Carver Voyager 370 1999 Removing Water Heater

[Mase]

Took my 370 out for a two hour cruise and when we came back the fresh water tanks were empty. Thought it might be the T & P valve so I replaced that but when I hooked the water back up the water heater was leaking a lot from the bottom, it was like a small river so turned off the fresdh water pump and bypassed the water heater so now we only have cold water.

Have been trying to figure out how the water heater can come out of the engine room area. The widest section is the middle but that is 15 1/2 inch and the water heater is 16 inches. The actual dimentions are 16 wide by 16 high by 20 long. Plus getting it by the front of the engine has only 14 inches.

Does anyone know what you do to remove the water heater? Or do you just leave it and slide it back out of the way and get a smaller one to mount in front of it?

Going to eliminate the coolant going through the weater heater for now by putting in a bypass hose on where the hoses go to the engine from the water heater.

Has anyone installed a bosch 2.5 mini tank water heater in their engine room? We would only use hot water while on shore power so do not really need to replace the 11 gallon seaward with a smaller model. Is the bosch ignition safe? Not really sure what that even means as the UL 1500 certification has all sorts of disclaimers. Bottom line if it is sealed and will not produce a smark it would work I believe.

Thanks,

Mase

[Tireless]

I am not sure how much room you have in the area where the water heater sits, but you seem to be just shy on being able to remove the water heater through the narrow access point as it is right now.

I had to remove and repair my water heater due to a leak in my 356. To get it out I had to remove other stuff in that was in the way in order to make room to get it out. Are you able to remove anything, with ease, that would allow enough room to get it out?

Secondly, in order to repair my water heater I had to remove the aluminum water tank from the square exterior jacket to pressure test, locate the hole and take it to a guy to get the hole welded and repaired. Removing the tank from the jacket is quite simple.

Now this is a long shot. Do you have enough room to remove the aluminum water tank from the exterior square jacket where it sits. If so, you would be able to get the water tank out of the narrow opening that you speak of. The water tank is narrower than the 16 X 16 X 20 inch jacket. You may not have enough room to do this, I haven't seen this, so I am not sure. Just a thought.

If you do get it out, you may not have to replace it, just find someone that can weld the leak. Thats what I did and it worked for years and is still okay years after I sold the boat. The repair cost me $20 and it was just a pin hole where the fittings were.

Good luck and let me know.

Greg

[Mase]

Yes I do have room to remove the inner tank from the square jacket. Just looked at the breakdown and that looks like the width of the tank is like 15 inches? Great advice. There is stuff in the way but not down low so it might work. Will measure again.

Thanks!

[Mase]

Taking apart the water heater worked. Got everything out and for others have pictures of the tank. I am going to replace with the 6 gallon unit from seaward which will fit as an assembly as it is 13x13x19.

[km1125]

It split right at the weld?? Is that stainless or aluminum?

I'd be tempted to send pics to the manufacturer to see if they can help you with a replacement

[Viper]

Source of the post It split right at the weld??.....I'd be tempted to send pics to the manufacturer to see if they can help you with a replacement...

They'll probably say that it wasn't winterized properly. I've seen this a few times. While it may not apply in this case because of the vessel's location, one possibility is that it may have started failing some time ago if the vessel came from a colder climate. In many units, you'd be surprised just how high from the bottom of the tank the drain really is. There is much more water left in the tank than you think after you've emptied it at winterizing time. For this reason, after the tank stops draining, I always pump antifreeze into the tank with the drain open so it displaces the water that is left. Depending on the size of the system and how the plumbing is routed, sometimes enough antifreeze in the lines drains back to the tank to do the job. You can also pump it through the dockside water fitting after you undo the bypass at the heater.

[Tireless]

Thanks for the feed back. Glad it all worked out for you. Clearly more than a pin hole. I agree with viper, it looks like an expansion crack. What's the geographic history of the boat?

I have noticed that my water heater tank does not always totally drain. For that reason I started to push air through the entire system and I am now able to get more water out of the water heater tank.

I am also going to replace my pressure release valve as I believe it has seized closed and also prevents water from draining from the tank. In order for the tank to drain fully, I believe that air must replace the water through the pressure release valve, with it being seized I don't think air is able to get in and a vacuum is created.

Probably should not have to use air pressure to drain this, as gravity should do the trick with a pressure release valve that works properly. Now I just hope I can remove the pressure relief valve without breaking the fitting on the tank.

[bud37]

That looks like a failed weld to me, it is too perfect. Not sayin it didn't freeze full though....to add it could have failed from overpressure from bad heating cycles and relief valve failing shut.

I have always got the tank hot, shut off, isolated then drained hot into the bilge thru the drain, blow/suck out with shop vac then leave.....what is left evaporates pretty much, and if there is a little left in the bottom I can't see how it would do anything in an open tank.
Add some soap to hot water in the bilge swill around and vac out and clean bilge as well...

To add , I have lots of time to play around like this. .....

[Viper]

Source of the post.....my pressure release valve as I believe it has seized closed and also prevents water from draining from the tank......

Opening a hot water tap will allow air into the system and the tank to drain. It is a good practice to operate the relief valve at least every time you winterize though. It helps to prevent it from seizing and can also give you an indication of impending failure if it starts leaking after you return it to the closed position. If you never exercise the lever, it will seize and you need to know if that condition exists for safety reasons. If you can't move the lever, the unit must be replaced. Just make sure you replace it with one of the exact same spec to maintain safety, they're not all the same. Getting one from the tank's manufacturer for your model eliminates the guesswork.

[Mase]

The boat was up in Lake Texans so probably got cold. However it was winterized and sat for a few years. It only started to leak the water heater after we went out for a couple of hours.

Anyway the 6 gallon was so easy to install and works great. attached are a couple of pictures on that it can go in as an assembly.