Tankless water heater??

[latitudechanges]

Currently debating putting in a tankless water heater on my Coronado 35. The old electric/heat exchanger water heater is busted and I do want to replace with a new one so we can have hot water underway without draining the battery. But 6 gals isn't much and I'm already installing an inverter big enough to run a tankless is the engine is choochin. Just wondering is anyone has had any luck with tankless.

[S/V Illusion]

If you check the power demand required, you may have your answer.

[undercutter]

I cannot imagine a tankless water system that a 35' boat would carry enough batteries and a big enough inverter to run. I am planning to install Point of Use heaters in the bathroom(s) and for the kitchen sink in our house. The one for the kitchen sink will be a 11kw unit and the one for the main bathroom will be 36kw. Now we are heating 47 F water to 120 at the kitchen sink and your water in the tank may be as high as 80 F so not the same but still it takes a hell of a lot of power to heat water instantaneously to take a shower even if it is only 30 to 40 degrees F. Even if it was only 5000W (416 amps @12v) you would need some substantial electrical gear or a good size generator. Just think a small kettle will draw 1500W and that ain't instant.

[ScottBaker]

My family has a C&C 35 Mk III with a propane tank-less on demand water heater.
It worked great when new... but it's on the fritz right now. The problem is the location where it is prevents easy fixing. I think the fix would be easy if it were located in a more accessible spot.
The problem is a safety mechanism on it uses a "eye" to confirm if there is a flame and if not it shuts off the gas. The window the "eye" looks through is clouded, and so it does not see the flame and it shuts off.
the location is inside on the hull mounted on the transom, near the steering quadrant. The path to get there necessitates a small human being than me!

If it were better located I would be thrilled with it.
By the way it vents out a chimney on the transom.
it was made in the late '80's by a company called "Wolter"...
I can't say if they are still around.
Cheers!
~Scott~

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by ScottBaker

...
it was made in the late '80's by a company called "Wolter"...
I can't say if they are still around.
Cheers!
~Scott~

Gerry Wolter is now president of PrecisionTemp.
Toll-Free: 800-934-9690
Local: 513-641-4446
Fax: 513-641-0733
➥ About PrecisionTemp - PrecisionTemp
➥ ShowerMate M-550 – Marine Tankless Water Heater - PrecisionTemp

[tuffr2]

Check the requirements that it needs to be level. There was an RV manufaturer that tried it but people had problems with them. I think the reason was they where not always level. Kinda the same in your boat while underway.

[ScottBaker]

We've only taken showers after anchoring... never took the boat on a long enough trip that we had to shower underway.
But the unit has worked for many boaters and their situations as I understand.

[epiic]

The 40L hot water tank Jeanneau included from the factory on my boat heats the water up faster than I can use it.

I can take a 20min shower and never run out of hot water.

[Cheechako]

You mean propane tankless? There have been a few threads on it.
I've had two, they worked pretty well. Technically not marine approved though. Both mine were installed directly below an overhead hatch. The more recent camping type I installed (Eccotemp L5 $110) was a great. The old Paloma I had years ago fluctuated in water temp a lot. I always used mine as an on or off device, like the propane cook stove...not always on.
I found a 6 gallon engine heated tank plenty for most use though.... unless you need a long shower. But I usually ran the engine every day. Water would be warm enough to shower the next am after running the previous afternoon.

[sailor1924]

I had a propane fired tankless on my old boat. The unit was made in, the then, Communist East Germany. It was great unit. It was diaphragm water pressure activated, with a pilot light, so consumed no electricity at all. It was installed beneath a skylight so combustion gas could be vented. It's only shortcoming was care had to be used setting the temperature of the water as it could produce scalding hot water. My memory is imperfect, but I think it was a Valiant brand available in England.