[C320-list] Hot water bypass

[Michael Kowitt]

Hi all,
This list has been so incredibly helpful.  I'm coming back to it once
again.
Just discovered a pretty serious leak coming from the bottom of my hot
water heater (checked all of the usual other fittings for leaks, and
nothing).  For me, anyway, this will be a pretty big job to replace the
HWH.  I'd like to just bypass it for the moment and get along with cold
water only.  Right now, I can't use anything since starting the water
pressure fills the tank and then causes it to leak right into bilge.
Anyway, in the past, there was a long discussion of bypassing the HWH for
the purpose of winterization.  Bill Lowe offered some pictures where he
connected the cold water input to the hot water output of the heater.

  before the bypass:
http://www.catalina320.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20091018100451183

After the bypass:
http://www.catalina320.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20091018100728844


Here's my question:  Can this arrangement also be used, not just for
winterization, but in an ongoing way.  Is there any other risk to the
system, the heat exchanger, etc. by operating under this bypass?

Many thanks to all,
Mike Kowitt
Elusive
#903