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🙁 We have a 2006 B37 and about 2 months ago the hot water pipe leading from the calorifier developed a pinhole leak. Luckily we found (heard) it quickly and only suffered a couple of pints of water in the bilge. There was enough spare pipe so I cut off a couple of inches, remade the push fit joint and all was well…….until about 3 weeks ago when the same thing occured again!
I now did some proper investigation and found that calorifiers should be fitted with thermostatic mixer valves on their output to reduce the hot water temperature from the scalding 80-85C that the tank runs at to something like 50C as we use for our domestic hot water. However, Bavaria do NOT fit these!
I contacted Whale who make all the plumbing fittings on the boat and they have now just confirmed that a mixer valve should be fitted since the plumbing is not rated for the combination of temp and pressure that occurs at the outlet of the calorifier – hence the pinhole failures.
I have now fitted a C-Warm CW268 mixer valve and all seems well. It can be found at http://www.cleghorn.co.uk/item.asp?ls=&v=A9248B92F4894042BEB3B5035EB10A35&id=2988. It is pretty easy to fit using standard 15mm fittings.
Whale also confimed that they have finally convinced bavaria to fi8r the valves so that recent boats may have them fitted as standard. I think this is really a serious safety issue since messing about with scalding hot water on a pitching boat is no joke. Clearly something that the wonderful CE approval does not worry about!!!
So if you have an older boat and the water is very hot then this is the solution !
thank you alchemy for the tip the water was getting very hot and was worried that someone would get scalded had tried to turn down the thermostat but it didnt do anything have ordered one and will fit as soon as possible will let you know if it works
john and angela achilles
We also have v hot water at the tap so I expect we need to make the same modification. Although you describe it as pretty easy to fit, could youl post a photograph or a sketch of the finished job?
Thanks
Richard
New to all this (computers and forums) I had the same problem re. pinholes in hot water pipe from hot water cylinder. I like the water being so hot. because it goes further when mixed with cold, washes dishes better as so hot-dries almost instantly! need thick rubber gloves though. Also keeps warm longer. I cured it by replacing first section of pipe with domestic quality multiply white pipe trade name ‘Speedfit’ (comes in coils of 25m or shorter lenghts in DIY stores-make sure it is the good quality one suitable for central heating etc.) Since then no problems! Also fitted a water conditioner to prevent limescale and an expensive water filter- ‘seagull IV’ -really brilliant to have lovely fresh water to drink!
Hi Serena,
I was interested in your comments regarding Seagull IV Water Filter. Did you buy it in the UK as I have Gooogled it but all the websites seem to be in the USA?
Regards
John
LoblollyI bought the filter from the boat show last year-Excell 2008. They were there this year and advertise in the yachting mags under ‘www.purewateronline.co.uk’ Unit is not cheap but water quality is perfect-was tested in PBO and they used river water! I spend a lot of time on board so for me its money well spent! Hope this is of use!
alchemy
Many thanlks for that post I’ve been pondering this issue for the past year, my 2007 Bav 37 has the same issue with scalding hot water. I need one of those mixer valves.
Ed Holmes on Storm Dragon….where exactly do you fit the blender valve, there does not seem to be enough space in front of the hot water tank on my 1996 bavaria,and do i gather you have to use 15mm copper which you then insert into the hot and cold plastic pipes?…perhaps if you still have the details/photograph you could send to me at sailorted46@googlemailcom
Dear Alchemy,
This is good advice. In Alana III, B42 Oct 2005, the Immersion heater developed a serious leak. I found that the leak was from the cool water inlet at the bottom where the weld had gone. i suspect because it had been running at such a high temp. Then last night I met a pal who has a B42 in Croatia, May 2005 where exactly the same weld failure happened also recently.
Incidentally, Opal as it then was, sent the wrong instructions booklet. The heater is by QL whose agent is Volvo.
Best wishes,
James R.A. Hanratty,
Alana III
Just an update…. fed up with complaints about my water being too hot !- especially from lady visitors! so I’ve fitted the ‘QL’ volvo hot water mixing kit to the calorifier and thats sorted that out! Can be as cheap to source the parts from a plumbers merchants- as I needed to fit one for health and safety reasons to the staff hand washsink in an indian restuarant recently and noticed they are coming down in price! (about £45) Garry
Must do the same. Can you confirm it is the 15mm size that you fitted ?
Yes- it was the 15mm one Garry
@serena wrote:
. . . they are coming down in price! (about £45) Garry
Maybe I’m not comparing like with like but this is the one I fitted a couple of years ago – just over £20 incl. VAT.
You will probably need a couple of other push fit bits depending on your installation but these are cheap from B&Q etc.
It works well.
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