Intermittent hot water -tab 320

TxNew23ers

We have a 2021 Tab 320, Boonbock version camper.  We've taken it out a few times now but still are having some issues getting consistent warm/hot water, so I'm starting to question our hookups.   We do not fill our tank, we have connected to the campsite water supply, so we set up on the city water valve setting, we do not run the water pump.   I've learned that we should have the water on the hot setting, so are we doing something wrong, or am I just too impatient?  

pthomas745

Have you adjusted your mixing valve?

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/2676/little-hot-water/p1

Sharon_is_SAM

Are you completely filling the Alde water tank?

dsfdogs

Make sure the valves are in the proper "camping" mode.

TxNew23ers

What Alde tank?

MuttonChops

TxNew23ers said:

. . . still are having some issues getting consistent warm/hot water, . . .

  I've learned that we should have the water on the hot setting, so are we doing something wrong, or am I just too impatient?  

IMHO you're being too impatient and unrealistic, sorry.
Alde has ~2 gallons capacity of Hot Water.
And at start of needing hot water one has to flush all the cold water from the feed lines,
then you get 2-gallons of hot followed by colder as Alde tries to heat up more water.

Sea Showers work best; short periods of hot water running, no water on soaping, then rinse.
The trick (and I'm still not a master) is to time how long the Alde needs to heat more water vs. how fast the feed lines become cold water to avoid a blast of colder water.

Remember you are camping not at home.
If you need 'at home' hot water a different style trailer would be needed.

Sharon_is_SAM

@TxNew23ers - the Alde is made up an inner compartment with the heating elements, surrounded by a chamber with glycol, and lastly a water chamber or Alde water tank.  The water tank is filled with air until you fill it with water.  When you hook up to city water, open your hot water faucets to draw water into the tank and displace the air.  You know the tank is full when the faucet stops sputtering.  As MuttonChops noted, because the tank size is limited, don’t expect to be able to run a continuous shower like at home.  Also, by adjusting the mixing valve so the water is a lot hotter, we find we can add more cold water at the faucet and make our hot water supply last longer.  Hope this helps.

ScottG

@TxNew23ers, when you say you are "having some issues getting consistent warm/hot water" what exactly do you mean? Are you not getting good flow from the HW taps, or are you getting good flow it's just that the water is cold?

All of the info and advice above is good, but whether or not it applies to your situation depends upon the specific nature of your problem. 

Pintoplumber

We were taught the 70% rule with water heaters. I don’t know if it applies to camper water heaters. A 50 gallon electric water heater will only give you 35 gallons of hot water until what’s left is too cool to be comfortable. Dennis 

Denny16

I find the stock Alde unit, without the added Flo aux tank, provides adequate hot water at the galley taps for washing up, whilst practicing minimum water use.  For showers, I have endough to get wet, turn off water, than soap,up, and turn back on to rinse (Navy shower).  No while the water is off during the soap,up, Alde can catch up, heating the cold water added during the pre wet stage.

With the Alde Flow aux tank, on the newer TaB400 (the OP’s 320 does not have the Flo), longer showers are possible, as water,get,pre heated I’m the Flo aux tank, and heated to final temp in the main Alde heater unit.

Any way, I always set the the Alde control panel to,Max hot water/shower mode when washing up or showering.  This gives more hot water, and quicker heating recovery times.
cheers

TxNew23ers

Sharon_is_SAM Thanks for explaining how to get water into the tank; especially since we were on city water, and not filling our regular water tank....it doesn't fill when on city water, does it?

Sharon_is_SAM

The fresh water tank used when there is no city hook up does not fill when you are hooked to city water.  Separate systems.  Check out this plumbing diagram that ScottG created.  https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/dl/qfgpl3lmyfbz.pdf

The same method of filling the Alde tank applies when using the TaB fresh water tank, except you turn on the pump then open the hot faucets.  BTW - if you plan to camp using your TaB fresh water tank, a way to save water, time and aggravation is hook up to city water before you leave home and fill the Alde tank.  That way, when you arrive to camp, you don’t need to waste any water filling the Alde tank.