Hot water system installation

[Randygh]

The Admiral convinced me that have a pressurized hot/cold water system would be really nice, even though we don't have a shower onboard. Existing system is hand-pump and electric pump cold water. I'm going to install a 6 gal. tank that is heated by the engine coolant and 120v. The project will be fairly simple but if anyone has some pearls of wisdom, I'd appreciate hearing them.

I plan to plumb from tank to pressure sensitive pump to accumulator to check valve then split line in two with one lead to cold side of faucets and the other side to the hot water tank. Then take hot water from tank and split to sinks in head and galley.

Two important questions: 1. Since I store my boat on the trailer I always pump dry my water tank in the summer and in winter storage I pump and then install RV antifreeze (a previous owner installed an on off diaphram pump that is inline to the galley sink), 2. Do the hot water tanks come with a manual drain. I haven't found out that information.

[Randygh]

I'm looking at 6 gal Atwood or Seaward water heaters. Both heaters state they are ignition protected? What does that mean?

Also, there may be occassions when I may want to take out the boat for a quick trip and don't want to fill up the water tank. Does it harm the water heater if my engine is at temp (180), and hot coolant is circulating through an empty hot water tank? I think it is probably inadvisable to circulate hot engine coolant through the heat exchanger of an empty water tank.

Again, any input or help is appreciated.

[Roel Jansen]

Randy,

They are constructed in away that there are no sparks that can ignite gas fumes.

[SomeSailor]

I used to have a 6 gallon Atwood in mine Randy, and ran it all the time in the fall and winter without water on the potable side. It's just warm water from the motor and would be no different than a Red-dot heater running with coolant on the inside, and dry on the outside.

Regarding the install: The Atwoods DO have a HPT valve / drain in a lower corner. It's easy to drain. When mounting your accumulator and pump... do yourself a favor and mount it higher than that low-point (HPT valve), then to winterize you can just dump the valve and everything will run back that direction.

Also... you can connect a section of garden hose (3' - 4' or so) to the HPT valve and you've got a great source of hot water to rinse the bilge with when scrubbing everything down after a cruise. Really is nice to have hot water when using Simple Green or the likes to degrease and wash everything down below.

[Randygh]

Roel and Mike--Thanks for the info. I like the idea of making the tank drain the low point on the system to drain everything and using the water to rinse the bilge. I plan on putting the tank in the cabin under a dinette bench and it will be easy to run a drain hose to the engine area. I don't want it in the engine bilge because of weight distribution. If there is room I may even put it next to the water tank up under the berth.

Are Seaward heaters any good? I can get one for $200.00 online. The cheapest Atwood I can find is $300.00. They look very similar.

[heymagic]

Seaward heaters are as good as Atwood , $200 is a fair price...300 ain't.

Be sure to use marine wire not the household stuff and water line rated for hot water.

[sunnydude2]

Randy,

My friend installed a hot water tank and new water tank in his 28' trojan as all it came with was cold water. His installation went smoothly. He is actually wiring his up to run on 110v although right now it is only on the engine. He installed his 6 gallon under his dinette. I can get you his email if you have any specific questions.

[Randygh]

My water heater installation project is complete. I took some picts and attempted to put them in the gallery, but couldn't figure it out. I did post the picts at the following Kodak website:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=321429513107.836645701207.1172643147716&page=1&sort_order=0&navfolderid=0&folderid=0&ownerid=0

I removed the cabin heater at the site of where I installed the water heater, cut out a part of the table bench seat, installed the water heater, rerouted the heater hoses, reinstalled the cabin heater under the front bench, and installed new faucets in the head and galley sink. The galley sink new copper faucet retails for $200.00, but I got it on eBay for $63.00. I moved the previous head faucet to the port gunnel to use as a handwash station. The gunnel handwash will be really handy when I need to wash the crab-bait stink off my hands. I wired an on/off switch just inside the gunnel to activate the small pump that is independant of the main pressure pump.

[pkrogh]

Randy,
I really, really want to see the pictures of your new system.

But the Kodak site requires a login!!!

Pete

[Randygh]

I'll try to post some picts. I uploaded to photobucket and followed the directions to cut and paste.


http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011737.jpg

This is the new galley faucet.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011735.jpg


http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011734.jpg
New faucet in head

[Randygh]

Looks like it works!!


