Hot water heater

aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
How hot should my water for the galley get when it's being heated by the engine (Raw water cooled)? If I go on a 1.5hr journey should the water be HOT or would it be just warm?
2008 330EC
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Comments

  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,455 admin
    Water should be to hot to touch. Very hot.............
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2014
    That's strange, I don't think the hot water is circulating through to warm my water. It always feels slightly warm to me if that. I pulled the bottom line off at the "T" fitting today and blew in it with my mouth and it was stopped up. I was thinking the heat exchanger had antifreeze in it from winterizing it and that was preventing me from blowing through it. Does anyone know which line should I pull off with the engine running to see if I have flow through the heat exchanger in the heater? I would like to do this before I put the boat in the water. The lines are the two on top zip tied together and go to the right to the heater. This is a new water heater installed last year to replace the old one.Thanks! Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    Post edited by aero3113 on
    2008 330EC
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod

    I would remove both lines going to the water heater and blow thru it.  It should not take much pressure to get thru (try both directions - blow thru each hose).  You could also try an air compressor to see if something dislodges.

    Is your engine raw water or fresh water cooled?

    I'm assuming if you have a water heater bypass, it is now turned correctly?  If you get hot water using electric, then it has to be.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My engine is raw water cooled. I don't think I have a heater bypass. I can try compressed air next time I get to the boat.
    2008 330EC
  • Capt RonCapt Ron Member Posts: 217 ✭✭✭
    Is your engine up to temperature too...?
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2014
    Temp gauge says between 140 - 160 on the hose.
    2008 330EC
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2014
    I shot some compressed air into the hot water heater. It wasn't doing much then all of a sudden it shot out dark and sandy water! There must have been a clog and the air pushed it out. I ran the engine and verified that the water was hot going into the heater, man that was hot water going in! But the hose that has the water coming out was cool to the touch (I didn't pull it) Would the heat exchanger cool the water that much? I ran the hot water and it didn't feel hot? The boat is going in the water tomorrow so I will be able to run it hard and see if it heats up.
    Post edited by aero3113 on
    2008 330EC
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    That's great news! hopefully all is fixed!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    The longer it runs the hotter it should get if not flush it out again
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Got the boat in the water today! After about a half hour run the hot water didn't feel that warm, maybe slightly warmer than the cold. The input line to the heater was HOT but the output line was cool to the touch. Maybe I didn't run it long enough or maybe JC290 is right and I have to flush it out again?
    2008 330EC
  • FlyingBlind310FlyingBlind310 Member Posts: 49 ✭✭
    Sounds like you have a blockage somewhere not in the heater itself...I would imagine that the input line could get hot due to the water flowing at the connection. Both connections are on the proper side of the engine/water pump? I would imagine one hot off the engine and one connected to exhaust/discharge side?

    I have a FWC setup...little different. I believe the coolant comes off the starboard engine, to the water heater and then back to the heat exchanger. 

    2001 310 Fiesta Vee

    T-5.0 FWC Mercs w/ B2

  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2014
    FlyingBlind, if you look at my pic above it's the two lines that are zip tied together on top of the engine. The input (hot) hose is the one right under the carb cover the output (cold) is next to the alternator. When I replaced the heater I hooked it up how it originally was, does that look right?
    2008 330EC
  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    Looks right .... I would flush it again hook a garden hose to it and flush until it's looks clean.
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2014
    Went down to the boat today for its maiden voyage of the season. Before I started the engine I pulled the hoses off the heater and they were clogged again. I brought an air pig with me and was able to blow the lines out. Went out to our usual anchor spot (about 15-20 minute ride) tried the hot water and it was cold. When we returned back to the dock later in the day I tried the hot water again. I had cold water then all of a sudden I had a second or two of warm water then back to cold. I thought that was strange but looks like I'm getting closer and just have to keep flushing it till it's clean. Or maybe I just didn't run the water long enough to get the hot water through the lines?
    2008 330EC
  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    While the heater is the problem you are chasing, I'd be concerned about all that crap in the engine cooling system!  If the heater keeps plugging up then you have a serious accumulation of debris/dirt/sand in your engine too.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What I think is happening is when I blow out the heater it's only creating a small hole in the clog. When the engine starts water flows through and starts to break up the clog then plugs up the hole I just blew out. I ran the engine with the line off and it's pumping clean water, I think all of the sediment is in the heater.
    2008 330EC
  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That would be good news! Maybe running some drain cleaner through it will help. Or snake it gently.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Drain cleaner is a good idea but do you think it will harm rubber hoses? I know it's good for PVC but I'm not sure about rubber. I like the snake idea also! I have a couple of small snakes from Harbor Freight that I will try this week.
    2008 330EC
  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you do drain cleaner, run a hose to a bucket to flush it so it's not going thru your hoses/engine.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Aero, where you anchor, do you run your engine? If so how deep is the water? I had a friend whose engines kept overheating and he wasn't getting hot water from his heater. We spent days on that heater then (I'm not sure if BD was getting to this point) we checked the engine. It was FULL of sand. He had been sucking it up into his engine and through the lines, everywhere - including the hot water tank. We fixed it but what a mess. I know of several guys who have filled the sea strainers on their generators and put sand into the genny by running it in too shallow water with a sandy bottom. MT
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    MT when I anchor I don't run the engine until I leave, I'm usually in 4-6 feet of water below the drive. I do know that last season I did run into some shallow water and I'm thinking that's when I sucked up the sand. The engine temp is steady and not overheating.
    2008 330EC
  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    You could hook a garden hose to it and flush until it runs clean then put hose on other side and do it back the other way .
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    FIXED!!!!!! Your not gonna believe what it was! I hooked a hose up to the heater and I was able to get the water to flow very slightly one way but not the other. I then stuck a snake in and could feel that one side was clear and the other was giving me resistance with a weird sound. I looked closer and the plastic coating they used to put over the tube was not bonded to the tube anymore on the inside. It was acting as a check valve! Allowing little water one way and no water the other way. Once I took a pair of needle nose pliers and pulled it out the water was flowing like crazy! I verified that both lines were now hot with the engine running but I didn't have enough time to run it long enough to heat the water. I'm 100% sure the issue is resolved! Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    2008 330EC
  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,455 admin
    Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bet that feels great! MT
  • BruceBruce Member Posts: 167 ✭✭
    Congrats on the easy fix and thanks for the follow up. It seems too many people on here have a problem, ask a question, and never follow up as to the fix, so the rest will know what to do when we are faced with the same situation.  
    2004 250 FV 
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just a follow up..... I can't believe how hot my water is now!!!!! :D
    2008 330EC
  • WeberWeber Member Posts: 249 ✭✭✭
    Anyone know where the waterheater is on a 312?
    Sin or Swim - Rinker 312
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    Weber, in the mid-cabin, starboard side, you have that large storage area you access behind the cushion.  Get into that area, then at the aft end, thru a small round access you will see the front side of the water heater.  That aft wall in the storage area is fairly simple to remove for better access.  If removing, well, it's not easy.  The back two screws are almost impossible.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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