Planned Plumbing Changes

The domestic water system is in such poor condition that all of the lines and fittings will need to be replaced. The pressure pump and the expansion tank need to be replaced. Faucets and the shower may be replaced but that will be done when interior rennovation is done.

The water tanks were both clogged with black muck which was presumed to be dead algea. The domestic water would only flow at a dribble. One tank was half full and completely clogged. The other was less full and nearly completely clogged. Lines from the tanks to the pressure pump were also clogged. Other lines are too small and also clogged. Water lines cross the bilge multiple times where they cannot be drained and are not supported at all. Fittings and lines use multiple materials with bronze, maralon, and inexpensive plastic used for fittings and line is a mix of some ½" clear tubing and mostly grey inexpensive semi-rigid plastic line that appear to be ¼" or slightly larger. The plastic line was about ½" OD and in places spliced with ½" line by putting the smaller line inside the larger and using hose clamps.

removing, cleaning, and reinstalling water tanks

Due to poor install (apparently a previous owner's work) it was impossible to detach lines at the tank without partially lifting the tank. This created a chicken and egg problem as one of the tanks, with 200 lbs of water in it was very difficult to lift. With wooden blocks and short pieces of wood used as levers enough clearance was created to detach hoses.

After detaching tank hoses, the tanks still did not drain. The plastic gate valves and tank itself were clogged. This was solved by blowing out the clogs using compressed air.

The tank lines were the smaller grey semi-rigid plastic. The shut off valves were grey plastic gate valves the look like inexpensive sink shutoffs. Part of the reason the hoses could not be removed is there was a short male to male section, a reducer, the valves, another male to male section, and then a tee and barbs on port side and an elbow and barb on starboard. Three different materials were used in these fittings (none of them stainless steel to match the tank). This was long and made the barb difficult to reach. The elbow and barb fitting could not be turned until the tank was lifted. On the port side some fittings were epoxied rather than using plumbing tape and so were destroyed in disassembly.

The tanks will be temporarily removed and brought home. They will be filled with water with some bleach to disolve remaining algea, then emptied and power washed or at least hosed through the two large inspection ports.

The fittings will be replaced with stainless steel. First a ball valve with male on one end, then a barb. A length of ½" reinforced tubing will lead from each to a tee in the bilge area between tanks. A set of tees and elbow and three ball valves will be used. One ball valve with barb and short hose will be a drain into the bilge at the lowest point in this assembly. After draining tanks, both tanks can be closed and the drain hose put into a container of antifreeze to pump through the domestic water system before draining to winterize. The hose can also be used as a place to blow compressed air through the pumps one way valves. The remaining two valves will lead to a pressure pump on port and starboard side.

domestic water pumps and expansion tanks

Two pressure pumps and two expansion tanks will be used, one on each side forward of the tanks. The port side will serve the galley. The starboard side will serve the vanity sink and shower. Two smaller domestic hot water heaters will also be used.

Fore and aft of each tank is a small block to hold the tank in place. This block is 2½" wide. There is 8" from the block to the cabinetry on the starboard side and 8¼" on the port side. Forward of either tank is about 4½" starboard and 4⅜" port plus the width of the block. A corner of each tank rubs on the hull. The blocking for the tanks will be improved to hold the tanks slightly higher. This will also improve access to the fittings on the tanks.

There is room forward of the two water tanks for a pressure pump and a pressure storage accumulator tank.

A Groco PST-1 has 8" diameter, 12.63" length and provides a ½ gallon drawdown in a 2 gallon tank. Other accumulator tanks are available with as little as 4" to 5" diameter.

replacing and rerouting domestic water lines

All domestic water lines will be replaced. The lines will be supported and installed such that where possible they always run "uphill" from the tank. Quick connect fitting will be used on the output side of each pressure pump. When disconnected, water will run out of the vertical expansion tanks and out of the water heater, faucets, and shower.

On the port side is the water heater and one faucet which are in the cabinet adjactent to the water pump and expansion tank. Routing these water lines will be straightforward.

One the starboard side, the water line will likely be run in the storage area behind the starboard settee to the vanity area. This line will tee to cold faucet and to the water heater under the v-berth area and then the shower shower. The hot water line will tee and if possible run uphill to the sink and to the shower.

relocating domestic hot water heater

When the marine diesel is removed there is little purpose in keeping the domestic hot water heater behind the engine. Right now it is there so that excess heat from running the engine can be used for domestic hot water.

The existing water heater is a Force 10 406011 water heater which is no longer made. This is 6 gallon capacity 120VAC 1500W with front heat exchanger. The dimensions are 13½" high, 13¾" wide, and about 20" deep including adequate space for the pressure relief valve. It is becoming more apparent that there is not enough room for this tank and a 120VAC tank is not desireable.

