dgadee
Well-known member
Looking at calorifiers and note that these are available in either stainless or copper. Are there any reasons for choosing one over the other?
Calorifier - stainless or copper?
- Thread starter dgadee
- Start date
KellysEye
Active member
Since copper calorifiers are standard household equipment I can't see any reason not to buy one for a boat. My bet would be they are cheaper then stainless. We have a copper one.
charles_reed
Active member
I'm afraid that, with the price of copper now, you'd lose your bet.
pvb
Well-known member
You haven't looked at calorifier prices, have you?
vyv_cox
Well-known member
Copper is perfectly OK. The heating coil, the only part in contact with seawater, is copper on my stainless calorifier. As already said, copper is perfectly OK for domestic fresh water so there seems no reason to choose stainless steel.
tillergirl
Well-known member
I have a copper one and it eats an anode a year. Don't understand why as its in the 'water to be heated' side which of course is fresh and the water inside the heating coil is also 'fresh' (in the sense that its not salt) since it comes off the heat exchanger. I suppose its handling the reaction between the vitreous enamal tank and the copper coil.
The stainless ones from the same company do not have an anode so that would be an annual saving.
The stainless ones from the same company do not have an anode so that would be an annual saving.
KAL
Active member
Copper also acts as a biocide, apparently, preventing too much build up of pathogenic organisms in the hot tank.
I don't think my (copper) calorifier has an anode. There's certainly nothing in the instruction manual about it.
clyst
Well-known member
Where is the anode? if its inside how do you access it ?
tillergirl
Well-known member
It's screwed in from outside rather like the immersion element - its a fun way to drain the tank
which otherwise wouldn't drain (keep meaning to fit a drain plug). I guess if it was all copper it would not need one.
which otherwise wouldn't drain (keep meaning to fit a drain plug). I guess if it was all copper it would not need one.
KAL
Active member
stuhaynes
New member
Ideal for economical calorifiers, but do ensure that the standard pressure relief valve suits your water pump. We bought a 55 litre horizontal last year and the standard PRV was 3 bar. Our 43 PSI Johnson was forever blowing the valve off. Eventually, Surecal sent me a 4 BAR replacement, but NOT before I'd sent the original back. I brought this up with Matt Battle of Surecal and he said that they would change the info on their site. I've not checked the site since but assume that they must have added the question about pump pressure.
I score Surecal as 9/10 for service and 10/10 for value for money. It would have been 10's all the way except for their oversight on the PRV front. Stainless was very expensive in comparison at the time.
DaveS
Well-known member
Well the site now says:
Surecal comes complete with thermostatic mixer valve, 4 bar pressure release valve, 1kw immersion heater, non return valve, 15mm barbed connections for coil and ready for push fit plastic plumbing in 15mm. Also supplied st/steel mounting feet
What it doesn't show is dimensions, which I would have thought most people would be interested in.
VicS
Well-known member
If you have a zinc anode and a copper coil the zinc is going to disappear fairly quickly even in fresh water although the pace with which it does so will depend on the analysis of the water. I imagine the anode is fitted, as you suppose, to protect the enamelled tank from the effects of the copper coil if the enamelling is not 100%. If that is so a stainless tank and coil would eliminate the need for the anode.
captainboo
Active member
http://www.surecal.co.uk/Product/SureCal.aspx
Open the above page and on the right hand side click on each size where it says "Click to view more information"
Simples!
Quandary
Well-known member
I have one of those shiny Italian made stainless steel calorifiers, (Isotemp?) typical Italian engineering superficially elegant but thin pressed metal. I would recommend avoiding them or if you are temped by the shiny casing take off the end cover and look how they are put together before you decide to buy.
