Calorifiers

[Abigail]

Another fitout question (and I really want to go sailing!) ...

any views on calorifiers. All the previous posts debate whether to have one, but the only criteria I can think of for choosing them is size/shape (not a big space), cost and how long it keeps the water hot. Has anybody else looked into this recently, or got other things we should be thinking about as we choose one.

Thanks


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[snowleopard]

dead weight

remember that the contents of a calorifier are dead weight so it pays to keep it small.

it's worth fitting an immersion heater so you can have hot water when hooked up to shore power.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by snowleopard on 06/05/2003 17:03 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[AndrewB]

Re: dead weight

Not sure about the dead-weight argument as water has to be stored somewhere. But I have not regretted a decision to fit a small unit (3 galls). An advantage is that it heats up very quickly when the engine is turned on, and the amount is ample for a single shower.

The calorifier has proved very reliable over 7 years, though on one occasion a pipe shook loose dumping the engine cooling water which caused a few moments' anxiety.

Agree with you regarding fitting an immersion heater.

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[snowleopard]

Re: dead weight

when you store water in a normal tank it is part of your reserves, i.e. useful.

water in a calorifier doesn't count as part of your reserves because when you run out of usable water the calorifier is still full. so yes, it is strictly dead weight.

mine is 7 gals, i.e. 70lbs, some go to more than twice that. it really depends on how much you feel you need. when moored, you get most of the capacity as hot water, at sea the cold mixes in as you draw off the hot so it soon becomes tepid.

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[ccscott49]

I've never bothered with one, use gas to heat the water when no sun, solar when there is.

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[longjohnsilver]

There's one on the for sale forum.

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