She has an electric water heather. There IS hot water in the tank. When we open a faucet it acts normal, gradually getting hot, but that only lasts for a couple of minutes, then it gets cold. A friend thinks there is a crossed pipe, but I can't get my head around that. Any ideas?
The tank is new, and she had the same problem with the old tank. I replaced the elements and thermostats on the old one before I replaced it, same result.
Regarding the crossed pipe, I think that your friend meant the hot pipe is connected to the cold port (and cold to hot) on the water heater. As Madura commented above, this question sounds similar to, "Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage?"
Essentially, if the cold and hot are reversed at the tank, or if the dip tube has been lost, that could explain things. I'm not actually suggesting that this is your problem (it sounds like you know better than to connect the pipes backward); I just think that this could be what your friend meant.
Just a shot in the dark, but what about a pump tying the hot and cold together? It'd be at the last item on the hot line. This would be my only guess for why the lines might be tied together, unless accidentally somehow. If she's lived here for a while and it hasn't had this problem until recently, then it shouldn't be any sort of accidental tied pipe.
I got under the house and spent awhile tracing the hot water, I found a hot water line that went in a direction that led away from the bathrooms,laundry and kitchen. Eventually it led back to where the supply line came into the house. There were three valves with the hot joining the cold with a valve in between, making a loop with one leading to the hose bib on the outside of the house. I closed the valve and bingo, hot water. It was as if a previous owner wanted warm water to the hose bib, perhaps to wash his car with warm water? Anyway, It is fixed, thanks for all the ideas.
In light of your game changing information. Then, I'd have to say the primary suspect would be the circuit & maybe wires. Check & tighten any loose connections at both ends. Use a cheap Multi-meter to read if you're getting 110 to 120 out of each hot wire & then also at the Double Circuit Breaker.
If not, then replace the Wire Cable with the suggested size or bigger &/or Double Breaker & even relocate the breaker if there's any Bus Bars or Circuit Breaker damage or corrosion. Do not try to clean, sand or file anything off & leave the Bus Bars to worsen as they may have been contaminated or un-pure during their manufacturing.
