how many showers do you get with a 50 gallon water heater?

[chanfish]

I just replaced our original water heater (20yrs) with a 50 gallon rheem. I had it professionally installed. This new one seems to run out of hot water after only like 2 showers...I realize everyone is different and i do have a 17 year old daughter but if this is not working right i need to call these guys back.. any thoughts? thanks

[Tom7227]

Have you checked the temp setting and then checked the temp at a faucet? Mrs. was complaining and I found that the rig was set for 105 and so she was using all hot. Set it up to 115 verified with a meat thermometer and now she mixes it with cold but has enough to get her through the morning ritual.

I checked on line and a number of websites cautioned about setting it higher than 120 due to scalding. Verify it simply by running full hot over a stream from a faucet for a minute or so. You'll be able to tell when it isn't moving any more.

[BoxMN]

FWIW, we have 120 gallon off peak, and when it is NOT on (i.e. only using reserves) we can get 8-9 adults who took showers before it gets "cold". So if ratio would be close, you should be able to get about 4 showers on 50 gallons, but you will have the heater kicking before the end, so maybe 5-6 should be doable, as long as not looooong showers.

I bet Tom is right, they have it set low for safety/CYA reasons.

[Notime]

Sailor showers! Never run out!

[nobody05]

Well I know for a fact that a new Rheem will come from the factory with 120 degree temp set. And should get a Solid 4 showers out of her before she starts loosing temp. Possible that Thermostat from the factory isn't switching to the lower element when the upper is satisfied.

[delcecchi]

Have you got the old school high flow shower head? The new ones are a little less than 2.5 gallons per minute, some as low as 1.75 (at 80 psi). Without recovery and allowing for a little cold, 50 gallons gets you like 25 minutes of showering. The recovery at least compensates for the mixing towards the end, I would think.

So if they take the 10 or 15 minute showers consecutively....

[jwhjr]

We get 3-4 out of our 50 gallon, and that's with teenage daughters

[delcecchi]

Looks like a Rheem 50 gallon gas water heater heats the water at a rate of about 40 gallons per hour.

[chanfish]

thanks all. yes my wife did check the setting awhile back and i believe she turned it down as she thought it was too hot. have to check that...sounds like 3-4 showers is normal.. i think the girl takes longer showers so that may account for it..i just thought 50 gallons would get you more than that...

[chanfish]

sorry del. yes we have old showerheads 20+ plus years..

[LightningBG]

I put a new 50 gallon in recently and with the factory setting it was only producing about 1 showers worth of hot. Cranked up and it's great now.

Choosing a temp is a tricky one. One consideration is, are there are children in the house that could burn themselves?

Dishwashers like temps between 140 and 160. If the water heater wont produce that, the dishwasher will further heat up the water, requiring extra time and energy.

Also, keeping the temp too low is an invitation for problems as well.

From OSHA

Quote:

Q. Can Legionnaires' disease be prevented?

A. Yes. Avoiding water conditions that allow the organism to grow to high levels is the best means of prevention. Specific preventive steps include:

Maintain domestic water heaters at 60°C (140°F). The temperature of the water should be 50°C (122°F) or higher at the faucet.

Q. Do you recommend that I operate my home water heater at 60°C (140°F)?

A. Probably not if you have small children or infirm elderly persons who could be at serious risk of being scalded by the hot water. However, if you have people living with you who are at high risk of contracting the disease, then operating the water heater at a minimum temperature of 60°C (140°F) is probably a good idea. Consider installing a scald-prevention device.

Quote:

About Legionnaires:

* 70 to 80 °C (158 to 176 °F): Disinfection range * At 66 °C (151 °F): Legionellae die within 2 minutes * At 60 °C (140 °F): Legionellae die within 32 minutes * At 55 °C (131 °F): Legionellae die within 5 to 6 hours * Above 50 °C (122 °F): They can survive but do not multiply * 35 to 46 °C (95 to 115 °F): Ideal growth range * 20 to 50 °C (68 to 122 °F): Legionellae growth range * Below 20 °C (68 °F): Legionellae can survive but are dormant

Many of the Canadian authorities suggest keeping it at 140 (60c). Seems they are little more concerned with disease potential vs energy savings.

