Hot Water

[Tonie]

Hi,

 

I have a new sailaway which is fitted with a calorifier mounted on its side in the engine compartment. Problem is, I can't get a steady stream of hot water in the shower. I'm not sure if this is a problem with my install or the best I can expect. How do you get hot water on a narrowboat? I live on it on a small marina without electric hook up.

 

Any advice would be appreciated as this is spoiling my enjoyment of living on the canal.

 

Tonie

[Grace and Favour]

Hi,

 

I have a new sailaway which is fitted with a calorifier mounted on its side in the engine compartment. Problem is, I can't get a steady stream of hot water in the shower. I'm not sure if this is a problem with my install or the best I can expect. How do you get hot water on a narrowboat? I live on it on a small marina without electric hook up.

 

Any advice would be appreciated as this is spoiling my enjoyment of living on the canal.

 

Tonie

 

Do you mean that it's difficult to get a constant temperature (of hot water), or that it runs out too quickly?

How are you currently heating your water, what size calorifier have you, and how long do you heat it for (before using)

[DeanS]

Hi Tonie.

 

If you get someone to fit a gas heater, you'll have instant hot water whenever you want it, without having to run your boat engine. I've only ever had a gas water heater, and I truly believe it's the easiest...and not THAT expense.

[Tonie]

To answer your replies,

 

I'm heating the water by running the engine, the water goes cold and then hot again. Don't know the size of the calorifier sorry, it came with the boat.

 

I thought gas water heaters were not allowed on new boats, am I wrong? I used to have one in a holiday caravan and it was great!

 

Tonie.

[Graham Davis]

If the water is running hot and cold as you are having a shower, then I suspect the problem is more to do with the shower mixer than the supply.

[Grace and Favour]

To answer your replies,

 

I'm heating the water by running the engine, the water goes cold and then hot again. Don't know the size of the calorifier sorry, it came with the boat.

 

I thought gas water heaters were not allowed on new boats, am I wrong? I used to have one in a holiday caravan and it was great!

 

Tonie.

 

If your water is alternating hot & cold, then I would suggest that the quickest way of overcoming the problem would be to fit a thermostatically controlled shower tap (Screwfix have a range of fairly inexpensive ones)

 

If you already have a thermostatic shower tap - - it's not working!

 

and yes, you can source Gas Water heaters for boats, you will need a qualified (for boats) gas installer example link

[mrsmelly]

To answer your replies,

 

I'm heating the water by running the engine, the water goes cold and then hot again. Don't know the size of the calorifier sorry, it came with the boat.

 

I thought gas water heaters were not allowed on new boats, am I wrong? I used to have one in a holiday caravan and it was great!

 

Tonie.

 

You can have an instant gas heater, they are great. We have 4 ways of getting water so its never a problem wherever we are.

Morco

Immersion

Webasto

Engine

 

and a fairly big claorifier. The more systems you fit the easier you can get hot water.

 

Tim

[lewisericeric]

We have a calorifier only. I think it's a 100litre one. We can easily have showers (two of us) wash pots etc etc and that will easily last the whole day.... How long are you running your engine for? Takes about an hour to heat ours up to full capacity. Also depending on brand , the should be a gauge to change the temperature.

 

I changed ours to 90degrees ( I think it's 90 but it could be 80) as we have all mixer taps but it just means by heating it up to a higher temperature, that we can get more use out of it

[MtB]

Do the hot taps run hot/cold/hot/cold like the shower? Or are they steady hot water?

 

If the latter, then you probably already have a thermostatic shower mixer, and the hot and cold supplies are connected to it reversed.

 

MtB

[Grace and Favour]

Do the hot taps run hot/cold/hot/cold like the shower? Or are they steady hot water?

 

If the latter, then you probably already have a thermostatic shower mixer, and the hot and cold supplies are connected to it reversed.

 

MtB

 

Good thought Mike!