A second problem with a 115V hot water tank is the power draw of the inverter when not under load. It might be practical to keep the 300W 12V DC heater on all the time, with an estimated duty cycle of 2.5 hours per day or about 10%. The AC water heater inverters would need to be switched when needed and then turned off or some electronics and solenoids added to cycle them.

water heater product options

Some of the smaller hot water heaters, with 3-4 gallon capacity, are expensive and not much smaller than the older 6 gallon. These are better insulated and more efficient resulting in the larger size and higher cost. It now seems likely that two new water heaters will be purchased.

The 3 gallon Seaward (Whale) S360EW is 13¼"Hx13"Wx13¾H so would fit in this space and has a 12V 300W heating element. A drawback is it costs over $500. The Isotemp SPA 15 is a 115V 750W 4 gallon heater in stainless steel. It is cylindrical with a 12.7" diameter and 21¼" length. These are about $600.

It might be possible to convert the 12V water heater to 24V or 48V using the Dernord 24V 600W Heating Element or the DERNORD 48V 1000W Screw-In Foldback Water Heater Element as long as the water heater uses a 1" NPT heating element.

water heater location

A Seaward water heater can be located on the port side in the one drawer cabinet under the settee. The interior is 19" wide by 18" long by 15½" high, though support woodwork limits the width to drop in from above to 18" and reduced the height if the full 19" is used.

The one drawer in the settee cabinet would be either lost or reduced to less than 5" depth. Alternately, the drawer face can be used as a door to a specialty storage area, perhaps housing the first aid kit or small items.

Under the v-berth There is room for either a Seaward water heater or Mabru AC/heat unit but possibly not both. There are two available spaces. One is forward of the holding tank but is very small. Measurements need to be made to confirm whether a water heater could be installed there. The other space is aft of the holding tank but a new access would be needed to some through hulls. There is room for either a Seaward water heater or Mabru AC/heat unit but likely not both. The Mabru AC/heat unit is likely to be small enough to fit forward of the holding tank but this is a poor location in terms of running air ducts.

More measurements will have to be made to confirm whether a Seaward water heater can be used in the forward cabin and if so where.

The Isotherm will be used only if there is no way to fit the Seaward water heater. There might be room behind the settees or this could be mounted verticallty behind the shower fixtures but this would also need to be confirmed.

water heater conversion

Most or all of these water heaters seem to use the same 1" NPT form of heating element. Third party heating elements are available in 24V 600W and 48V 1000W. The thermostat should work but the overheat protection may be a thermal delayed shutoff, which limits the heater duty cycle with an empty tank. If so, the shutoff will rely on a specific current flow and will have to be matched to the heating element. A conversion to 24V 600W would solve the slow heating of the 12V unit or could be used to avoid using 120VAC. A call to Seaward or Isotherm may shed light on this.

reducing the number of through hull fittings

There is an excessive number of through hull fittings. Each drain currently has a through hull. Each need for raw water is accomodated with one or two separate through hulls, one to draw raw water in and for cooling needs a second to pump it out.

consolidate raw water through hulls

The existing engine raw water intake is large and will no longer be needed for the engine. This has an external course strainer and an internal medium strainer. Tees and one way valves can be used to accomodate multiple needs for raw water with lower flow requirements than the engine. This includes refrigeration, AC/heat, the galley foot pump, the head raw water, and the anchor locker washdown pump. The refrigeration and AC/heat also need to pump water out. These can be led to the existing engine exhaust outlet or another existing through hull.

consolidate drains to grey water tank

The black water tank (holding tank) has a dedicated through hull for offshore pumpout. This will have to remain dedicated solely for that use.

The sink drains, refrigeration drain, and shower pumpout all have separate through hulls. In no-discharge zones these are technically illegal but grey water discharge from small vessels is not yet enforced. These can be consolidated into small grey water tanks with automatic pumps. Those can pump into a larger grey water tank, preferably under the v-berth but aft if need be. This larger grey water tank can then be pumped into the black water tank if pumping out, or overboard where grey water pump out is allowed but not black water.

consider replacing head

The existing head is a West Marine Compact Manual Head Model 14974265. This is a low end manual head but not a budget model. A toilet with macerator would be nice but so far all of the available electric flush toilets found had a rear pump motor that extended the depth of the base to 10" to 16". Those with macerator tended to require the most depth. Only a 6" ledge is available with a steep slope back. Extending the base forward by 4" might be possible but with only an impellor waste removal pump rather than macerator. This would reduce space in the shower.

The head in the Mariner Yachts 36 is 18" wide and 13" tall. The head in the CP23 is an economy model in need of a rebuild and is 11" high. The space is 13½" high by 16" wide. Relocating the MY36 head to the CP23 would require changing the head location to where the existing water tank is on the starboard side. If a water tank is needed, two aft of the pilot bearths would be a better location.