Cabin heater relocated to front bench seat.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011733-1.jpg

Port Gunnel handwash spigot. Strictly cold water from water tank.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011730.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011729.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011728.jpg

New pump and accumulator under V-berth
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P2161715.jpg

Water heater in place under bench seat
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011718.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P2161711.jpg

Rebuilding support for the seat.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011720.jpg

New mohogany veneer laminated to 3/8" plywood for support
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011719.jpg

I drilled two holes for the engine coolant nipples that extended from the back of the heater. By doing this, it reduced how far the heater extended in front of the bench. The nipples are below the head sink.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P2161717.jpg

Note the hoses from engine. I ran the hoses through the cabin heater, then back to water heater
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011726.jpg

Completed project
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011731.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011732.jpg

The next project is to recarpet the cabin. I recarpeted the cabin last winter and I don't like how it looks so I'm lookin' for some new stuff.

Now we just need to get out on the water and try it out :D

[pkrogh]

Great project, Randy. I would dearly love to put an engine heated water tank
in Kroghs Nest. Even 3 or 4 gallons would be really nice.

Pete

[Go Aweigh2452]

Looks great Randy, did you replaced the rags around the hoses with fiberglass insulation? Rags will absorb humidity and fiberglass will not. Just looking at a possible long term mold/mildew concern...

Love the copper faucet! Ebay is great!!!

[SomeSailor]

Did you drain that HPT valve somewhere or is just dead-ended in the picture? Those things do open up sometimes and if might make a real mess in your berth.

(Trust me... I know. EVEN a brand new one can stick OPEN!)

[1northernstar]

I've never been inside a 26' Carver, so this may not apply...but it looks like the hot water tank is up right against the hull. Is this a location that you may experience some flexing of the hull if you're pounding in some rough water? Just thinking that you may have a "rigid" point in the hull when flexing is needed and it may create some stress cracks or other.

[Randygh]

The heater is not in contact with the lateral hull wall. It is screwed into the fiberglass encased wood that forms the floor of the dinnette.
There is enough clearance so there won't be any rubbing on the inside of the hull. I don't think it will be a problem if the hull flexes. If the dinnette floor flexes I'm in deep kimshee.

I left the two pot holders in place as temporary protection against friction to the heater hoses. I am planning on replacing them with some foam, soft rubber or weatherproof carpet. Don't have to worry about mold/mildew here in Eastern Washington. Too darn dry!!!

At this time the drain line is dead ended under the table. When we come home after an outing, I'm going to run a small drain hose that T's (with a valve) into the supply line for the gunnel faucet. When I want to drain the hot water tank, I'll hook the drain line to the T, open the valves and pump the hot water overboard. (The gunnel faucet has it's own small pump low in the bilge so it pumps the entire system dry).

[Randygh]

After finishing the water heater project, I decided to replace the carpet. It was stained and dirty after installing the heater and I never really did like it. Rather than carpeting the sole, I decided to dig out some new wood floor tiles we purchased many year's ago for our home's entry hallway. The Admiral would rather have carpet because it is warmer than wood, but I like the looks of wood rather than dirty carpet.

The prevous sole floor was 3/4" plywood. I replaced the 3/4" with 1/2" and glued the new parkay flooring onto the plywood. The combination of 1/2" and flooring is lighter than the 3/4". The new floor has alittle flex compared to the 3/4".

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011746.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/randygh/P1011748.jpg

[Tedster]

Randy the wood floor looks really great! :D

[Randygh]

Thanks Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Looks great there Randy... nice job and much eaiser to clean and less chance of mold too.

[Randygh]

Doug--Fortunately I've never had a mold problem in my boats. Heck, I don't think I could get mold growth even if tried. It's much too dry here.

When I bought my Carver the cockpit teak had black mold blotches all over. It looked like ****t and was a PITA to sand out prior to refinishing. My brother just moved from Spokane to Seaview on the Long Beach peninsula. He's going to learn real quickly what rust and mold can do.

[SomeSailor]

I chatted with a guy at the boat show that does custom woodworking and marquetry work on boats. I've seen some beautiful examples of laser work done like that and would love to play with some inlay work.

They use a laser to engrave the sole, and then cut intricate patterns and inlays. The whole mess is then glassed and vacuum bagged for a glass smooth finish.

Really cool look with woods like Teak, Holley and Sapeli.

http://inlays.com/images/products/Wood_Flooring_Products/Small_floor_medallions/ANCRF-10-D4.jpg

[Randygh]

I pressurized my water system and hot water tank tonight. A few leaks that were quickly fixed by retightening some hose clamps. The hot water tank is a real gizmo and my gunnel handwash station works great. Our fist trip out of the summer is on April 27-29 on Lake Chelan. Can hardly wait.

[Randygh]

The pressurized system-hot water tank worked perfectly last weekend on Lake Chelan. I didn't have shore power, just heated from engine but water was still warm in the morning. The tank must be fairly well insulated. The temp inside the cabin Sun AM was 48 degrees but the hot water was probably 85. Impressed the Admiral.

[bradvo]

Just looked at this thread, the floor looks great. Good job!!