water heating

[Halcytwo]

Hi
I am slowly in the process of setting up our boat for live aboard.
I have been looking at 24 volt immersion / water tank heater elements that can obviously run in a wind generator or solar system. Any one else done this ? Is it effective ?
Alternatively how do you produce hot water when at anchor most of the time ?
Trying to avoid using generator if possible.

 

[NornaBiron]

Hi
I am slowly in the process of setting up our boat for live aboard.
I have been looking at 24 volt immersion / water tank heater elements that can obviously run in a wind generator or solar system. Any one else done this ? Is it effective ?
Alternatively how do you produce hot water when at anchor most of the time ?
Trying to avoid using generator if possible.

We have a 24 volt system and looked hard for a dual 24/220 volt immersion with no success.

In the summer we use solar bags and in the winter our diesel heater to provide hot water. If all else fails we use the kettle on the gas stove.

We've been anchoring almost exclusively, year round, since 2008 and have no problems with this set up.

 

[vyv_cox]

The consumption in watts is going to be the same, whatever the voltage. So for example, if a 250 volt supply feeds a 1000 watt (1 kw) immersion heater it will consume 4 amps. A 25 volt supply for the same thermal output will take 40 amps. It will take quite an array of panels, or a lot of wind, to supply that. Exactly the same applies of course if you run it through an inverter, although there will be additional losses.

 

[sailaboutvic]

A British yachties found a good way , he made up an Coil of black pipe incase in a plastic case ,which water is piped thought , this is laid on the deck in full sun . that retained to his boiler which In return heat up his hot water , worked well in the winter too , yes John its you I am talking about .
Hope you and G are well .

 

[OldBawley]

We use a 30 l olive oil barrel as a hot water maker in summer. I found the solar bags to hot and unhygienic. The imitation wooden barrel stands in front of the mast and is connected to the boats water system. It has a large filling opening, can be cleaned inside. The water from the barrel is hot but not burning hot.
The barrel with its big filling opening is also used as a decanting vessel for water before it goes into the tanks. I am often surprised of what comes out of water taps in the Med. I takes sand and calcium out of the water.
In fact hot water in summer is absurd. I prefer to clean the dishes with cold water, don't want my hands in that hot soapy water.
Winter is where hot water is needed.
We have lots of orientable solar, a mast mounted windgen and on the anchorage in winter I mount a supercharger windgen on the Sb foredeck. Power enough.
I winter we use a wood burning stove for heating and cooking. Always hot water available.

Read last year in one of the forums that a 12 V immersion element was now available. The guy in the forum tread used it as a dumping load for his wind and solar.
Smart.
Only, in winter you don´t need to dump energy. Short days, low sun. And in summer where half of the day energy is dumped by the solar regulator, hot water would be better if it was cold.

 

[homer]

We have a solar water heating system. A solar collector is mounted on the gantry and a small pump (with a control unit) circulates the water into the calorifier. Works a treat when the sun shines. See PBO Feb 2013 for full details.

 

[multihullsailor6]

I too have a solar water heating system installed on my cat and can report it works just fine. The two elements I have are from www. heliatos.com in the US and measure approx. 70 cm x 70 cm. I run them off the boat battery system with a timer.

 

[ip485]

Roger

Do you have a pressure release valve in the system or some way of controlling how hot the water running to the calorifier? How did you plumb the water form the solar heater into the calorifier.

Thank you

 

[vyv_cox]

We have a solar water heating system. A solar collector is mounted on the gantry and a small pump (with a control unit) circulates the water into the calorifier. Works a treat when the sun shines. See PBO Feb 2013 for full details.

I remember the article, your design is far more sophisticated than mine. Mine is simply a small pump, some hose and a 10 metre coil of 8 mm copper tube, painted black. It doesn't do a great deal though, it is used with a 10 gallon bottle of water for the swimming shower but only manages to raise its temperature by a few degrees. Very nice after swimming but feels cool otherwise. The coil feels hot in the sun but little of the heat is transferred to the water. Maybe I should have used 6 mm tubing and perhaps limit the water flow?

 

[multihullsailor6]

Roger

Do you have a pressure release valve in the system or some way of controlling how hot the water running to the calorifier? How did you plumb the water form the solar heater into the calorifier.

Thank you

My boat's water system is equipped with a pressurized system and has a calorifier which is fed from this system. The hot water coming from the solar water panels has been plumbed into the cold water inlet at the calorifier. At the in and out points to and from the calorifier we installed one non return valve each and at the cold water in point one pressure release valve.

