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16-08-2017, 01:35
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Water heaters.. which brand?
Hi All,
I've been looking at a water heater that includes an engine heater exchanger and there's a few to choose from. At this stage I'm looking at : isotherm, force 10, quick nautic. Does anyone recommend or (not) any particular model? The boat is a twin engine31 foot cabin cruiser. Won't be out for more than a weekend at a time. If we go over night it will only be myself and a partner otherwise it might be 6 adults for day trips.
Thanks In advance. Mark, Melbourne Australia
Isotherm does one which runs two coils while I'm leaning towards due to the utilisation of both engines which I assume will heat faster
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16-08-2017, 02:12
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,458
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Mark, even with a raw water cooled system our tank is hot after 30 minutes of motoring so save the complication and cost of plumbing in both engines.
What I will say is our 20 litre tank goes cold over night. Now its 30 years old so probably due for replacement and I am looking at 30-40 litres with a mixer valve to conserve the hot water in the tank. Its likely to be this winters project. Luckily they make tanks just down the road from me so its an easy choice. http://www.surejust.co.uk/calorifiers
Pete
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16-08-2017, 06:29
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Hingham
Boat: Dickerson 37AC
Posts: 665
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
I agree on the single engine is enough. Even with my small 44hp diesel it is screaming hot pretty quickly.
Mine is a Raritan 6 gal with glass lined stainless tank. I really like it, given me zero troubles and is at least 10+ years old. With my wife and 2 kids we all get showers daily but we are taking military showers lol.
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19-08-2017, 02:01
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Military showers [emoji23] poor kids
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19-08-2017, 03:56
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Sydney Australia
Boat: Fisher pilothouse sloop 32'
Posts: 3,420
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tronic72
Hi All,
I've been looking at a water heater that includes an engine heater exchanger and there's a few to choose from. At this stage I'm looking at : isotherm, force 10, quick nautic. Does anyone recommend or (not) any particular model? The boat is a twin engine31 foot cabin cruiser. Won't be out for more than a weekend at a time. If we go over night it will only be myself and a partner otherwise it might be 6 adults for day trips.
Thanks In advance. Mark, Melbourne Australia
Isotherm does one which runs two coils while I'm leaning towards due to the utilisation of both engines which I assume will heat faster
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Mark, my boat came with a woody's hot water system, non pressurised tank that has two coils, one for heating from the engine the other is used to actually heat the water for consumption. The water in the tank is the heat bank, the pressure relief valve fitted to the fresh water coil where it leaves the tank dumps any hot water back into the tank.
Everyone that has spent any time on the boat is amazed at the quantity of hot water that this produces, far more than just the contents of the tank.
While the heater is no longer made, there may be something similar out there. Cheers
__________________
Rob aka Uncle Bob Sydney Australia.
Life is 10% the cards you are dealt, 90% how you play em
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19-08-2017, 03:59
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: 2023 - Colombia
Boat: Amazon 49 cutter, custom steel boat built in Surrey, Canada
Posts: 841
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
We have an Isotemp and are very happy with it. For a low-tech unit, it has the biggest owners manual I've ever seen (98 pages).
That being said, there are other quality brands out there. I would first determine the dimensions of the space you have available for the replacement. Decide if you want a cubical form, a cylinder, and will it be installed horizontal or vertical, etc. Once you do that, I would buy the unit that will give you the most hot water from that volume.
Cheers!
Steve
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19-08-2017, 06:07
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay area, USA
Boat: Beneteau First 42
Posts: 3,961
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailah
I agree on the single engine is enough. Even with my small 44hp diesel it is screaming hot pretty quickly.
Mine is a Raritan 6 gal with glass lined stainless tank. I really like it, given me zero troubles and is at least 10+ years old. With my wife and 2 kids we all get showers daily but we are taking military showers lol.
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Have you replaced the magnesium anode on the hot water discharge valve and checked the function of the pressure relief valve? On the Raritan, anodes need replacement at roughly 5 year intervals while the pressure relief valve should be checked annually and replaced at roughly 3 year intervals. Note too, that Raritan's pressure relief valves let go at 75 PSI, about half of what common hardware store PRV's are rated at.
N'any case, the Raritan and/or Isotemp seem to be good choices.
FWIW...
__________________
"It is not so much for its beauty that the Sea makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from the waves, that so wonderfully renews a weary spirit."
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19-08-2017, 13:47
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Water heaters.. which brand?
Look for something that is not an aluminum tank.
I just bought a cheap Kuma as it was the same dimensions as my old one.
I have been told aluminum tank water heaters don't last long, however the one I Just replaced was working fine, just excessive corrosion on the hold down fittings and it was removed and I didn't want to put an OLD water heater back in, it had an aluminum tank.
My next one will be an isotherm, reason is three fold, mixing valve, Stainless tank and excellent insulation.
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19-08-2017, 15:05
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Thanks a64pilot. I did look at the Kuuma force 10s which are almost half the price of the isitherm. Your post explains why.
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19-08-2017, 15:45
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Boat: 1990 Oyster 55
Posts: 468
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
I got the isotherm with dual coils, one for engine water, the other for generator.
I use the generator on the hook and it heats the water up in about 20 minutes (8kw westerbeke). Got the round cylinder version which was an almost drop in replacement for the 30 year old British colorifier.
The first image is the new water heater, the second is the original, unfortunately rotated 90 degrees. The new one is in the same position as the old, quite a job getting it back in there without cutting anything!!! Very happy!!!
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19-08-2017, 19:52
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 152
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
Hey nice job on the new unit. The isotherm dual element unit is looking like my heater of choice. I'll plumb it in with one engine and can always add the second later. I've sent a request to the manufacture to see if they have any specifications on the difference between single and dual element heaters.
Thanks for the replies. Mark, Melbourne Australia.
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19-08-2017, 20:58
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Miami Florida
Boat: Ellis Flybridge 28
Posts: 4,059
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
I like the Isotherm SPA series. It has all the goodies, heat exchanger, stainless tank, and mixing valve. It doesn't have a stainless cover which makes it a very good value.
The mixing valve is a nice thing to have. It allows you to heat the water to a high temperature then mixes it with cold water to bring it down to a safe temperature as it comes out of the heater. This gives you more usable hot water.
__________________
Retired from Hopkins-Carter Marine Supplies
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20-08-2017, 04:44
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Louisville, KY
Boat: Globe, cutter/ketch,38
Posts: 724
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
+1 on Isotherm. I just replace a 40 yr old Seward(?) with a slim. Good insulation, mixing valve a +
__________________
www.sailboatvigah.com Boats don't like being neglected, but then neither do significant others!
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20-08-2017, 06:08
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#14
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Aboard
Boat: Seaton 60' Ketch
Posts: 1,339
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
We sell and install several brands; our experience is that Isotherm make a good unit; the best we've worked with is the Torrid line; many models including 3ph for larger boats, custom sizes available with multiple elements and multiple heat exchanger bosses. They even customized a 6g unit with both high voltage (120) and a 600watt 12v element (for solar dump) for us; great people; recommended.
__________________
Scott Berg
WAØLSS
SV CHARDONNAY
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20-08-2017, 07:01
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 13
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Re: Water heaters.. which brand?
We have a 40 liter Quick on our sailboat and couldn't be happier. The water heats up very quickly and the next day it's still warm enough for a shower. The water also doesn't gradually loose its heat while you shower, until the very last moment. We find 40 liters give us abundant showering and dishwashing water for two people for a day.
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