HOT WATER IN SHOWER OR NOT

I am not sure I really understand the issue. In any case I have a system that has worked well for me. I bought a simple timer at the dollar store. I set it for the time needed to heat the water to shower temperature. With my 6 gallon Atwood that is about 15-25 minutes depending on the initial water temperature. When I take a shower I only turn on the hot water and the temperature is consistent for the typical shower. I like hotter water so I usually take the first shower. By then the water has cooled to the point that my wife likes.

The problem isn't running out of hot water. The problem is caused by completely closing off the water flow and allowing the hot water in the line time to cool. Allow the water to trickle and this will not happen. The valve I pointed out above is a trickle valve for this purpose. It will not completely stop the water flow.

^^^^here my take on what happens, when i take a shower I wet down then shut the nozzle off. wash my hair what little I have left then I usually rinse. the time the water is off would not let it cool hardly any, only off maybe a minute. but its cold,not warm but very cold. what I think happens when the nozzle is let to dribble is the cold water pressure is relieved so it can't some how be forced back to the hot water tank the check valves do the same thing. i'm not sure how the cold water is forced back to the tank. its got to be some plumbing magic.
Jay D.

2112 wrote:
I installed a valve similar to THIS on the valve base to allow the water to trickle. Solved our problem. Plus DW is too short to easily reach the shower head cut-off valve so this solved that as well.

I also did that, and it solved the problem. That allows you to leave the temperature setting as you like it, when you shut off the flow.

I think badsix has it right. Most report that that they, me included, get cold water when the shower is turned back on. Others report it is hot. Depends whether the hot or cold has the highest pressure at the time.