OEM water heater finally leaks

[Pascal]

Well, I guess you be know'n more about my situation than I do. Someone must've crossed a hot water line 'causing it's hot hot hot all shower long despite using a short white dock water hose.

I have no idea how your marina is set up. I was replying to Angela...

[davidwigler]

Are you sure you want to downsize to only 20 gallons? That’s pretty small for a 4-stateroom boat. I have (had) the 39 or 40 gallon one and would still run out of hot water from time to time.

I’m going to try it. If I need more hot water I can always plumb another one in series. The marine units keep the water a lot hotter so you use less, and I have installed low flow shower heads to conserve water in the winter.

[nautibake]

David - did you notice the leak from the MSR closet, or from the bilge kicking on? Our boats are only a few serial #’s apart. Just curious.

I had the cabinetry out around the WH a couple of weeks ago having new AC installed and I had some time to ponder what a bear that would be to get out of there. Good luck with your project, I like the idea of placing the new WH in the Generator room. Takes a while for the hot water to go forward and back to MSR head. Maybe I will be lucky and not have to deal with this for a while...

[Pascal]

I recently installed a 20 gal Rheem and it provides plenty of hot water. The only time i run out is when filling the 5' tub in the master. If i wait 10 minutes halfway thru, the tank is usually hot again and i can finish filling.

We have a 38 gallon WH on the 84 footer i run and have never run out with as many as 13 people on board so 20 is plenty for our boats

[davidwigler]

David - did you notice the leak from the MSR closet, or from the bilge kicking on? Our boats are only a few serial #’s apart. Just curious.

I had the cabinetry out around the WH a couple of weeks ago having new AC installed and I had some time to ponder what a bear that would be to get out of there. Good luck with your project, I like the idea of placing the new WH in the Generator room. Takes a while for the hot water to go forward and back to MSR head. Maybe I will be lucky and not have to deal with this for a while...

I opened the cabinet to turn down the thermostats and noticed the floor was moist. It may just be a gasket but there’s a lot of rust so it’s time.

[davidwigler]

Also the way the floor is built it might flood the closet and MSR before reaching the bilge. There’s no pan under it.

[Angela]

Also the way the floor is built it might flood the closet and MSR before reaching the bilge. There’s no pan under it.

I was lucky. I always had a slight list to port and the water heater was to port in the master closet, so when it started running water out the rusted bottom, it ran off the subfloor into the bilge and was pumped out. The one time that list to port did me some good. I discovered the leak when the pump kept coming on when I wasn’t running water as I was not hooked up to dockside water at the time.

[nautibake]

I was lucky. I always had a slight list to port and the water heater was to port in the master closet, so when it started running water out the rusted bottom, it ran off the subfloor into the bilge and was pumped out. The one time that list to port did me some good. I discovered the leak when the pump kept coming on when I wasn’t running water as I was not hooked up to dockside water at the time.

Funny, we have a slight list to port, especially when the fresh water is full and the waste tanks empty. My Whaler engine used to even it out when it was up on the chocks, but we traded that for a jet RIB. Might be getting some more ballast, but at least I know I may have some benefit in the meantime! (Hopefully none too soon...)

Also the way the floor is built it might flood the closet and MSR before reaching the bilge. There’s no pan under it.

Thanks David - would be great to get more updates as you progress...

[davidwigler]

How embarrassing! 😬 I was sitting in the salon facing aft and got port and starboard backwards. The list is to port.

[bigbill]

i put a 20 gal. water heater and jacked the thermostat up so the water is pretty darn hot that way you use less hot and more cold to get the temp right, we have never run out with 8 people on board