HighqualityPlumbing
Member
I installed a new Bradford White gas tank water heater URG140T6N model year 2019.
It has a honeywell V2 thermostat, see page 20 in https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.supplyh...rdWhite-URG140T6N-394-InstallInstructions.pdf
My house is old and the showers have no thermostatic mixing valves.
The output temperature of the water heater fluctuates about +- 8 degrees over time, for example between 100 and 108 degrees. I am unable to set it to a specific temperature, as the temperature changes over time (even when the house and exterior temps are constant). I would like to have it at 105 degrees. The control knob on the honeywell thermostat seems to be very difficult to set accurately.
Just to be clear, it is not just the difference from beginning to end of a burner heating cycle. I measured the output temp a few dozen times over a few days, for example right after a heating cycle i.e. just after the burner stopped heating.
I called Bradford White customer service, who said that +- 10 degrees fluctuation is normal, and recommended adding a tempering valve at the water heater outlet.
But on my old water heater (25 years old) I could set the temp accurately and it stayed constant. No need for external thermostat.
Is it normal that the output temp of a modern water heater fluctuates +- 8-10 degrees?
Why do I have to add an external thermostatic valve when my water heater already has a thermostat? Why can't they put in an internal thermostat that is as accurate as an external tempering valve? Doesn't make sense to me.
I would think that technology got better within 25 years, not worse.
Please help - should I return the heater or replace the valve of the heater, or is it normal and I should add an external thermostat? I like to keep things simple.
Could there be any other potential reason for the temp fluctuation? I assume the tip tube is unlikely broken as the heater is almost new.
It has a honeywell V2 thermostat, see page 20 in https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.supplyh...rdWhite-URG140T6N-394-InstallInstructions.pdf
My house is old and the showers have no thermostatic mixing valves.
The output temperature of the water heater fluctuates about +- 8 degrees over time, for example between 100 and 108 degrees. I am unable to set it to a specific temperature, as the temperature changes over time (even when the house and exterior temps are constant). I would like to have it at 105 degrees. The control knob on the honeywell thermostat seems to be very difficult to set accurately.
Just to be clear, it is not just the difference from beginning to end of a burner heating cycle. I measured the output temp a few dozen times over a few days, for example right after a heating cycle i.e. just after the burner stopped heating.
I called Bradford White customer service, who said that +- 10 degrees fluctuation is normal, and recommended adding a tempering valve at the water heater outlet.
But on my old water heater (25 years old) I could set the temp accurately and it stayed constant. No need for external thermostat.
Is it normal that the output temp of a modern water heater fluctuates +- 8-10 degrees?
Why do I have to add an external thermostatic valve when my water heater already has a thermostat? Why can't they put in an internal thermostat that is as accurate as an external tempering valve? Doesn't make sense to me.
I would think that technology got better within 25 years, not worse.
Please help - should I return the heater or replace the valve of the heater, or is it normal and I should add an external thermostat? I like to keep things simple.
Could there be any other potential reason for the temp fluctuation? I assume the tip tube is unlikely broken as the heater is almost new.
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