 

[geem]

we have a 12 litre black plastic watering can that I fitted a hose connector to the outlet. we have some garden hose and a garden sprinkler nozzle with an off/on button on the end. We hoist the watering can up the mizzen mast and shower in the cockpit. When not using the free hot water route we just turn the generator on for 15 minutes and we have a calorifier full of hot water. its nice making it for free though. once we have a new head hatch fitted this summer we will be dropping the garden hose throught to the head for a shower so we dont need to be on show in the cockpit!!

 

[rogerthebodger]

We have a instant LPG water heater when used at anchor or where we do not have mains power. We has a conventional calorifier heated by engine hot water or by mains immersion element when 240 VAC available. Looked at using solar water heater the same as we use to heat our swimming pool at home but not done it yet as we have limited deck space available.

 

[vyv_cox]

Instant LPG water heaters seem to be regarded as the spawn of Satan by most UK surveyors. We had one on a previous boat, it had a big open chimney that exhausted into the boat and was only lit when needed. It was effectively no different from a kettle on the stove. A surveyor nearly had a fit when he saw it and condemned it out of hand. An external chimney might be acceptable but is extremely difficult to seal on a yacht.

 

[rogerthebodger]

In the UK I think the "Room sealed" (balances flue) type is the one that is prefered. Mine is a non room sealed and our surveyors don't know the difference. I made up a special external flue system so all fumes exit outside and inside is lined with fire resistant materials. Mine has battery ignition so no pilot lights burning when not heating water.

 

[geem]

Instant LPG water heaters seem to be regarded as the spawn of Satan by most UK surveyors. We had one on a previous boat, it had a big open chimney that exhausted into the boat and was only lit when needed. It was effectively no different from a kettle on the stove. A surveyor nearly had a fit when he saw it and condemned it out of hand. An external chimney might be acceptable but is extremely difficult to seal on a yacht.

We had just the same set up. The boat was surveyed a couple of times and it wasnt condemned. They are no different from a gas cooker except mine had a sensor fitted that used to turn it off if the ventilation was not
adequate. it was a great set up. really liked it

 

[SiteSurfer]

I have a gas water heater, with a pilot light. Surveyor didn't freak out - however I use it with a hatch open, but am considering eliminating gas altogether from the boat. Subsequently am looking at a small calorifier as we use the engine to arrive and depart from almost everywhere (not skilled enough to sail in!) and so it seems like a waste of an opportunity to heat water right at the point when we are about to need it.

 

[keithgdg]

Hi
I am slowly in the process of setting up our boat for live aboard.
I have been looking at 24 volt immersion / water tank heater elements that can obviously run in a wind generator or solar system. Any one else done this ? Is it effective ?
Alternatively how do you produce hot water when at anchor most of the time ?
Trying to avoid using generator if possible.

I have an instant gas water heater that works just fine and produces lashings of hot water for either showering or the dreaded washing up. It runs on either propane or butane and if the gas fails I have an electric kettle!!

 

[BobnLesley]

KISS principal - Solar shower-bags and if it's not warm enough, top up from a boiled kettle; bear in mind that the instructions on all solar shower bags sold in the UK are faulty/incorrect, with slight variations every one we've bought has had printed on either it or the box:
1. Wash out with bicarbonate of soda.
2. Rinse with clean water.
3. Fill with fresh water
4. lay out in the sunshine, black-side uppermost
5. Enjoy a wonderful hot shower.
Instruction 4A is invariably omitted, that's the one which tells you to 'sail five hundred miles south.'

 

[ribrage]

I had one of those water heaters on the (T)rusty ketch a paloma I think was the make or model , damn thing tried to kill me ! I deep sixed that bitch ASAP

There was a rain cap on the flue that had to be removed each time you used it , only one day I forgot.

I lit the pilot light to wash some dishes , the flame burnt all the oxygen in the burner and went out - unbeknown to me.

LPG being heavy than air continued to flow out of the unit which was on the bulk head above the sink.

My worktop is fiddled so the gas must have sat on the work too for a while slowly building up

Guess where the lowest point is - NEXT to the cooker FLASH BANG - crapped my self as my eye brows singed off running out the open companion way.

The fire went out once I'd turned off the gas fortunately being steel boat the galley is tiled.

I ripped that sucker out within an hour , I feel sick just thinking about it , boat was in survey but who really tests those heaters ?

I stick to boiling the kettle for last 7 years and finally fitted a calorifier when I changed the engine earlier this year

The solar water heating is interesting I have two of those black shower bags but even using steritabs it doesn't look clean inside.