Water heater in A25

[tribologist]

Now after we figured that washing the hair in the sink and swabbing off the body with terry cloth rags works just fine, we are now thinking about putting in a 4-6 gallon water heater connected to the engine cooling. Isotherm makes a few thats around 12” diameter. Kuuma has some cheaper ones but then they are boxy and dont come with mixing valves. Im thinking of putting it where the original water tank was located. Anyone that have installed heaters in their A25’s?

Im curious how well insulated they are? A 12V-24V converter would give enough juice to provide 35W of heat. Im hoping that ought to be enough to keep the heat overnight so one dont have to run the generator or engine in the morning.

[tribologist]

Did some quick numbers.. if i can get the R value around 6 by wrapping some extra insulation it takes only 44W to keep 100F delta T.. might not be all that bad to make a 24V supply to it..

[SalishAire]

Among the uninstalled stuff that came with Hyacinth when we purchased her was a rectangular water heater. I installed it just forward of the house battery bank box under the pilot seat. (I'll attach the only photo I found of it installed.) It is heated with both engine heat and a 120 V element when on shore power. It has been a nice addition and keeps the water warm for a surprising amount of time. Clarice likes to take a bucket or sunshower filled from the sink to the cockpit where she has designed a privacy curtain from shower curtains. I use that system or take up the rug in front of the sink which has a pull out sprayer/faucet. In both cases the water goes into the bilge and is pumped overboard.

[tribologist]

Thanks Norman, That is super compact! Who makes that one? I did get one of the pop up tents and a kiddy pool to use as shower in the pilothouse but decided it was too much of a project each morning. Covering with curtains and use the area outside the toilet has struck as an option but I would not like to let it go into the bilge. I keep the bilge bone dry and clean. If I get water in there, I have a little 12V portable Stanley branded vet-vac I use to suck out the water then I have an old towel that wicks upp the residue. Plugging the tube under the engine and using a little pump to suck the water out would be an option. Lifting the floor board would give some extra height and it would be easy to velcro up some shower curtains. I would need to find some sort of anti-skid to put down there if I go that route. I have some sea deck foam that might work?

[dkirsop]

I put mine under the port bunk. My pressure water pump is installed under the floor board for the forward storage compartment close to the water tank.

Hot Water Tank.jpeg

[tribologist]

Dkirsop... That brought reality back to the table. It looks bigger than I thought. Im hoping I can sneak it in next to the thruster. That space under the bed is used for bottled water, seltzer etc. I could keep that in the aft cabin if need be.

[dkirsop]

I chose the Isotherm for its compact size but it is pretty hard to find anywhere in an A25 where there is room to spare. On the plus side it works like a charm.
One thing I would do different. I mounted the band clamps to the hull affixing them to wood blocks glued to the hull using 3M5200. Over time the tank shifted toward the opening due to gravitational force. Hence the oak slats. If I was to do it again I would hang the tank in the same location from an overhead support so it would be more stable.

[tribologist]

5200 only bonds stuff you like to remove..

Im going to make a paper tube and see whst can be fitted in.

[DesertAlbin736]

5200 is for permanent stuff you never want to remove. 4200 is similar but more easily removable for things that one might want to remove in the future. For example, when I did our hard top over the wheelhouse roof I used 4200 adhesive/sealant and through bolts on 8 inch centers. That way if I or any future owner wanted to remove the hard top, like for instance removing the engine & lift it out through the roof with a crane for whatever reason they could do it.

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