Quote:

The Canada Safety Council:

In 2000, the Walkerton disaster had sent a wake-up call about the safety of Canada’s drinking water. While standards for domestic hot water must consider scald prevention, they must also address the broad spectrum of public health and safety issues. To minimize bacteria contamination, water must be stored at 60 C or higher.

For example, temperatures under 50 C may increase the risk of Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, due to bacterial growth in the tank. That disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which live in water. Temperature is a critical factor for Legionella to grow. The risk of colonization in hot water tanks is significant between 40 and 50 C.

Legionella bacteria most often enter the lungs due to aspiration. (Aspiration means choking such that secretions in the mouth bypass the choking reflexes and enter the lung.) Drinking contaminated water is not a major cause of Legionnaire’s disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 8,000 to 18,000 Americans contract the disease annually. Five to 30 percent of the cases are fatal. While Canada has no national statistics, Hydro-Québec says about 100 people a year are hospitalized in that province for pneumonia caused by contaminated residential water heaters.

[LightningBG]

raising it by 10 degrees will only cost about an extra 4% per year. so.... $10-30 per year.

Somedays I'd pay $20 just for one steaming hot shower.

Crank it up, enjoy yourself, and tell the wife its for health reasons (unless there are little kids that could get burnt)

[delcecchi]

sorry del. yes we have old showerheads 20+ plus years..

I don't know how much water the old school shower heads put out but it was a bunch. That will take care of your water supply in a hurry.

[Tom7227]

When I did the Google on water temp I found a number of sites that indicated you could be scalded at 125 and so they recommended a top of 120. I think the hot tub at the gym is 105 or 108 and it feels pretty warm pretty fast. I would be cautious with the 140 if it there were guests or kids in the house.

I thought that the dishwasher had a heater in it that cranked the temp up as it filled so there was no need to feed it water that was that hot.

As far as Legionaire's - I haven't heard of any outbreaks in years. Maybe they don't put chlorine in the water up in Canada or something.

[Redlantern]

Have you checked to see that the incoming water is going into the correct opening? It's unlikely the installer made this mistake but I have seen it done. There is a fill tube on the cold inlet that directs the cold water to the bottom of the tank. If it's piped backwards or the fill tube is missing or broken, you won't get the expected recovery time.

Also, for safety reasons, I wouldn't set it above 120 degrees farenheit.

[frazwood]

Like other folks above, I recommend against turning up your hot water heater too hot. It's dangerous (scalding) and there is only a very very small concern regarding microbiological pathogens like Legionnaires' disease (particularly if you have city water). This might be a bigger concern if you have a very shallow well.

Another problem with temperatures greater than 140C is that you get very bad scale build-up (magnesium hydroxide) in the hot water heater.

But, if you do turn it up that high, make sure that you have a good water softener upstream of your hot water heater AND you always make sure that it is full of salt to regenerate the resin.

[LightningBG]

When I did the Google on water temp I found a number of sites that indicated you could be scalded at 125 and so they recommended a top of 120. I think the hot tub at the gym is 105 or 108 and it feels pretty warm pretty fast. I would be cautious with the 140 if it there were guests or kids in the house.

[leech~~]

I realize everyone is different and i do have a 17 year old daughter

Her showers maybe lasting a little longer then a few years ago now that she is primping and taking longer in the bathroom. Just flush the toilet a few times when she has spent to much time in there!!!

[BoxMN]

Just flush the toilet a few times when she has spent to much time in there!!!

The dreaded toilet flush!!!! yiiiiikes! I recall as a kid learning where the basement shower warm water shutoff was, and occasionally getting the warm turned off while in there, or turning it off on my Dad! Good times, haha!

[shizzy]

Ditto on the new shower heads. I've got two 15 year old 40 gallon units in my house tied together (It's a duplex) and even with extra family staying in both units (9 people total over Xmas), we have never ran out of hot water. I do have newer shower heads in both bathrooms.