Hot Water onboard

[nuts]

We have been living on a narrowboat for about 2 years now and have endured 2 awful winters while the summers race away all too quickly. All this time we have manged (with both of us working full hours) on hot water carried from a bucket from the nearest toilet. We bought the boat with a newish Mikuni boiler but thats been nothing but trouble. We've managed to fit a solid fuel stove ok but now need to sort out the hot water.

 

Is controllable/effective hot water from a back boiler on a solid fule stove in a narrowboat possible?

And if so does anyone know a reliable contractor?

 

Whats the most reliable/cost effective hot water provider on a narrowboat? All views welcome....

[NB Alnwick]

We have been living on a narrowboat for about 2 years now and have endured 2 awful winters while the summers race away all too quickly. All this time we have manged (with both of us working full hours) on hot water carried from a bucket from the nearest toilet. We bought the boat with a newish Mikuni boiler but thats been nothing but trouble. We've managed to fit a solid fuel stove ok but now need to sort out the hot water.

 

Is controllable/effective hot water from a back boiler on a solid fule stove in a narrowboat possible?

And if so does anyone know a reliable contractor?

 

Whats the most reliable/cost effective hot water provider on a narrowboat? All views welcome....

 

Duplicate topic deleted!

 

We use a Morco instantaneous gas boiler for all our hot water. It is not the cheapest source but it is simple, easy and quick. The only drawback is that you do need to ensure that you have and adequate supply of both water and gas at the right pressure.

 

If you have a good AC electricity supply or a solid fuel stove with a back boiler, this can be used to provide hot water through an immersion heater, heat exchanger or calorifier but this and other solutions start to get very complicated.

[GSer]

We have been living on a narrowboat for about 2 years now and have endured 2 awful winters while the summers race away all too quickly. All this time we have manged (with both of us working full hours) on hot water carried from a bucket from the nearest toilet. We bought the boat with a newish Mikuni boiler but thats been nothing but trouble. We've managed to fit a solid fuel stove ok but now need to sort out the hot water.

 

Is controllable/effective hot water from a back boiler on a solid fule stove in a narrowboat possible?

And if so does anyone know a reliable contractor?

 

Whats the most reliable/cost effective hot water provider on a narrowboat? All views welcome....

 

 

If you have shore power then an immersion heater takes some beating

 

If not then an Alde gas boiler, at one bottle of gas a week consumption, is quite effective but in no way instant starting from cold, then again neither is a solid fuel stove with a back boiler.

[saltysplash]

We have Refleks Diesel stove with back boiler which gives constant hot water through the winter, Immersion heater during the summer but we hooked up to the mains on the mooring. If no mains then I would have an instant Gas heater such as the Paloma fitted.

There is also hot water from the engine via a second coil in the calorifier

[Proper Job]

I have an Alde gas boiler connected to a calorifier (immersion tank). I switch it on just before I go to bed so the boiler runs overnight at the boiler internal thermostat temp.

 

A timer switches the circulation pump on to the calorifier at 5.30 and runs for 45 mins. The result is loads of hot water to shower in the morning and do various ablutions.

 

I switch the boiler off before I go to work.

 

If I need hot water of an evening, I have a manual override on the timer.

 

When out cruising, the engine heats the calorifier.

[sociable_hermit]

There are usually three or four possible sources of heat on a narrowboat.

 

The boat's engine.

 

The stove.

 

The hob.

 

A boiler (Mikuni, Alde etc.)

 

 

The engine's coolant system can be plumbed through a coil to heat up water, but obviously this is only useful if your boat is on the move a lot. It also isn't such a great suggestion if you have an air-cooled engine, though some have heat exchangers on the exhaust I think (??).

 

For small amounts of hot water it's easiest just to use a kettle on your cooker or on top of the stove.

 

It's also possible to use a back boiler on the stove to heat the boat via radiators and/or heat hot water through a coil. This is a good arrangement for liveaboards in the winter as the stove will be lit anyway, so why not make use of it? Not particularly helpful in the summer though. I'm a bit worried that you have a stove in place already and are only now considering fitting a back boiler. Whether it'll be possible depends on the type of stove you have, and also where it is in the boat relative to the water pipes, cylinder etc.. Very often the plumbing is a key factor in deciding where the stove should go.

 

Boilers can be useful but yes, they're not always that reliable. Some people are lucky and some aren't.

 

If you have a good shoreline supply you might also be able to fit a very small immersion heater, but you'd need to check this carefully. A lot of places don't supply enough juice to run an immersion heater.

