Hot water heater not hot enough

CAUtION:
Opening T&P Relief Valve after heating cycle has finished WILL BLOW very hot water under high pressure EVERYWHERE
Scalding can occur within seconds

IF automatic Ignition there is no adjustment. The quick way to determine how hot is to run until the flame shuts OFF and then open the outside POP OFF safety valve. IF that water comes out extremely hot, your WH is operating to spec and you need to look at possible Bypass valves or outside shower valves open. Doug

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Post Brand and Model for specific info

I take it water heater works...but water is not hot...correct?
Then most likely issue is the 'bypass' valve on water heater is still open
You will have a Cold Inlet (bottom), a Hot Outlet (top) and a line that connects cold to hot (bypass)
Cold needs to be open, Bypass CLOSED and Hot open (if it has a valve ---probably uses a check valve in Hot out)

Water temp is Pre-set via a temp t-stat (bi-metallic disc) no adjustments
Suburban...130*F
Atwood.....140*F

rburke wrote:
Ok - need to find out about these bypass valves, there is an outdoor shower I have not opened it up yet, will take a look. Thanks!

Yes, some background, when winterizing and running RV antifreeze through your plumbing, the water heater has a set of valves in the plumbing connections to bypass it. Since the water heater can be drained there is no sense in filling it up needlessly with 6 gals of RV antifreeze. So it's bypassed. If you don't turn the valves back when un-winterizing you won't get hot water.

If that is not your issue, are you using LP or electric to heat the water?

Ok - need to find out about these bypass valves, there is an outdoor shower I have not opened it up yet, will take a look. Thanks!

Make sure your outside shower is turned off at the handles if you have one. If it is cut off with the button on the shower head it allows cold water to mix with the hot.

There is no temp. adjustment on the newer water heaters. If it is working right it will be plenty hot.

First thing I would check is to see if your winterization bypass valves are still on.