Turning a Fresh Water Tank Into a Hot Water Tank?

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GusinCA

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Mar 7, 2010
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32059
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So I have a new boat and it has a shower on the transom with a 10 gallon fresh water tank.

How do I heat this water? Does anyone make something I could drill a hole in the side and place some kind of electric heating element inside the tank?
 
Only if you want to melt it. If you are tight for space, look at one of those continuous hot water heaters. If you have room, a small six gallon hot water tank would work fine and also add to your water capacity.
Jim
 
A continuous water heater? Do you have a brnad or model in mind? Didn't know they made those for boats?
 
I think he is talking about a tankless water heater / on demand heater. The big problem is to find one that works halfway decently, it draws a lot of electrical power, more than most boats can handle or should I say, you will have to turn everything else off or you start popping breakers.
A small 6 gallon water heater turned up to 160 degrees will give you plenty of water for a decent shower.
 
Doesn't the boat already have a shower in the head? I'd think a 39 foot boat would have a pressure water system onboard.

The transom shower (I think) isn't intended to be heated.
 
It's a 24 foot boat, and it has a 10 gallon transom shower, but not heated. I was looking for something that could just heat (even just warm) the water up, even if it means running the engines while doing it to provide the electricity (it has a house and start battery, but i don't think putting that much load on a battery is a good thing?)...
 
quote:
Originally posted by GusinCA

It's a 24 foot boat, and it has a 10 gallon transom shower, but not heated. I was looking for something that could just heat (even just warm) the water up, even if it means running the engines while doing it to provide the electricity (it has a house and start battery, but i don't think putting that much load on a battery is a good thing?)...

Click to expand...


Assuming you want to use it remote, (away from shore power)unless you have a generator you are out of luck with a tank heater or a tankless heater. Both take 110.

Your best bet is a 6 gal tank heater that has a built in heat exchanger. It is plumbed into your engines cooling system and coolant from your engine is circulated through the heat exchanger while you are under way and heats the water in the tank.

Bob
 
Ditto all above.

you might look into a "sun shower" basically a plastic bag you put on the roof of the boat, with a hose and shower head attached.
 
Yes, but the boat doesn't have a closed loop cooling system. Sounds like I'm buying a solar shower... :)
 
If the tank is in the ER, it's going to get warm from the residual heat.
 
It's on the other side of a fiberglass wall, so I don't think that will do it. What i'm thinking of doing is the solar shower, and then just let the hot water drain into the freshwater tank and then use the shower that way. Thanks ofr all the help here guys!
 
That would work...

More than a few folks have coiled 100' or so of green garden hose on the roof, then pumped water through it.
 
quote:
Originally posted by GusinCA

Yes, but the boat doesn't have a closed loop cooling system. Sounds like I'm buying a solar shower... :)

Click to expand...


You don't need a closed cooling system. Those tanks can be used with raw water cooled engines. My previous boat had one.
 
I agree with Ron. I have an open cooling system and a 10 gallong water heater that uses the engine. It will boil lobsters...
 
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