Gas Water Heaters

[Westering]

I have had a Vaillant multi-point gas water heater on my Soveriegn 32 for 15 ywears - and it now needs replacement. It serves our useage well - no need to run the engine when on a mooring/ at anchor just to get enough hot water for a wash. There is a Rinnai which looks very good (anyone else got one??). However - we have hit a major snag in the Southampton Calor Centre - Corgi experts - say that the latest EEC regs. ban such heaters from being fitted and therefore they cannot install it for us!! I am tempted to DIY, but am nervous of my competence in what is a critical area. Has anyone got any ideas /suggestions /offers of help in the Emsworth area??
I should add the the heater is in the heads which is well ventilated with a sliding window, and the heater itself is flued through the cabin roof.
Also, if we DIY, what might be the position when we take the boat to France?

 

[stamfordian]

hi.
ref your water hater,depends on whats wrong with it ,whether you could get it repaired this would solve the corgi issue ,As for doing it yourself the law is very specific.... thouch it yourself icident happens... your in prison.sorry to bo so blunt but this would be your posistion.there may be a water heater which will do the job which you could get fitted.which would comply with the new regs,perhaps this would be worth investegating

 

[gunnarsilins]

As far as I know...

...the new regulations does not concern the use of a water heater as such but the fact that it must not use the air in the cabin for combustion and and the combustion gases must be vented to the outside.
And I also think this only applies to a newly built boat, and not to an existing installation.

 

[stamfordian]

hi,again
Might have a possible alternative... carver do a water heater for a caravan,the flue though exits though the side of the caravan might be worth contacting the m to see if they do one where flue exahusts upwardsthough your existing flue outlet.
cheers ,T.B.

 

[Guest]

I've just taken a Paloma water heater out of my Mirage as I rarely use it and it doesn't have an external flue. Apparently there would be no problem leaving it fitted (other than my peace of mind), but if I needed to replace it, I would need to fit a heater that was vented to the outside. So sounds as if you could replace yours provided it vents externally and meets the CORGI regs.