Hot water on demand?

[ggray]

Not the same animal, but we installed a Wolter propane instant WH on our previous outboard powered boat as that was the only alternative.

Worked great. In mid ocean after days of no engine running, it was wonderful to take a hot shower. It's shame that lawsuits over improper installations eliminated this well made product.

Not sure about wasting water. This would happen with a tank heater as well. Regardless, it is simple to plumb a recirculating line to return the "pre-hot" water to the tank. I did this on on the previous boat, and did so on the current (tank heater) boat.

[bsurvey]

pilot lights appliances do meet NFPA or ABYC guidelines as far as I know


as long as the propane is properly installed and the unit is in a well ventilated area I would go for it

[PuttingDoctor]

Electric water heater on my Irwin is outstanding. When on shore power I throw the breaker and have very hot water in ten minutes. Away from shore power the same 10 minutes of engine time does the trick. Heat is retained for more than 12 hours. I will often run at dinner time to wash dishes. Still have warm water next morning.

[crazyoldboatguy]

This product interests me. It uses a very simple O2 sensor coupled to a thermocouple which shuts the unit off and turns off the propane if the O2 level drops below safe levels.

Uses proven technology that is widespread in Europe, if the information is correct. It is ventless (like your stove and oven) and the information indicates it should be used in a properly ventilated area if used in a boat. But it doesn't indicate what "properly ventilated" means.

Wouldn't meet ABYC standards - one must completely isolate a propane powered "unattended" water heater from the rest of the boat. A difficult thing to accomplish.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D7M7CT4...I26MRCKQ7X0373

[SV DestinyAscen]

Not really sure the extent of experience folks opining have with on demand heaters. It doesn't take more than five seconds for the water to go from ambient to hot.

In the marine applications there are plenty of charter cats with such a setup. Basically need a ventilation fan for combustion and the exhaust out. The risk of fire causes by a heater is far less than a stove, there's no exposed flame and the heaters shutoff if it detects bad combustion or a leak in the heatexchanger.

Not rocketscience .

[Juho]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

For $270 you can buy a small 6 gallon marine electric water heater and connect it to the cooling loop engine. That would last about 5 years of near daily use. Plus potential fire issues become a non-issue. Plus 6 more gallons of potable water aboard.

Yes, that's a good approach. We have a 19 year old unit that is as good as new. If you motor 10 minutes out from your anchorage in the morning, and 10 minutes to the anchorage in the evening, you already have plenty of free hot water for the whole day. The water heater uses AC when in a marina.

[craigmandy]

Hi, I'm considering using a small electric storage system. Swap out the ac heating element with a DC and connect straight to solar panel. No battery required. The tank has in built thermostat and pressure release valve. Heating elements can also be purchaced with adjustable thermostat for under $100 and about $20 for non thermo.
Make sure its a true DC element, these are big in America for campers, cabins, off grid living.
Best regards
Craig

[craigmandy]

Hi,
For 12 and 24 volt elements checkout Missouri wind and solar .
Best regards
Craig

[Dirk Williams]

I received my Ecco L5 instant demand propane water heater earlier this week. It is my intention to plumb my earth composting toilet, then change out the PVC vent required for the composting fillet, with a metal standard exhaust pipe.

I intend to mount the L5, in the head, on the bulkhead, and use a metal exhaust pipe teed into the top of the composting toilet exhaust pipe just below the bulkhead. So I only use the existing head vent, and won't have to drill/ cut another hole in the cabins roof.

My rationale is, When Running the hot water for what 1/2 minutes, to soak down, flip the switch shutting the water off, thur shutting down the WH, lathering up, then turning the switch on the shower wand back on, and rinsing.

Three four-minutes of hot water use. Vented thru the roof, no pilot light, D battery initiator, I thought it was pretty slick.

The associates boat I'm copying uses one pound bottles, he gets a couple weeks out of a bottle, with a shower a day. His water , and hopefully my water are fresh water out of on board storage.

Was initially concerned by the heat thru the cabin top, but after thinking about time ran its max 2 minutes off for four or,five,mother on again for a couple minutes. And metal exhaust pipe, teed into metal vent pipe. Which will be wood stove exhaust pipe.

I like the one pound bottle source as well. I can stash a bunch of those in small area. Eventually I would consider two deck mounted 20 pound tanks secured to the stern rail, or after installation the solar tower. But that's down the rode.

Easypesy.

Merry Christmas.

Dirk

[Cheechako]

I would think twice about tying the L5 exhaust into the compost exhaust... doesn't the compost create methane gas?


My experience with the L5 is the top exhaust isn't that hot, if you have an overhead hatch to open when you shower that will be enough. Also, no need to turn it off while you lather up. It goes back to pilot light when no water flow.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

I received my Ecco L5 instant demand propane water heater earlier this week. It is my intention to plumb my earth composting toilet, then change out the PVC vent required for the composting fillet, with a metal standard exhaust pipe.

