My recently installed Whirlpool Energy Smart water heater, when set on the Energy Smart Mode, does not heat up to my hot water setting (140 degrees) during times of use. It actually falls 24 degrees below that, as measured with an instant read thermometer at the faucet, about 116 degrees. I had expected the regulator would bring it up to my hot water setting during times of maximum use, in the morning for showers, and then drop back to the factory low temp setting at other times. The service desk at Whirlpool (877 number) was unhelpful, illogical, lacking knowledge, and bordering on rude, directing me to adjust the factory set low temperature setting (120 degrees per the manual). (Maybe I'm missing something.) This is an 80 gal tank, two in the family taking two showers in morning and operting dishwasher twice a day. May 29, 2009
I think some one mis informed you, the normal temp on any water heater from the factory is 120, it should not go above that for reasons of sevear burns, as far as it't smart part it's just a name, you will lose a couple of degrees just comming torm the tank to the faucets, the water heater will allways keep the temp in the tank at what ever it is set at, it doesn't have the brains or computer to know what time of day it is but when the cold water comes in to the tank it comes thru a dip tube that goes to aprox 1 inch from the bottom of the tank, if you take a long shower and do not have a energy efficant shower head you can use up to 5 gals, per min of hot water where an energy efficant one only uses 2.5 or less and still has the same pressure at the shower head, the temp in your water heater tries to stay at the setting it is at depending on how much is used at one time meaning washing machine, filling tub or dishwasher at the same time, it lets more cold in as the hot goes out and as you know it can only heat up so much at a time and the cold water is just going across the bottom of the tank, so the name is just that no diffrent then any other water heater unless you went to a tankless water heater.
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I believe gary1121 misunderstood my issue. I was setting the hot water temperature as high as 139-140 degrees in an attempt to get hotter water in the Energy Smart mode. The temperature actually delivered at a sink faucet measuring the maximum temperature (not after a 5 minute shower) was markedly less than the high temperature I am having to set the thermostat (140) to get warm enough water for a shower -- not 'hot' water mind you. Gary1121 seems to be describing the action of a standard hot water tank. Pretty basic stuff. I'm concerned about the correct operation of the "Energy Smart" computer. It does not seem to work as designed or advertised.
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