[C320-list] Hot water heater issue

[Paul Rickman]

Chuck,
 
I've blown a hose off before, but in my case I thought it was because the
back flow preventer (plastic at the time) was installed too close to the heater.
I lengthened the hose coming off the hot side, and bought a new brass back flow
preventer. Have not had a hose blow off since. Last year I installed a new pressure
relief valve (early in the season) because I thought the old one was leaking. 
According to Seaward, all the valves are the same on their heaters. 13 years seems
a short time for the heater to fail. My earlier point about the anode, is that perhaps
it failed due to not having an anode. The aluminum tank has a lap seal, and that
is what failed. Who knows, it's a boat.
 
Paul
Affinity 657
 
 
 

________________________________
 From: Chuck and Kathy Mueller <katchu at chartermi.net>
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com 
Sent: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 4:59 PM
Subject: [C320-list] Hot water heater issue
  
Hi Paul -

I found that if you have the water system pressurized and then turn on the water heater, that it builds up a lot of extra pressure.  In my case, it blew a hose off and pumped all the water from the tanks into the bilge before I figured out the problem.  So now I shut off the water pump and relieve the pressure before I either turn on the heater or run the engine. That keeps the pressure down and might help my water heater to last a little longer.

Chuck Mueller
Northwind #676
Holland, MI
------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 8 May 2012 05:56:28 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Paul Rickman <ilove2sail at verizon.net>
> To: "C320-List at Catalina320.com" <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: [C320-list] Hot Water Heater/Commissioning
> Message-ID:
> <1336481788.97753.YahooMailNeo at web84516.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> All,
> ?
> Last week when getting ready to launch I filled the water
> tanks, purged the air from the system and used water
> for several days.?I was getting ready to start cleaning
> the inside of the boat, flipped on the hot water heater
> and was having a snack, waiting on the water to heat.
> I guess after an hour or so, I heard this mini explosion
> and water started flowing from under the sink. My
> water heater had failed. Defender lists the new Seaward
> S600 for 250.00, my local marina parts dept wanted
> 417.00.? I now have a new heater and I am happily in
> the water.
> ?
> I do not know what made the heater fail. But the heater
> does not come with an anode installed, in fact no one
> stocks them. Called Seaward, they will ship one out for
> 8 bucks.
> ?
> Paul
> Affinity 657
> Bay Bridge Marina
> Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
>