Running Out of Hot Water: Causes and Solutions
Why your household runs out of hot water and how to fix it
Why does the hot water run out?
This is a common issue, especially in households with multiple people showering back-to-back. Here's what's happening and what you can do about it.
Understanding how your heat pump produces hot water
Unlike a traditional boiler that can rapidly heat water on demand, a heat pump heats water gradually and stores it in a tank. The compressor does most of the work efficiently; the electric backup element (tillsats / elpatron) adds heat when demand is high.
Why the tank runs out
- The tank capacity is too small for the number of people in the household
- Back-to-back showers deplete the tank faster than the heat pump can reheat it
- Hot water demand is scheduled at the wrong times
- The backup electric element is not activating when needed (e.g. due to settings)
What you can do
1. Adjust hot water schedules
In the app, schedule an extra hot water boost 30–60 minutes before peak usage times (morning, after sports, evening).
2. Enable the backup electric element
Check in the app that the electric supplementary heat is set to activate during high demand. If it's set to a maximum of 1 kW or lower, increase it temporarily during peak periods.
3. Raise the hot water setpoint temperature
A higher tank temperature stores more usable energy. Try raising the hot water target temperature by 3–5°C. Note: water above 55°C may require a mixing valve for safety.
4. Spread shower times
Allow at least 30–45 minutes between long showers to give the tank time to recover.
Still not enough hot water?
If the problem persists after adjusting settings, there may be a configuration issue with your installation. Contact us:
Email: support@qvantum.com