We recently purchased a 1976 32' o'day center cockpit sailboat. It has a rebuilt Perkins diesel engine Model 4.107. It had no hot water heater, so we purchased one with a heat exchange since the boat does not have a generator. We ran into a problem when trying to hook it up to use the engine,s internal hot water to run through the heat exchange to heat up the water in the water heater. We can find only one place to take internal water from the engine but no place to return the water back to the engine after it flows through the heat exchange. Does anyone have a 4.107 or 4.108 that has hot water while underway and no generator providing 115 volts to the water heater?? If so, do you know how the water lines are connected?? My mate says no hot water, no more 5-6 day trips. I'll have to find someone else to go with me. Maybe I don't really need to solve the problem!!!!!
Hot water heater
- Thread starter riverdweller
- Start date
- Status
Is your engine fresh water cooled ?
All brands of water heaters have an inlet and outlet for the heat exchanger to run the engine coolant in. Since your engine dates back to 76 it may be cooled by direct sea water and not have the inlet and outlet required for you to install the water heater hoses.
All brands of water heaters have an inlet and outlet for the heat exchanger to run the engine coolant in. Since your engine dates back to 76 it may be cooled by direct sea water and not have the inlet and outlet required for you to install the water heater hoses.
If all else fails...
...get a little Honda EU2000 generator and it will run the electric hot water heater.
But I would expect that you are missing seeing a plug on the engine for a return hose from the heater.
...get a little Honda EU2000 generator and it will run the electric hot water heater.
But I would expect that you are missing seeing a plug on the engine for a return hose from the heater.Jim: Thank you for your interest in our problem! The water heater is a Seaward Model 600; a six gallon combination electric/engine heat exchanger. It is very similar to the Force 10 Model 3683083 in the West Marine's 2005 catalog; page 521. Paul Akers' memo suggested a EU2000 Honda generator and he may have the only solution. I have been in contact with a Tech from Perkins Deisel Engines here in Florida, and he has and is continuing to research the problem. The 4.108 engine is still in production and is just an upgrade to ours. He and a couple of his dealers have not come up with a solution. Paul also suggested that we have been unable to find a return connection. There are three threaded square-headed plugs in the cylinder head. The Perkin's Tech says that I can use one as an input to the water heater BUT I could cause serious engine heating problems if I tried to use another one as a return. He said that if the flow of coolent was reduced in the engine as it flowed to the water heater, excessive heat could occur in the engine. It would appear that with the exceptions of the plugs, the internal water/coolent system has no other entry ways other than the pressure cap. "Very interesting" as Artie Johnson on Laugh-In would say. A properly operating water heater is very important to enjoying our 5-6 day cruises especially in the hot Florida heat! Bill & Shalli, the Riverdwellers.
Water Heater
Paul: Thanks for your response. It appears that you may have the only solution. Please read our reply to Jentine/Jim. Any more thoughts, please let us know. Bill & Shalli
Paul: Thanks for your response. It appears that you may have the only solution. Please read our reply to Jentine/Jim. Any more thoughts, please let us know. Bill & Shalli
Put it in series with the engines heat exchanger
Run the coolant from the engine outlet to the hot water heater first and then to the engines heat exchanger. If there is any reason not to do this, I am not aware of it. Others may know more about this but that is all I can think of unless you make some custom adapters or something. Include a bleeder valve at the highest point to allow you to purge the air from the system. I am working on the assumption that the engine is fresh water cooled. I think that the hot water hose is something which needs to meet CG standards so do not use automotive stuff.
Run the coolant from the engine outlet to the hot water heater first and then to the engines heat exchanger. If there is any reason not to do this, I am not aware of it. Others may know more about this but that is all I can think of unless you make some custom adapters or something. Include a bleeder valve at the highest point to allow you to purge the air from the system. I am working on the assumption that the engine is fresh water cooled. I think that the hot water hose is something which needs to meet CG standards so do not use automotive stuff.
I agree with Patrick
Assuming your engine is fresh water cooled, just disconnect the hose that is currently going to the heat exchanger input, and run it to the water heater 1st, then from the water heater output, run back to the heat exchanger input. Also, since you said you can find only one place to take internal water from the engine, well, just feed the water back into where you got it from. Make a long loop out of it by going through the hot water heater. And yes, put a air bleeder valve at the highest point before going into the heat exchanger. I think most water heaters are installed similar to this method.
Assuming your engine is fresh water cooled, just disconnect the hose that is currently going to the heat exchanger input, and run it to the water heater 1st, then from the water heater output, run back to the heat exchanger input. Also, since you said you can find only one place to take internal water from the engine, well, just feed the water back into where you got it from. Make a long loop out of it by going through the hot water heater. And yes, put a air bleeder valve at the highest point before going into the heat exchanger. I think most water heaters are installed similar to this method.
HEY BILL!!!
Are you getting this? Good advice. What's that? Oh,,, JC and Patrick, he's looking for an excuse for it not to work so he can,,be alone aboard.
Are you getting this? Good advice. What's that? Oh,,, JC and Patrick, he's looking for an excuse for it not to work so he can,,be alone aboard.
J C
Thanks for your comments. You are not going to believe this, but the heat exchanger and the engine is a metal to metal connection. No hose and no space between for insertion of a hose. The sailboat, when new, came with a Westebeake 25hp. In 2001, the owner installed this 40hp Perkins. When we were looking at the boat, we asked about the water heater since the advertisement did not mention hot and cold water. He said it had rusted out and he would reduce the final price by $300 to allow for it. Seemed fair at the time, since it was easy to replace in our prior sailboat. Thanks again for your thoughts. Bill
Thanks for your comments. You are not going to believe this, but the heat exchanger and the engine is a metal to metal connection. No hose and no space between for insertion of a hose. The sailboat, when new, came with a Westebeake 25hp. In 2001, the owner installed this 40hp Perkins. When we were looking at the boat, we asked about the water heater since the advertisement did not mention hot and cold water. He said it had rusted out and he would reduce the final price by $300 to allow for it. Seemed fair at the time, since it was easy to replace in our prior sailboat. Thanks again for your thoughts. Bill
Metal on metal, eh? Heavy !
Woops, Sorry about that Bill ! I think Fred is right. After thinking about it some more, a hose just won't work on the hot water heater. It is too much work anyway. Who has ever heard of hot water on a boat? You wife is just expecting way too much from you. Tell her ice cold water is the only way to go. Wakes you up and keep you alert while sailing. ;D
Woops, Sorry about that Bill ! I think Fred is right. After thinking about it some more, a hose just won't work on the hot water heater. It is too much work anyway. Who has ever heard of hot water on a boat? You wife is just expecting way too much from you. Tell her ice cold water is the only way to go. Wakes you up and keep you alert while sailing. ;D
- Status