old tank leaked, so home warranty company paid to have replaced. They installed new AO Smith tank with expansion tank (which we didn't have previously). Water was lukewarm and Factory setting was 120 degrees. I bumped both thermostats to 140 before bed. Water still same temp this morning. Its heating the water I guess, just not much. I have call in to installer, just wondered if I am missing something. Does it take that long to heat up? Tank installed a week ago, first attempted real use was yesterday.
 
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Reach4

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Did they install a tempering valve also? By design, that mixes hot and cold to give limited temperature water. Feel the hot pipe out of the WH. Is it full hot while drawing water? Does it go to a mixing/tempering valve?

Check the current draw while the WH contains lukewarm water. If the WH is not drawing current, then I expect the thermostat calibrations are off.
 

dankoos

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Did they install a tempering valve also? By design, that mixes hot and cold to give limited temperature water. Feel the hot pipe out of the WH. Is it full hot while drawing water? Does it go to a mixing/tempering valve?

Check the current draw while the WH contains lukewarm water. If the WH is not drawing current, then I expect the thermostat calibrations are off.
No tempering valve. Electrician coming to check the electric connection and such...I am doubting he will find anything but hope i am wrong. The tank installer blamed electric without even coming out.
 

LLigetfa

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Any chance the pipes were hooked up backwards? Feel the pipes to make sure the hot is hot and the cold is cold.

It could possibly be a broken dip tube.
 

Dj2

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There's the possibility that the installer plugged it on before the WH was full.
 

dankoos

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So here is where I am. The electrician says the small "breaker box" (my description, don't know actual name) that feeds the electrical connection to the tank almost looks like it was used outside, has some bad contacts. He also said there were some loose wires at the tank itself. He fixed it best he could for now, says that mini-box needs replaced. He is going to contact home warranty company for approval. After he was there, it took until the next day and the water finally got back to lukewarm, at best. The tank installer told me it either works or doesn't, there is no middle ground so that was his reasoning for saying it is electrical...guessing that is truly the case? This is a seasonal home and when I turned the old tank on after winter (and after filling), it took almost 24 hours to get hot as well (then started leaking) but when it finally did heat up, it was actual hot water. Just hoping this box is the issue. By the way, since the tank has its own breaker in the breaker box, why is this smaller box feeding the tank even needed??
 

Phog

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As Reach suggested previously, you should measure the current draw. It will tell you all you need to know.
 
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