New water heater

[DownEast2]

I am going to install a new electric water heater, but as I started to disconnect the old one today and found out that there are two of the mounting screws behind the unit up against the hull. There are several hoses and wires also running along behind the tank, I can barely even see one of the two screws let alone get a screw driver on it. It was obviously installed before the pilot house was installed.
Have any members replaced that heater and do you have any ideas?

[tego]

Let us know what engine and year of your boat. The different engines leave different access to the heater. My '87FC has the Nissan in it and it's a bear to get to the mounting screws also but I removed my battery bank and got down in there alongside the engine and was able to reach the screws to move the heater forward a little and resecure it. I have the round Attwood heater. When I was done, I needed my hot jacuzzi to limber up my 80yo bones though! If I was going to replace my heater, I'd probably go with one of the square ones though. It'd give me more room for a slightly larger holding tank. Ben

[RobS]

There are many different Albin boats and many different water heaters. Post some pics and particulars........

[DownEast2]

Thanks everyone but I was able to contort myself enough to get into position and take a very long screw driver behind the unit to loosen it.
I'm doing some research now to see if I should install a new heater of the same style a 6 gallon Kuuma electric or possibly one of the instant heaters on the market.
I have a 2001 28" TE with the 300hp Yanmar

[Nancy]

Instant heaters don't have tanks, right? If you install one of those, unless you have a generator, you'll never have hot water when underway. A 6-gallon tank holds heat for a long time, and most of the original tanks have a heat exchanger to heat the water from the engine cooling system - a favorite feature of mine.

[Jkraft]

Instant heaters don't have tanks, right? If you install one of those, unless you have a generator, you'll never have hot water when underway. A 6-gallon tank holds heat for a long time, and most of the original tanks have a heat exchanger to heat the water from the engine cooling system - a favorite feature of mine.

I am with Nancy on this one, you are going to want to have that reserve hot water and the ability to heat it with the engine. Plus it stays warm for quite a long time even with the engine off

[DownEast2]

I just picked up a new 6 gallon water heater from Defender. It should pipe up the same way and it has the heat exchanger connections for the engine. I am going to mount the new one in a little differently so that I can access the mounting screws easier.
My repair list is pretty long but one at a time I will tackle the issues on this 20 year old boat.

[Nancy]

You're lucky to be near Defender! You made the right decision, and hopefully the project will be plug and play.

[DownEast2]

I will be mounting the new heater on a piece of painted marine plywood to make it easier to work on it in the future. I also gives me a platform to mount the macerator which was lacking as it was. Its a little puzzling why they used 15 mm pipe and fittings for the water lines rather than 1/2" pex. It makes finding fittings and pipe much more difficult.

[RobS]

It makes finding fittings and pipe much more difficult.

If you include "Whale" in your searches it isn't too bad. But yes, my current boat is all 1/2" tygon tubing and hose barbs, way easier and cheaper to deal with.

[Tree]

15mm pipe is half inch. It is here in the U.K. anyway as 15mm is the outside diameter because it’s pipe and not tube the bore is then 1/2”.

Pipe is measured from its bore, tube is measured from its outside diameter.

You’ll find any push fit from a plumbing supplier will fit whether it’s copper or plastic. John Guest is the brand name here, pretty sure it’s international to give you some idea.