Capped Water Heater

[szmal]

I'm new to this forum and apologize if I posted in the wrong area. Last year I purchased a '03 260 Sundancer. Apparently the water heater was capped because the previous owner never used it and didn't want to winterize it every year. It would be nice to have warm water when taking a shower and I looked over the heater to see how it was capped. Everything is hooked up the way it supposed to be. I haven't turned on the breaker because I don't want to burn out the elements. Does anyone know how this may be capped? Thanks for your help.

 

[Cincy Aquaholic]

The hot water heater heats up two ways. 1) with electric by way of the heating element; and 2) by way of hot water from the engine cooling system through a heat exchanger. This will provide you with hot water when the engines are hot even if you do not turn on the electric heat (which requires shore power or generator I believe). What exactly is capped? The fresh water lines to the heater or the hot engine water for the cooling system? If he didn't want any water in it at all - in the tank or the heat exchanger- he would have had to cap both parts of the system. But something tells me he capped the water line from the engine coolant system and the heat exchanger. Is there a hose from the engine that doesn't go anywhere and is "capped".

 

[Lazy Daze]

As Cincy mentioned, there are a couple things to look at/for...

For a fully operational heater, there should be:
-- A blue, plastic line connected from the fresh water pump to the heater.
-- Two, black, rubber lines connected to the heater... and on the engine side, they connect to the t-stat housing and water circulating pump.

 

[szmal]

There are 2 black rubber lines connected to the heater that run from the t-stat and water pump, as well as a blue plastic line from the fresh water pump and red plastic line.
How long does it take for the water to heat up by only running the motor? I purchased this boat from a lady that had a marina do all the work for her. I'm wondering if the dealer hooked it back up since she was selling it thru them and didn't tell her it was hooked back up. I will post a picture tomorrow of the heater and maybe you'll see something that doesn't look right.

Hooked up to shore power, how long does it take for the water to heat up using electricity and how do I know if the tank is full not empty. Is there a sensor in it which turns the fresh water pump on to keep it full?

Thanks for all your help

 

[bahamabreisus]

Try this, fill water tank, run all faucets, hot and cold to make sure no air left in lines. Then turn on water heater, let run for 10 minutes, you should have warmer water. You want to make sure the water heater fills.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The first thing the fresh water pump does, when it turns on, is draws water from your fresh tank to fill the hot water heater. My first fill of the season I will open the expansion valve (just like your HWH at home) until until water comes out. Then I close it and move to the faucets.

It doesn't take long to heat up 6 gallons. Probably less than a half hour. Of course, using the engine, just need to wait till the engine is warmed up.

You may want to flush it out a few times, first.

 

[dpmulvey]

Pix would help.

 

[szmal]

OK, just came back from the boat. Turns out the marina that sold the boat hooked the water heater back up and never mentioned it. All along I thought it was capped. Water heater works great. Thanks to everyone that posted with your comments and I apologize for wasting your time.