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SURECAL Easy install..?


JennyAnne

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So... My partner and I are looking to get a new Calorifier put into our boat. We've decided on getting a Surecal 40 / 55 (we're still undecided, I want more room, she wants longer showers. Fair enough eh?) and will get an appropriate expansion tank once we've locked our decision down. 

 

This being said however, I've been looking at the installation for one of these. Hazardously, it looks quite easy. Does anyone have any comments on this at all / or has done one, with some wisdom to depart?

 

Thanks guys!

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Most boaters will have fitted these at some time. I have fitted 3 or 4 including changing the one on this boat. Quite simple espeicaly these days with plastic fittings and all manner of easy fit gubbins. Ensure you put a drain tap at the bottom as some numpties forget even on so called pro fit outs.

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2 minutes ago, JennyAnne said:

So... My partner and I are looking to get a new Calorifier put into our boat. We've decided on getting a Surecal 40 / 55 (we're still undecided, I want more room, she wants longer showers. Fair enough eh?) and will get an appropriate expansion tank once we've locked our decision down. 

 

This being said however, I've been looking at the installation for one of these. Hazardously, it looks quite easy. Does anyone have any comments on this at all / or has done one, with some wisdom to depart?

 

Thanks guys!

 

When you say 'getting a new calorifier', that would suggest you already have one, that being the case, (and if you do need a new one) simply take photos's of how it is connected, remove it and use the photos to reconnect the new one .

 

Simples.

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As said above, yes they are easy if you can connect pipes together.

 

The Surecal ones in particular are easy as they come with the non-return valve (NRV), the pressure relief valve (PRV) and the thermostatic mixer supplied. 

 

Cold water in, hot water out, heat source(s) in and out.  Job done. 

 

Then it doesn't work so you need to bleed the air out of the coils! :)

 

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In case you don’t know, they come in single coil and twin coil.  The first coil is heated by the engine, the second by a boiler (Webasto etc).  If you currently have a single coil they are a bit cheaper but the second coil might be needed in the future.

 

They also are available for horizontal and vertical fitting, they are not the same inside, so get the right one.

Edited by Chewbacka
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26 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Ensure you put a drain tap at the bottom as some numpties forget even on so called pro fit outs.

If you do go with the surecal and decide to fit a drain tap (you should) ensure that you fit it on the calorifier side of the non return valve which is standard on surecals.  You can then use it to drain the calorifier not the main water supply. I keep my spare water pump attached to the drain tap so it's easy to empty the calorifier when winter comes.

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4 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Easy, as above. Allow for the expansion of hot pipes, if plastic, on longer runs.

Is there a standard measurement for something like that? 1 inch per foot or something? or just make sure it has wiggle room, so to speak? 

5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

When you say 'getting a new calorifier', that would suggest you already have one, that being the case, (and if you do need a new one) simply take photos's of how it is connected, remove it and use the photos to reconnect the new one .

 

Simples.

Currently we do have a calorifier yes, however we are wanting to rearrange our setup. That being said tho, we have taken plenty of photos of our current one. 

This is all brilliant, thank you everyone!

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4 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

In case you don’t know, they come in single coil and twin coil.  The first coil is heated by the engine, the second by a boiler (Webasto etc).  If you currently have a single coil they are a bit cheaper but the second coil might be needed in the future.

 

They also are available for horizontal and vertical fitting, they are not the same inside, so get the right one.

Just a thought on this, we do have (I think, i'd have to check) 22mm pipework which come off the engine (Barras Shire) for the first coil. would this complicate the process much? Or is it literally a plumb in and play? Also, as a second thing, we are going to get a webasto fitted at some point, when we have the cash. Would leaving the second coil unfitted cause any problems to the system do you think?

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12 minutes ago, JennyAnne said:

Just a thought on this, we do have (I think, i'd have to check) 22mm pipework which come off the engine (Barras Shire) for the first coil. would this complicate the process much? Or is it literally a plumb in and play? Also, as a second thing, we are going to get a webasto fitted at some point, when we have the cash. Would leaving the second coil unfitted cause any problems to the system do you think?

You will need to drain down the engine coolant, and refill afterwards and bleed the skin tank etc.

Leaving the second coil disconnected for now will be fine, and you won't need to do anything with the domestic water (or engine cooling circulation) when you do come to connect it.

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26 minutes ago, JennyAnne said:

Is there a standard measurement for something like that? 1 inch per foot or something? or just make sure it has wiggle room, so to speak? 

Yes! It has been posted on this forum before but I don't know where. Try searching on eg expansion.

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5 hours ago, philjw said:

If you do go with the surecal and decide to fit a drain tap (you should) ensure that you fit it on the calorifier side of the non return valve which is standard on surecals.  You can then use it to drain the calorifier not the main water supply. I keep my spare water pump attached to the drain tap so it's easy to empty the calorifier when winter comes.

I can't see how there's room to fit a drain valve o the calorifier side of the NRV?  But then I have been on the wine...and gin!

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The installation instructions on Surecal's website show the pressure release valve (PRV) being installed at the bottom of a vertical calorifier and being used as the drain by manually operating it. The schematic also involves 2 NRVs - they supply one and presumably you'll have one already on the cold feed.

Ah, I've just re-read that you are considering 40 litre or 55 litre so you must be after a horizontal one, in which case see Surejust's other diagram!

 

Edited by PineappleGuy
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11 hours ago, PineappleGuy said:

The installation instructions on Surecal's website show the pressure release valve (PRV) being installed at the bottom of a vertical calorifier and being used as the drain by manually operating it. The schematic also involves 2 NRVs - they supply one and presumably you'll have one already on the cold feed.

Ah, I've just re-read that you are considering 40 litre or 55 litre so you must be after a horizontal one, in which case see Surejust's other diagram!

 

55 litre horizontal installed a couple of weeks ago. Having a rad replaced today and new coolant so should be good for a while.

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