can someone tell me about calorifiers...

[mikecontessa26]

and whether a small one would work for my Contessa 26 with a Yanmar 1GM?

Are they easy to fit for someone used to plumbing?

Thanks for your time

Mike

 

[michael_w]

The hot water won't get very hot as your 1GM is seawater cooled. The plumbing is pretty straightforward. You'll need to put a pressure pump and fit proper taps to make it all work. Domestic basin taps are just about the right size for boats. The monobloc style saves a fair amount of worktop area.

I'd have thought your biggest problem is finding space for the calorifier in the boat! I know of a Vertue that had a full pressurised water system and a fridge too; so it can be done.

 

[mikecontessa26]

where there's a will there's a way... a 10 litre tank looks small it's just where all the other bits go?

 

[Salty John]

The Plastimo 10 litre water heater should do the job. It takes it's heat from the engine cooling system and is insulated. No need for pressure water and it measures 22cm deep and 34cm diameter. It needs to be mounted as high as possible above the tap. It's their ref number 42911. There's a simple flow diagram in their catalogue - maybe on their site also.

 

[BAtoo]

Our last boat had a calorifier heated off a sea-water cooled engine & it did the job fine - water plenty hot enough. If you want to raise it a bit more you could put in a hotter thermostat tho' I think ours was standard.

 

[beneteau_305_553]

I fitted one of these last year and has been great. The water heats up in about 30 mins and is enough for 2 good showers.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/22-Litre-Surecal-C...p3286.m20.l1116

Its heated from the engine coolant and not the sea water circuit so water temp gets up to about 85C. It comes complete with mixing valve to reduce output temp to 65 C and a pressure relief valve.

It also has a 220 v , 1.5 kw element to heat the domestic water when in a marina.

No commercial interest. just a satisfied customer.

 

[tyce]

I have a 1GM10 with the Martec conversion to make it fresh water cooled, the fresh water loop goes through a calorifier and it all works a treat.

 

[ColinS]

I fitted one this year with a sea water take-off after the thermostat on a Volvo 2oo2. With the standard thermostat on the engine the hot water is more than sufficiant to burn if you are not careful.

 

[mikecontessa26]

so will it still heat up off a direct cooled engine? It's a newish yanmar 1 gm10. Surely the small calorifier size of 10 liters would help? Has anyone got expeiriencd of fitting to a 1 gm10?

I'm afraid the cost of a conversion to indirect cooling wouldn't seem worth it for myself.

Thanks

 

[maxi77]

Buym ASAP and they include a thermostatic mixing valve so the output is at a useable temperature.

 

[Strathglass]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to raise it a bit more you could put in a hotter thermostat .

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are using seawater to cool the engine directly.

Then - NEVER fit a thermostat over 65 degrees otherwise all the engine waterway passageways will become blocked with salt and the engine will overheat.

Iain

 

[jerryat]

Have PM'd you.

 

[spottydog]

Is it worth the cost and hassle to fit on a boat of this size. I can't imagine you will have the room for a shower. Therefore boiling a kettle whenever hot water is required seems the best option!

 

[Mulge]

Colin,

I've been wondering about doing the same on my Gibsea 92, with a seawater cooled VP 2002. Would you mind sharing a little more detail, including which kit you used - I'd be very grateful.

Mark

 

[mikecontessa26]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't imagine you will have the room for a shower. Therefore boiling a kettle whenever hot water is required seems the best option!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not shy so I could always install some taps and a shower head in the cockpit locker and take a shower there at Anchor... It's not a hassle, i enjoy learning and messing with things - otherwise why would I have bought a boat? And as for boiling the kettle, a lot of gas is used boiling a kettle, the engine is wasting energy all the time it's running so why not use it?

 

[misterg]

[ QUOTE ]
so will it still heat up off a direct cooled engine? .....

....I'm afraid the cost of a conversion to indirect cooling wouldn't seem worth it for myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

There have been many protracted discussions about this on here in the past. I'm not an expert, but recall the posts:

The upshot is that you can run a calorifier from a raw water cooled engine perfectly satisfactorily. The best way is to tap into the cooling jacket on the engine and use an electric pump to circulate this water around the calorifier coil, returning it to the cooling jacket. The preferred Johnson pump is expensive, though. Less satisfactory, but possibly adequate is to take the flow out of the engine after the thermostat, but before the bypass water is mixed back in, and run this through the calorifier coil on its way to the exhaust injection point.

(Fair summary?)

I've no idea whether suitable tappings exist on a 1GM10, though.

Andy

 

[ColinS]

Mulge,

I have PM'd you.