Hot Water Heater Woes

[jibes138]

My hot water heater core is leaking, I think from where the fresh water fitting is brazed to the tank. It is all sealed up with injected foam so I can't really tell. Looking at the prices I am shocked and dismayed at the replacement cost. Cheapest i saw for Raritan with a heat exchanger, 6 gallon was about 585.00. This seems outrageous. Anyone have a used one from a wreck for sale? How about a design for a home built unit? Scott is always looking for business opportunties, build one for 295.00 and you'll sell millions of them. I looked at RV stores but they don't have heat exchangers. Any other thoughts?

 

[kloudie1]

This is the unit that came with my boat in '85.. Still works .. So far no leaks..
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|51|10172|319679&id=10173

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

You can buy a galvanized tank heater for as little as $199 - doesn't seem worth the effort to repair an old one as when it fails at one point, its probably doomed to further failures.

 

[fox islander]

seward

I installed the same unit as Claude 2 yrs ago in my C30, seems to work very well. I'd go with this before a used one...assuming it fits


-bueno suerte

Steve
SV Sonrisa

 

[Dave D]

I always wonder why people want to heat hot water.:bang:

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I always wonder why people want to heat hot water.:bang:

I guess one answer might be for the same reason(s) you presumably have hot water at home?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Raritan is a good heater but

thy have ALWAYS benn almost twice as much as any others. We have a Seaward, installed in our 1986 boat in 1997 a year before we bought our boat and has been working without fail for all these years.

Buy wisely and comparison shop.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I've always wondered the same thing, Dave...

I always wonder why people want to heat hot water.:bang:

'Tis indeed a puzzlement why anyone would need to heat water that's already hot.

Stu, Raritan water heaters are pricy, but worth it. They have a glass inner tank that can never corrode...exceptional insulation...and a polymer outer shell that cannot corrode. The one on my own boat was installed in 1979 and still in great shape when I sold the boat in 2000. And thats not unusual.

 

[DeniseO30]

they fail in boats because of the excessive heating and cooling cycles.. if they were always kept hot the would't rust as much. I foget why but hot water doesn't have as much o2 in it.. the sulpur smell is nasty too.

 

[Tim R.]

My Raritan from 1985 was a big rusty mess. I opted for a completely stainless model from Isotherm.

 

[sailingdog]

Maine Sail had a post a while back that listed who made which brands, and which were stainless steel, and which were not. It would probably be worth looking up.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Question

why pay more $$ for SS for a heater over galvanized? Just curious...

 

[j_schoenfeld]

I have to agree with Peggy. I have an 82 Oday with the original raritan. The heat exchanger was bypassed (for what reason I have no idea) and unwired from the 110. So I pulled it and pressure tested it, and its perfect. Replumbed everything, works great! Engine heats the water to almost a scalding heat, and the heat with the 110 on dock will scald you. And this is a 27 year old heater. Doesn't get much better than that, and I love doing a project and never having to look back.....

 

[Stu Jackson]

...and the heat with the 110 on dock will scald you. ....

JS the tricks:

1. turn off the dock AC after 15 to 20 minutes

2. Someone once told me; That's what faucets are for!

 

[Tim R.]

why pay more $$ for SS for a heater over galvanized? Just curious...

There was also a performance factor. The water heats up faster and stays hot longer than my Raritan ever did.

Why don't you use Galvanized HardWare on your boat?

 

[Paul F]

Seems like a good choice?

I posted this on here a year or so ago. Our city marina uses this model on the dock far from shore to heat water in the bathroom at the fuel dock. It is glass lined and is found at Home Depot and elsewhere. It is now listed at $198. It was $30 less a short while ago. The Ariston 4.0 gallon. It has a more rectangle shape easier to fit into the locker. Has a 6 year warranty.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...oductId=100011293&N=10000003+90401+527050+239

 

[Steve Dion]

How do you heat water with these Ariston heaters while you are anchored out?

 

[Paul F]

With my little two cylinder engine running at 110-130 degrees there is no hot water to share with a hot water heater all there that can be done is to plug into shore power. If your engine can produce enough heat and you have the plumbing for the heat exchange this unit will not work.
I have to add there is no such thing as cold/cool water in Florida. I pulled my water heater years ago for the space. May return to a hot water unit but only a small one like the Ariston.

 

[tommays]

"most" of the marine water heaters are "ignition protected" as they get installed in a LOT of gas powered boats and it would casue them a lot of to produce a model that was not safe for all boat installs


A LOT of waht you buy like battery switchs,bilge pumps,fuses,ect are only made that way also

 

[Stu Jackson]

Why don't you use Galvanized HardWare on your boat?

Tim, it's only the exterior of the tank that's SS, and I couldn't justify the additional cost for an expensive "cover" over the stuff inside that actually does the work. Our galvanized Seaward is working just fine, hidden under the galley sink, and accessible for cleaning and checking. No corrosion so far, and I've cleaned and sprayed it with whatever anti-corrosion spray i had - just forget right now what ti was, maybe just machine oil on a rag.