CD 31 hot water system - winterization

[jerzyjoe]

Hot water on my boat has always been a mystery to me. Since I am winterizing the boat myself this year, I have to figure it out. I have a breaker switch on my panel for a hot water heater but I have never used it. I have been all over the boat, inside the lazarettes, engine compartment, under the sinks, but cannot locate a hot water heater. And more importantly at the moment, where the water tank that feeds the hot water heater is located.

While winterizing, I emptied my 3 primary water tanks, then put a gallon on antifreeze in each one. I then opened the cold water faucets in the galley, head and shower until they started running pink. I then opened the hot water faucets and clear water came out! Where did it come from? I started draining it but there seems to be a lot of it. Where is it coming from?

Thank you
Jerzyjoe

[Paul D.]

I am not sure where they put the water heater in the 31. Ours in the 33 is in the port cockpit locker. It is a Raritan and looks like a miniature blue and white hot water heater from the 1980's, newer ones could be all stainless like Isotherm. Just google them for images or what you are looking for. The CD 31 manual, look for it at this link http://www.capedory.org/cdsoalook-group ... inemanuals shows it in the port cockpit locker too.

Your clear water on the hot side is likely coming from the five or six gallon water heater and needs to have the pink stuff flushed through till you see, smell and taste it at the sink. I usually can do this with one gallon per tank when winterizing. I keep an extra gallon in case not though. I also run out the hot water tank as much as possible before adding the anti freeze. You should find an isolator valve in the engine room on the water piping that runs from the tank outputs to the water heater. I generally leave that open but you could winterize the hot water tank for example, close the valve and still use the cold lines if needed. I also use a wet vac to vacuum the AF out the tanks after it is all run through. There is always some AF left in the tank and then it takes that much longer to flush out all the taste come spring. Plus, who really wants to drink propylene glycol? I have done it this way successfully in northern Wisconsin (-25 to -35F temps) for many years.

I think it is a good idea to DIY winterize. It is not difficult, and you get to really know your boat's systems and often catch problems before they create bigger ones - like late at night, for example, after a few beers, when the wind and seas have risen, there's no moon and you find yourself in a very poor anchorage!

Hope this helps,

[Jim Walsh]

Paul is correct. Poke your head into the port cockpit locker and look aft

[Maine Sail]

Water heaters should always be physically drained & then bypassed by connecting the cold water inlet to the hot water outlet hose.. Trying to dilute the contents of the tank with pink propylene glycol would take 20 gallons or more to get to a safe burst protection level. I see split water heaters almost every spring. It is always caused by folks thinking they can just run pink through it.... Pink RV antifreeze is already diluted and can not be diluted any further or the burst point rises rather dramatically.

Winterizing a Fresh Water System
https://marinehowto.com/freshwater-system-winterizing/

[jen1722terry]

Yeah, Maine Sail is right. You should drain your water heater.

Like Jim W., we have a 31. The original Raritan water heater is in the port cockpit locker, on a shelf in the aft end. Some folks have replaced the old Raritans with other models and mounted them in different places.

Note that we did replace our old Raritan with an Isotherm. Nice heater but a bit of a bear to install on the old shelf in the locker.
Anyhow, Isotherm tells you in the owners manual not to try to winterize the heater with antifreeze. Drain it or it will void the warranty.

By-passing the water heater with temporary hoses works, but we've learned that doing this each year leads to leaks. Instead, you, or a good mechanic, can build a 3-valve bypass system to drain the heater and fill the hoses with antifreeze each year by just turning a few valves. Neil Collins over at Director/Robbinhood in Maine built one for us and it worked fine this year and saved quite a bit of time.

Good luck

Terry

[jerzyjoe]

Thanks mates. Hot water heater located. Will precede further as recommended. Best to all.

[jen1722terry]

Hey Joe, if you decide to go with the Isotherm for your replacement, you can save some money and a bit of weight by getting the one with the plastic outer shell, rather than the stainless steel shell. Both models have the same inner tank, fittings, etc. and the same capacity (4 gal.). I do believe the plastic model is a bit larger in diameter. It will fit, but getting that last mounting bolt on the far aft port side mounting leg was not easy. Using a washer nut (nut and washer together) helps, or you could crazy glue the washer to the nut.

Note tha Steve Laume also made a bypass valve to simplify draining the heater for winterization.

Good luck!

Jenn and Terry

[mashenden]

I installed a T and a valve on the lower pipe that goes into my water heater. To winterize I turn off the breaker, open the faucet in the head (to let air in), and then open the value (on the T) which allows the water in the hot water heater drain to the bilge. I also drain my water tanks and run RV antifreeze through the rest of the water system.

I have never had an issue (but then again I do live in VA where we do not have the same magnitude of freezes as up north).