Rheem Direct Vent Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater For 1-2 Bathroom Homes Logo
Posted on Sep 15, 2011

Heater takes more than 1 minute to get water to kit faucet , then temp fluctuates

1 Answer

A

Anonymous

1) Guesses: Sounds like a bad single-handled faucet cartridge, or low water flow at faucet, or clogged water filter.
Replace faucet cartridge, clean the aerator, and/or clean sediment out of pipes below sink, and clean water filter at tankless unit each month.

2) For exact measure of problem:
Typical faucet can have 2 gallon per minute flow rate.
2 gpm flow rate means faucet fills 1 gallon container in 30 seconds. Test faucet using 1 gallon container and a cooking timer to get flow rate.
Clean aerator to improve flow rate. Compare kitchen flow rate with other faucets in home.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Low-hot-water-pressure.html

Most homes have 1/2" diameter pipe running to kitchen faucet.
100 feet of 1/2" diameter pipe holds 1.2 gallons of water. This assumes no sediment build-up inside pipes.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-recirculation-system.html

Assuming only hot is turned on: If faucet is 100 feet away from water heater, and pipe diameter is unobstructed 1/2" diameter, and faucet has 2 gallon per minute water flow, then hot water should arrive in 36 seconds.
50 feet away, and hot water should arrive in 18 seconds.

If kitchen has single handled faucet, and the handle is raised in the middle, then equal amounts of hot and cold water are drawn at same time. This doubles amount of time for hot water to arrive.

If single handle faucet has a bad cartridge, then faucet can have crossover.
Crossover means that cold water can enter the faucet even if faucet is turned to hot.
Bad single-handled faucet cartridge can delay or stop the arrival of hot water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Crossover.html

Tankless require maintenance including cleaning combustion parts yearly, de-lime heat exchanger frequently, and clean water filter each month.
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Tankless-maintenance.pdf
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Bosch_Overcoming_fluctuating_temps.pdf
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-Rheem-Tankless-water-heater.html

Add a comment for more help.

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1answer

Rheem warrior 40 gal warrior

You could start by seeing if the thermostat is wide open. Sounds like it is on low or vacay mode. How far is the run between your heater and the bathing area. Might need to insualet some piping.

If you need further help, reach me via phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/dan_73bbd84fe1d95b61

0helpful
1answer

My PTG-42PVN h20 heater is allowing h2o temp to fluctuate from one extreme to another.

Does same thing happen at all faucets?
Are you getting error code?
You might have crossover problem with defective faucet cartridge.
Copy following links for troubleshoot resources:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/No-Error-Code.pdf
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-Rheem-Tankless-water-heater.html

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

1helpful
1answer

Water takes 30 sec to cover 10m from heater to tap

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1/2" pipe has inside diameter of .54" and holds 1.2 gallons per 100 feet
10 meters is 32 feet and holds .4 gallons
Average faucet puts out 2 gallons per minute, so 30 seconds you should get 1 gallon of water.
Put a bucket under faucet and check amount of water flow.

Assuming you draw just hot water from the faucet, then 30 seconds is slow for receiving hot water.
If you have single-handle faucet and raise handle straight up in middle, then you are drawing half hot and half cold, so it would take 30 seconds for hot to arrive.

If hot water is slow, the problem might be crossover.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Crossover.html
or low water pressure due to clog in water line
http://waterheatertimer.org/Low-hot-water-pressure.html
Other problems could include clogged water filter, clogged water softener, defective pressure valve, and low water pressure.

Sources:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-Bosch-Tankless-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-recirculation-system.html
0helpful
1answer

I have a leak coming from the "cold" line right at the valve joint. There is signifigant calcuim build up on the pipe from the valve to the connection of the water heater, (maybe 8 inch of pipe)...

