Wrong place to put the water heater...

[Big Al]

Is the water heater installed under the mid-berth in all 1995 SR 370 DA's ? And without any drain at the bottom ? - - bad design.... - - -

My water heater got a leak during winter season and the "pink liquid" in it went around the water heater and stayed there. I found this last week after putting the boat in the water, because of some odor in the mid-berth area.

What I don't understand is why SR put the water heater there since there are more that enough space to put it on the port side of the engine room....I am seriously thinking of moving it that area.

 

[boatmailster]

Is the water heater installed under the mid-berth in all 1995 SR 370 DA's ? And without any drain at the bottom ? - - bad design.... - - -

My water heater got a leak during winter season and the "pink liquid" in it went around the water heater and stayed there. I found this last week after putting the boat in the water, because of some odor in the mid-berth area.

What I don't understand is why SR put the water heater there since there are more that enough space to put it on the port side of the engine room....I am seriously thinking of moving it that area.

that location is no so bad like on some older models:
to replace water heater you needed to remove stb engine or cut cockpit floor :smt021
the reason there is no drain on your boat - they didn't want to made any holes to bilge to prevent CO from coming to cabin, but at least they gel coat inside heater area, some other boat owners had to replace carper after nontox leaked from heater.

 

[xravenx]

Al,

I have the same set up as you..............when I winterize it, I open the drain on the water heater and the water runs out thru a little hole into the bilge. If you open up the day hatch look directly under the battery charger and you will see a very little hole.................maybe yours is stopped up.

Hope this helps

John

 

[Big Al]

Thank you for the information. John, I will verify this over the weekend.

I am not a very good mechanic/plumber(no joke) but when I look at the back of port side of my engine room, there is enough space to put the water heater there. The water heater is quite a small unit....

 

[J Levine]

The drain valve on the water heater has male garden hose threads on it. I purchased a fitting with female garden hose threads on one end and a 3/8" hose barb on the other. I installed the fitting and attached a 3' section of clear vinyl tubing to it. When I winterize the system I use compressed air. I put a 5 gallon bucket in the aft cabin, insert the end of the tubing and then open up the drain valve to drain the heater. Works like a charm and avoids any water in the compartment where the heater is mounted. I didn't know about the drain hole though I have seen the hole in the engine room, I will have to check it out. Note that the Sea Ray plumbs the safety relief valve on the heater directly to a thru hull fitting in the hull side, so if the relief valve does open the water will end up overboard and not in the compartment with the heater.