I intend to mount the L5, in the head, on the bulkhead, and use a metal exhaust pipe teed into the top of the composting toilet exhaust pipe just below the bulkhead. So I only use the existing head vent, and won't have to drill/ cut another hole in the cabins roof.

My rationale is, When Running the hot water for what 1/2 minutes, to soak down, flip the switch shutting the water off, thur shutting down the WH, lathering up, then turning the switch on the shower wand back on, and rinsing.

Three four-minutes of hot water use. Vented thru the roof, no pilot light, D battery initiator, I thought it was pretty slick.

The associates boat I'm copying uses one pound bottles, he gets a couple weeks out of a bottle, with a shower a day. His water , and hopefully my water are fresh water out of on board storage.

Was initially concerned by the heat thru the cabin top, but after thinking about time ran its max 2 minutes off for four or,five,mother on again for a couple minutes. And metal exhaust pipe, teed into metal vent pipe. Which will be wood stove exhaust pipe.

I like the one pound bottle source as well. I can stash a bunch of those in small area. Eventually I would consider two deck mounted 20 pound tanks secured to the stern rail, or after installation the solar tower. But that's down the rode.

Easypesy.

Merry Christmas.

Dirk

Don't tell your insurance company about your somewhat casual and dangerous exhaust system or you even more casual attitude towards propane bottle storage.

[Dirk Williams]

Their is a hatch right forward of the head, as for methane, I've asked this question multiple times and if I understand the responses, the short answer is no. The human waste is basically dropped into a peet moss compound and spun into the pet moss, integrating the excrament ? With the peet moss, which Is supposed to start composting the human waste almost immediately.

I'm no expert and asked if that's the case why the need for an exhaust pipe, I haven't gotten an answer, or enough to confirming answers. A couple you tube vids indicate that the boats are not running a thru cabin top,exhaust. A couple are running a solar exhaust cover to draw out

Bottom line I've seriously considered the potential issue.

More research is on going.

As for this coast guard stuff, I have no idea what the coast guards rules are. Someday I'll have a look.

I view rules as guide lines, Im all about following the rules, as long as their reasonable, our world is going to the ridicules side on dos and don't s



Dirk

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

I received my Ecco L5 instant demand propane water heater earlier this week. It is my intention to plumb my earth composting toilet, then change out the PVC vent required for the composting fillet, with a metal standard exhaust pipe.

I intend to mount the L5, in the head, on the bulkhead, and use a metal exhaust pipe teed into the top of the composting toilet exhaust pipe just below the bulkhead. So I only use the existing head vent, and won't have to drill/ cut another hole in the cabins roof.

My rationale is, When Running the hot water for what 1/2 minutes, to soak down, flip the switch shutting the water off, thur shutting down the WH, lathering up, then turning the switch on the shower wand back on, and rinsing.

Three four-minutes of hot water use. Vented thru the roof, no pilot light, D battery initiator, I thought it was pretty slick.

The associates boat I'm copying uses one pound bottles, he gets a couple weeks out of a bottle, with a shower a day. His water , and hopefully my water are fresh water out of on board storage.

Was initially concerned by the heat thru the cabin top, but after thinking about time ran its max 2 minutes off for four or,five,mother on again for a couple minutes. And metal exhaust pipe, teed into metal vent pipe. Which will be wood stove exhaust pipe.

I like the one pound bottle source as well. I can stash a bunch of those in small area. Eventually I would consider two deck mounted 20 pound tanks secured to the stern rail, or after installation the solar tower. But that's down the rode.

Easypesy.

Merry Christmas.

Dirk

I'm sure you believe you have this all figured out but it's far from ABYC compliance and you are taking several safety risks.

I suggest going with a standard, ABYC compliant system. Not for insurance reasons, but for the safety of you and anyone else on the boat and nearby.

[Dirk Williams]

FYI, Wikipedia states no, on the methane gas.

I don't know the answer. I guess a simple solution is to actually cut the hole for the shower, vent. I just don't like making holes in anything that floats.

Where do I find these rules everybody keeps referencing. The only think I can find are like the 36 rules, in my coast guard book.

Thank you in advance.

Dirk

[HopCar]

I don't know if shareing the vent with your litter box is a problem or not. My guess would be not much of a problem. I guess it depends on how much methane the litter box produces.

Store the propane on deck where leaked propane can drain overboard. A lot of people store those bottles on deck in pvc pipe. Glue a cap on one end, leave the other a friction fit. Drill a drain hole at the low point.

New propane bottles rarely leak, but sometimes they do leak. If you refill them the danger of a leak goes up. When they do leak, the leak is usually very slow which makes it hard to get to the concentration of vapors that could burn or explode.