Very simple - call a Plumber. He will fix your plumbing problem, and any foreseen potential problems related to your water leak. He may also suggest replacing your 6 year old water heater. Of course ..... for a professional cost.
However, depending on your time, skills, proper tools, patience and luck, it's easy enough to perform yourself:
1. Switch off the water heater Breakers (220v) in your service panel.
2. Turn off the water supply to the water heater.
3. Attach a water hose to the drain faucet. ( a good time to flush sediment -calcium deposits)
4. Open a hot water faucet to vent (above the level of the water heater drain - kitchen sink)
5. Remove the suspected leak components. (a union connection is a good place to start)
6. Install New pipes -3 wrap all male threaded ends with teflon Tap. Tighten securely - using 2 wrenches.
NOTE: Before refilling - you can turn on the water heater supply valve for a few minutes, to flush out any lingering calcium debris.
7. Shut off drain valve - remove hose. Shut off venting hot water faucet.
8. Turn on water supply valve to fill water heater.
9. Open a hot water faucet to relieve air pressure while filling - preferably the bath tub faucet, it doesn't have a screen that might clog.
10. When water flows without air - shut off tub faucet.
11. Look for leaks.
12. Switch the water heater Breakers on.
Note: 50 gallons should take an hour or more to heat up. Turn on a hot water valve momentarily within this heat up time to relieve thermal expansion. ( the PT valve on your water heater will perform this task if pressures/temperature exceed new water heater tolerances - it's just a precaution to introduce these fluctuating pressures on your fragile 6 year old unit)

These are just basic instructions - assuming you fill in the common sense and work safe steps.
Good Luck - The Skill will only come after trying.
1helpful
1answer

I have the exact same problem, house is only 6 years old, two handel faucet, Ive turned off the cold side to eliminate it, turn on hot and have to run at full blast and it takes a full 10 minutes to get to...

You have a clog in the water line?
Or a faulty check valve or mixing valve?

Add a comment and say how you fixed the problem, or add more information about size of pipes.
It seems like the cold water is getting into the hot water line somehow. There is no other explanation, as much as I can see from 800+ miles away.
If you have crossover on a single-handled faucet where the cartridge is bad, that can cause this problem.
Slab house can have plumbing in attic. It can be a chore to drop poly pipe down into walls, but it can be done with angle drill. Assuming walls are 8 foot high and pipes can be easily dropped to sink level where the sheetrock is removed and new pipes tied into sinks and tubs.
This kind of DIY project would take a couple weeks working a few hours each night when temps cool off, depending on size of house and number of affected faucets.
I live in Houston on a slab and ran my pipes in the attic when I built the house. Of course I worry about broken pipes collapsing the ceiling and filling the house with water, which happened to lots of homes one year when temps dropped to 4 below. I was in the painting business at that time, which was a boon to business for a few weeks.

Upvote the help.
And take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.
0helpful
2answers

Our water keeps fluctuating between hot and cold. The hot water will not stay on. It lasts about 1 minute and then turns to cold. After about 2-3 minutes it will get hot again?

The inlet line to the water heater goes to the bottom of the water heater to prevent the cold incoming water from mixing with the heated water at the top. The tube going to the bottom can come loose.

Turn the water off and relieve the pressure by opening a faucet and remove the fitting where the water enters the heater. You can see if the pipe is still connected.
0helpful
1answer

Rheem tankless water heater error code C4 13??

check diaphrapm valve or micro/switch best of luck
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I have a tankles hot water heater. The problem is

this is a problem they didn;t tell any one about, there is a min of 1 gpm that you have to run for it to sence for the unit to come on, if not the unit will not detect the water is even runnig there for will not come on,, as for the kit faucet, it might have a temp control and it may need to have a cartridge change, the water comming from the tankless is nothing like the old tank heater, the water only losses aprox 1 or 2 degree where a tank heater losses almost 5 or more because of the way the cold water is fed into the unit,, thats whay the sprayer works and the faucet doesn't ,, you have control on the sprayer unlike turning the faucet on,,
2helpful
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Water Temperature Fluctuates

no the tub faucet is the only faucet that is wide open you might have to not run full blast on the faucet , your tankless water heater is under sized for the application, to many gallons per min going thru the unit, look at the rating chart for your unit, the r94 is only 9.4 gallons per min, and a tub faucet can be upto 5 gallons per min, depending on the faucet,,
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