Allcraft vs QL Water Heaters

[Strygaldwir]

I have just been researching which waterheater I will put in my catamaran. I have eliminated all but 2. They are an Allcraft and a Quality Line (Volvo Penta). They are both 316 stainless, both have 110v and engine heat exchanger heating, both have good insulation. For the size I am looking at (12 - 15 gallons) there is a price differential in favor of the QL of about $500. I am therefore leaning toward the the QL.

Does anyone have any experience with the QL line??? I have heard nothing but good things about the Allcraft.

Thanks;

Keith

[Strygaldwir]

Well, I got the Quality Line Heater from Volvo Penta. I have just finished installing it. I must say, I am not overly impressed by its quality. When I took off the insulating cover, it appeared that the welds had not been retreated. Isn't there an issue with Stainless if you heat it via welding and don't acid dip it or something? Something about it losing its Stainless properties. Well, the welds/brazing did not show the quality I was hoping for. Another issue is that I mounted mine on a bulkhead. The instructions say I can mount it horizontally, vertically, flat, or on a bulkhead. The issue is, the installation manual says to turn the heater in the brackets such that the insulation that says "top" is on the top. Seems to make enough sense. Until, that is, you realize there is a bolt on the bracket that goes through the insulation to a "brazed" on nut on the tank. When one rotates the tank 90 degrees to put the insulation and internal hoses on "top", there is no new nut. No problem, until you realize after cinching the brackets back down on the tank, the tank is a little loose against the insulation. Airspaces arround insulation is not good! That's what that nut was for! To make you think, not notice, that there are voided spaces between the insulation and tank. Oh well, I may take some insulation foam and seal up the voids!

So much for quality! Well we will see how long it retains heat before we do anything to it. Kind of wish I had selected the Allcraft. Perhaps these things would not be an issue.

Later.

Keith

[Strygaldwir]

1.5 years afte installation of the waterheater, I must stay I have had no issues. It keeps water hot for a minimum of 1 day and you can have warm showers for another 2 days. The engine heating circuit works VERY well, it will heat up the water in the tank in very short order. Run the engine for 1/2 hour every other day and you have hot showers for 2 every day.

We'll see if the heater last in the longer run.

[Strygaldwir]

Ouch; 2 months later the water heater sprung a leak!! I guess I should not have posted that it was holding up well. See, there is a certain amount of sense to knocking on wood, or something.

The issue is those welds I was speaking of in the original post! The stainless is working great. The weld sprung a pinhole leak. I didn't know why my bilge pump was coming on. I found that there was water in the bilge sump. I vacuumed it out and 1 day later, I had water in it again. I traced it to the water heater. I pulled the insulation off and sure enough, a brazed where the engine heat exhanger nipple was had sprung a leak.

I sort of shrugged and said I guess I'll buy that All Craft now! I called the dealer (Great water, http://www.great-water.com/), they worked with me through the problem. When we figured it was a weld, they said Volvo would honor the warrenty. Great Service! They shipped me a new water heater and requested I send the old back to Volvo. So, even though it was inconvient and a pain to get the old heater out and the new one in, I guess all is well that ends well.

I'll see how long this one last??? I certainly hope the prior was an annomoly.

Keith

[Pblais]

Keith,

This is an amazing post to be followed up after all this time. It's nice you even have a solution to the problem.

[Strygaldwir]

Hmmm. August 2008. Must be time for an update!

No issues with the water heater. We use it regularly and since the replacement, no issues. Sure, now two months from now, it will probably spring another link. If it does, I will learn my leason!

Cheers!

[Beausoleil]

Originally Posted by Strygaldwir

Hmmm. August 2008. Must be time for an update!

No issues with the water heater. We use it regularly and since the replacement, no issues. Sure, now two months from now, it will probably spring another link. If it does, I will learn my leason!

Cheers!

How was the weld quality in the replacement? Same, or better? We'll have to replace our AC-only heater soon, so I'm evaluating possible replacements. Right now high on the list is an Isotemp with dual heat exchangers (heat from engine or genset). Anyone have any practical experience, good or bad, with them?

[Aonami]

Hello,
I have the same problem with the QL water heater leaking :-(
Finally I discovered where the water found in the bilge was coming from!
I'm afraid I will have to change the waterheater.
It was installed by the shipyard (Deheler) when the boat was built, in 2006, so it is quite new.
I think there must be some problems in the way the heater is assembled or welded...

[Craggles]

I bought my 2008 Bav 37 cruiser two years ago. It has a QL water heater in it. 18 months ago I heard the water pressure kick on and off which increased to an annoying level before I went looking for the leak. I pulled the tank out and re tig welded the pinhole. Put it back in and lasted 6 months and repeated, and now I have pulled it out AGAIN, re plumbed the water to by pass the hot water so I can use the cold (live aboard in Townsville now). Now I am deciding whether to silver solder around ALL the welds and give it another go or get something else. Looking looking. Don't think I will get another QL though.
I am thinking back to the solar shower but we don't really need hot water for showers up here well at least, I don't crew does