Debating whether to spring for the Lenovo copper or monel heat exchanger? Was there any difficulty in removing it? Comments?
Heat Exchanger replacement on W46?
- Thread starter LouisMK
- Start date
I would assume a Westerbeke 46
Better guess than mine. I was looking at a W6 Wartsilla diesel rated at many thousand horsepower. A little on the heavy side perhaps.
Is this the one at 46 HP ?
I'll bet that gets up and goes.
I can't speak for the ease of removal but from a metallurgical view, I'd go with Monel (Copper-Nickel alloy) over pure copper. According to "Metal Corrosion in Boats" by Nigel Warren, the corrosion rate of copper is 0.001-0.002 inch/year in seawater. Monel alloy is 0.000. Depending on the thickness, that copper one could still out last most of us. Of course no mention is made of flow rate across the material or temperature which would be a factor. Annual inspection is prudent.