[deletedaccount]

If you have to run the engine to get electricity then a calorifier is your best bet.

[BlueStringPudding]

I get all my hot water from the calorifier which is heated by running the engine. And as I have to run the engine at least an hour a day anyway, it's kinda free hot water. Suits me down to the ground!

[Bobbybass]

My calorifier tank is under the bed and although great in winter...it made it a little hot in summer.

The tank is insulated with the green foamy stuff...but I decided to add extra. I bought some of the brown fluffy pipe insulation from Wickes.....its designed for your pipes to go through the middle..but I wound it around and secured with cable ties. I did this to every exposed part of the pipe under the bed....even the taps and fittings. I then used a home cylinder jacket over the top...this isn't a jacket...but is red insulated strips that I just laid over the whole thing....

There is more than enough to do this.

 

Amazing result...loads more hot water and it stays scalding hot for over a day...

 

Very good...and cost about £7 for a roll of fluffy stuff...and the same for the cylinder jacket..

I didn't think it would be so effective.

 

Bob

[mchancox]

We have been living on a narrowboat for about 2 years now and have endured 2 awful winters while the summers race away all too quickly. All this time we have manged (with both of us working full hours) on hot water carried from a bucket from the nearest toilet. We bought the boat with a newish Mikuni boiler but thats been nothing but trouble. We've managed to fit a solid fuel stove ok but now need to sort out the hot water.

 

Is controllable/effective hot water from a back boiler on a solid fule stove in a narrowboat possible?

And if so does anyone know a reliable contractor?

 

Whats the most reliable/cost effective hot water provider on a narrowboat? All views welcome....

Your mooring facilities would help decide the best way for you to get hot water.

Do you have a calorifier onboard?

You could have this fitted with (If it isn't already) with an immersion heater and then run off shorepower. You could have an electronic timer fitted in the circuit to control what time you want the water heated.

The calorifier can also be linked up to the engine so when the engine runs the water from the cooling system is pumped around the calorifier to heat the water.

You have a Solid Fuel Stove onboard so you could look to fit a back boiler.

I personally would look away from gas but you could have an Alde fitted.

Diesel heaters are normally fitted to provide central heating and hot water. If you went down this route I would recommend a Webasto Thermo Top. Fuel consumption for these is a maximum of half a litre per hour.

 

 

Your choice entirely.

 

Regards,

[nb Innisfree]

..

Edited August 30, 2010 by nb Innisfree

[Hippoclides]

I get all my hot water from the calorifier which is heated by running the engine. And as I have to run the engine at least an hour a day anyway, it's kinda free hot water. Suits me down to the ground!

 

Do you run the engine with the boat stationary? If this generates hot water and electricity, why do so many have boilers and generators?

 

Sorry if there's an obvious answer to this but it's a genuine question!

[bottle]

'Boilers' and generators are more efficient. (designed for the the job)

 

With a propulsion engine it is a by-product.

 

The engine can be run when moored (only between 08:00Hrs to 20:00Hrs) but not in gear.

[Hippoclides]

Thanks, Keith.

 

I've seen suggestions that running the engine in neutral for long periods of time reduces its life expectancy more than running it in gear. I don't understand the logic of this (but then I'm certainly no engineer). Does anyone know if this is actually the case?

[bottle]

It has been discussed many, many times on here.

 

Some manufacturers say it is OK, others say not, others are non committal.

 

It effects old or then again new, or is it the other way round.

 

Old designs are worse than new, or is that the other way round.

 

I to am not an engineer.

 

The only one thing that is fact, it is BW bye-laws that running an engine in gear whilst moored is not allowed.

[Guest]

It has been discussed many, many times on here.

 

Some manufacturers say it is OK, others say not, others are non committal.

 

It effects old or then again new, or is it the other way round.

 

Old designs are worse than new, or is that the other way round.

 

I to am not an engineer.

 

The only one thing that is fact, it is BW bye-laws that running an engine in gear whilst moored is not allowed.

 

The handbook that came with our boat says not to run the engine whilst stationary unless it is 'under load' ie in gear as it can cause glazing of the cylinder bores..

 

It's a 'modern' Isuzu and what I find strange is that many hire boats we have had in the past had exactly the same unit and the yards have never mentioned this requirement on handover... strange as this is often the only way to create hot water on a hire boat and I would have thought such cost concious outfits would have mentioned it...