Hot water heater

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
I have a rinker 270 with the 350 mpi. Nice little mini cruiser. It has a hot water heater that runs on shore power but is also warmed by engine coolant, I think.. The motor is a closed system and is a 2006 boat.
I recently replaced the fresh water pump and also a faucet that is in a small sink behind the helm. It is a cold faucet only.
While on a run, I turned that faucet on and it was scolding hot. First thought would be that internally the water heater is done and water is mixing from the engine and going into the water system- but I'm closed cooling so isn't that coolant vs water? It for sure was not coolant. This new faucet also is barley working- all the rest work fine. Someone suggested that the faucet has a clogged screen- i will look but not sure that faucet has one- but it was just installed and worked fine before I went in the water....so am I being told wrong on the coolant not vs engine water? The only water available from the engine would be from the heat exchanger...always something!
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
43,244
I recently replaced the fresh water pump and also a faucet that is in a small sink behind the helm. It is a cold faucet only.
Could be the hot/cold lines go swapped
 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
So I finally got back to boat. Here are pictures of the set up. I replaced the pump as mentioned but there is no hot water line going through that pump so I have no clue what is going on!
I've attached pictures but I'm also getting error messages on the upload. How foes the hot water get pressurized anyway?
 

kd4pbs

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Messages
164
If you have a heater that is heating hot water to an even hotter level, then this would explain things. Tap dispenses the hot water before it gets hotter in the water heater?
 

Grub54891

Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
6,286
Most modern water heaters have a check valve on the intake side of cold water inlet. My total guess is that the check valve may be bad allowing water to flow back into the lines and making it hot? With the water pump on it technically shouldn’t do that. With the pump off there isn’t anything to prevent the water from going where it shouldn’t be.
again, I’m just poking around with a guess.
 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
Most modern water heaters have a check valve on the intake side of cold water inlet. My total guess is that the check valve may be bad allowing water to flow back into the lines and making it hot? With the water pump on it technically shouldn’t do that. With the pump off there isn’t anything to prevent the water from going where it shouldn’t be.
again, I’m just poking around with a guess.
Thanks- if see i can't post pictures. The wall mounted pump only receives cold water from the tank itself- check that box.
I'm looking at the pictures..feed from the tank to the pump- then the outlet looks like it's goes to the heater as a blue pipe- there is 3 way juncture and a blue pipe goes from the juncture to a red either inlet or outlet. There is a valve in that juncture and it has a wire tie on it- bever messes with it. Very confusing as to the flow of it all...
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
43,244
I've attached pictures but I'm also getting error messages on the upload. How foes the hot water get pressurized anyway?
The server is not allowing any pics, we're reaching out to the tech for help but so far no response
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
43,244
Thanks- if see i can't post pictures. The wall mounted pump only receives cold water from the tank itself- check that box.
I'm looking at the pictures..feed from the tank to the pump- then the outlet looks like it's goes to the heater as a blue pipe- there is 3 way juncture and a blue pipe goes from the juncture to a red either inlet or outlet. There is a valve in that juncture and it has a wire tie on it- bever messes with it. Very confusing as to the flow of it all...
Many boats have winterization valves next to hot water tank. The valves are there so the tank can be bypassed which allows RV antifreeze to be pumped thru cold and hot lines without filling the hot water tank
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
12,697
We are having pic upload issues currently. Read post #7 on for a work around

 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
If that works...yes I believe that is a winter valve- also reading a good point for water to overwhelm old seals. No other visable check valve ... also, it only happens when the engine is up to temp.
 
Last edited:

Grub54891

Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
6,286
Many boats have winterization valves next to hot water tank. The valves are there so the tank can be bypassed which allows RV antifreeze to be pumped thru cold and hot lines without filling the hot water tank
Yes, I've winterized lots of them over time, and added that valve. But if the heater is bypassed, there should be no water in the tank, and you would not get any hot water at any faucet at all. Now if that lever is zip tied in one position, that leads me to believe there is something wrong in the tank. Perhaps it wasn't winterized properly in the past and the heating coils are leaking the fresh water into it and causing the issue.
Had one several years ago that the pump would run every few minutes, Looked for leaks and replaced the pressure valve, still did it. Found out it was the coils themselves that had the leak.
 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
If that works...yes I believe that is a winter valve- also reading a good point for water to overwhelm old seals. No other visable check valve ... also, it only happens when the engine is up to temp.
It looks like there link for pictures works? There was only one line to change out on the faucet and the pump so that should be good. Since I'm coolant closed, if the heater exchanger in the tank was bad and pressurizing the system, I'd have coolant in the system right? The only thing I can think and if does not sound probable, that valve itself has gone bad? What else could be left?
 

cyclops222

Commander
Joined
Mar 21, 2024
Messages
2,790
Does your closed cooling system HAVE ANTIFREEZE ADDED TO IT ? Or is it only a fresh water system ? Would tell you a lot about any leaks location.
 

Grub54891

Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
6,286
It looks like there link for pictures works? There was only one line to change out on the faucet and the pump so that should be good. Since I'm coolant closed, if the heater exchanger in the tank was bad and pressurizing the system, I'd have coolant in the system right? The only thing I can think and if does not sound probable, that valve itself has gone bad? What else could be left?
Do you actually have a coolant tank with antifreeze in it?
 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
Im closed cooling- raw water cools the heat exchanger. I have a separate pump just like a car for the coolant.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
43,244
Don't see any issue with the setup at the water heater.

I'll go back to in post 2, think the hot/cold lines are swapped/mixed up

All other faucets work correctly, only the helm one has the issue. Follow the line into the boat and see which line its connected
 

rickasbury

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
799
Don't see any issue with the setup at the water heater.

I'll go back to in post 2, think the hot/cold lines are swapped/mixed up

All other faucets work correctly, only the helm one has the issue. Follow the line into the boat and see which line its connected
Im going to be back at the boat and will tedt it again. There was only a colld line going to that faucet- but will check the other ones. I agree it does not make sense.
 
Top