[C320-list] Water heater continued...

[Allan Field]

Chris - I can address both of your issues from my perspective.

1.  When any water is blowing off through the temperature-pressure (TP)
valve, it means the valve is faulty.  They do fail fairly routinely.
Seaward will send a replacement valve for about $25 including shipping.  I
removed the entire tank to change the valve.  Tank removal is NOT a fun job.
In retrospect, I may have been able to change the TP valve by only removing
the drawers and cabinet insert.  When replacing the TP valve, be sure to use
plenty of pipe dope.  I use Real-Tuff Teflon Paste Thread Sealant from Home
Depot as it is non-toxic, contains no lead, and works in temps from -200F to
+550F and pressure to 10,000 PSI!  A final note: I am reluctantly glad that
I did remove the tank as I was able to dump out that last gallon or 2 of
water from the bottom of the tank that collects over the years and never
purges.  This water was nasty smelling, nasty looking, and full of silt.  

2.  The inspection ports on the top of the water tanks leak regardless of
just about anything I tried.  I even used up to 12 wraps of Teflon pipe tape
to no avail.  I finally started used the Real-Tuff stuff (see above) and no
more leaks, not even a drop!  Any overflow goes where it should go, over the
side through the overflow.  For the first time since I have owned the boat,
I have a completely dry bilge (except when the A/C is running; I haven't yet
figured out how to get the condensate line to dump overboard versus into the
bilge).

Hope this helps!

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Herrington Harbour South
Rosehaven, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Chris Block ..._/)
....._/)
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 8:53 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Water heater continued...

Can someone confirm and/or explain the below post:

b.    For reasons too long to go into here, but as explained to me by
the representative of Seaward who manufactured the water heater, the
pressure relief valve on the water heater should be connected to a fitting
that is connected to a hose that goes into a collection bottle.  I use a 2
liter former Coke bottle and it fills to the brim nearly every couple of
weeks.  Imagine 2 liters of water going into your bilge every two weeks!  Of
course, you have to remember to empty it out.  While you are at it,  Check
the inspection port on your water tanks.  Mine were so sloppy that when the
takes were even half fill, water was leaking out when the boat heeled.


Does this affect all years and hulls?  Is there a better work-around?  Is
this why some owners put an expansion tank in?

Thanks,

Chris
Amore #139
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