Fitting a Calorifier (Boiler) to Your Boat
Fitting a hot water system to your boat is a lot easier than one might think. There are a few primary requirements necessary before you can fit a calorifier.
You really need a freshwater cooled engine, that is, an engine that has a separate closed circuit system with its own header tank, and that is separately cooled by sea water. Most modern marine engines are of this type.
You will also require a pressurised water system, one that has a pressure pump on it and that when you turn on a tap the water comes out and the pump re-pressurises it. If you do not have a system like this, your existing system is usually easy to convert.
You will need a separate hot water ‘circuit’ to that of your cold water. They will both run from your pressurised system, but your hot will run from the calorifier.
The calorifier will need to be placed in a suitable space, as near to the engine as possible and preferably below the header tank for the engine cooling system. On some engines this is separate from the engine casting and it may be possible to raise it higher up the engine compartment if required.
The engine cooling system is modified so that the coolant passes from the engine through the calorifier and back through the water pump to the engine. This heats the water contained in the body of the calorifier the same way as in a domestic hot water tank. The calorifier also has fitted an immersion heater which can be run on shore power when alongside and ‘plugged in’, thus giving hot water without the need to run the engine. Calorifiers are insulated so once heated the water remains hot for some time.
The calorifier is supplied with cold water from the water tank through a water pressure pump. An accumulator tank should be fitted to take up the fluctuations in pressure of the water thus smoothing the flow of water and acting as a safety valve for the system.
The general arrangement is reasonably simple. Calorifiers come in different water capacities, as do the pressure pumps and accumulator tanks. We at Piplers can advise you on the sort of size you may require and the fittings you may need in particular installations.
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Copyright 2010 John Gardner