QL Water Heater Connection.

[Lazy Pelican]

The hot water out, connection to our Water Heater started leaking. We're in Greece so spare parts are difficult to come by. As a temporary measure I've remade the connection using Hoselock type fittings (see photo). Is this likely to last the 7 weeks until we return to U.K.?
I think the thread on the Water Heater is 3/4". The Whale fittings are 15mm. Can anyone identify the replacement fitting in need?

[mikeiso1192]

Just to clarify; are you sure that it is the fitting that is leaking?
I had a leak in that location a few years back. It was the actual pipe that had split right by the fitting. The red whale pipe is only rated to around 60 degrees C; the calorifier heats to around 90 degrees (I'm told because of Legionaires) hence the pipe split. I successfully replaced it with domestic PVC pipe (speedfit) rated to 90 degrees still holding good. Seems to me that the domestic system should fit OK for the tank fitting also.
Hope that helps.
PS where are you in Greece; just got back from the Ionian at the weekend.
Mike

[Lazy Pelican]

Hi Mike,

It's definitely the fitting. The pipe is still in use & is fine. The inside of the fitting has started to disintegrate. My concern is that the plastic hose fitting I've connected to the calorifier with melts!
QL instructions say turn adjuster on the thermostat clockwise to adjust, but don't say wether this makes the water cooler or hotter. I've done this and have hopefully turned the temp down to 30C, but if I'm wrong it's on max temp!

We're on Scopolos at present heading for Halkadiki. In the Ionian I'd find spares fairly easily but there's not much here. I'll try a hardware store for brass Tank fittings, but there's nothing where we are at present.

John

[Salty]

It's definitely the fitting. The pipe is still in use & is fine. The inside of the fitting has started to disintegrate. My concern is that the plastic hose fitting I've connected to the calorifier with melts!
QL instructions say turn adjuster on the thermostat clockwise to adjust, but don't say wether this makes the water cooler or hotter. I've done this and have hopefully turned the temp down to 30C, but if I'm wrong it's on max temp!
..........

John, if you are worried about the temperature of the water within the calorifier, then don't use the immersion heater other than for very short periods of time, and only while hot water is about to be or in actual use, then turn the immersion heater off. If you leave the heater cooking the water continuously, then you may be asking for trouble. Here in the UK on a swinging mooring I have no access to mains electricity, and despite the cooler atmosphere, I manage perfectly well just by boiling a kettle whenever hot water is needed.

[Craig]

The white fittings you have seem to the same type our Bav 38 ( 2010) was fitted with from new. I think they are a standard fitting. We bought spares in Malta but you should get spares in Thassos or Thessalonica if you are going that far north.

The fitting closest to the hot water tank tends to last 2 to 3 years, possibly a lot longer if you don't have the boat connected to shore power.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
Australia

[Salty]

The white fittings you have seem to the same type our Bav 38 ( 2010) was fitted with from new. I think they are a standard fitting. We bought spares in Malta but you should get spares in Thassos or Thessalonica if you are going that far north.

The fitting closest to the hot water tank tends to last 2 to 3 years, possibly a lot longer if you don't have the boat connected to shore power.

Mine are still the original fittings on a boat built in 2002.

[Holger]

If the brass fitting is defective you should look for "Whale Wx1533B - Adaptor Brass - 1/2" Female To 15mm". Usually the brass element is OK but the plastic insert which "locks" the hose in the fitting is defective or the rubber ring gaskets. You may disassemble the brass fitting. You only need a small parallel screwdriver. There should be a rubber ring gasket at each side of the fitting and one grey plastic insert. At our case the grey plastic insert which "locks" the hose was defective. The white plastic ring at the end of the adaptor does not appear to have any particular function.

If you have another Whale fitting you may take the rubber ring gaskets and the grey plastic insert (lock) from this adaptor and replace the worn parts of the brass fitting. The rubber ring gaskets and the grey plastic insert should be the same throughout the whole Whale system. I have done this on our boat as I no spare brass adaptor was available. It works well on our boat for more than two years now.

There is video on youtube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-srEmBIshM ) that shows how the adaptor is made. The video may help you to understand how you may disassemble the brass fitting.

Note, Whale says that the maximum temperature for their system is 65 degrees Celsius which in our case was the problem as the thermostat of the calorifier was defective and did not switch of the heater. The water was boiling all the time. You should make sure that this is not the problem at your boat as otherwise the problem may occur again shortly.

If you do not have a spare Whale fitting I would replace one from the cold water system with your provisional measure. Otherwise I would be concerned that the hoselock you use as provisional measure will not stand the temperature.

I attach a pdf which appears to show on page 2 all parts of Whale's quick connect systems. Maybe it helps. Good luck.

Best regards

Holger

[MarkTheBike]

General FYI

This is a snippet taken from an article in The Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases (2004), regarding hot water tank temperature settings required to suppress Legionella (full article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2094925/ ).

...The optimal temperature for Legionella proliferation in water varies between 32°C and 35°C, but it can easily proliferate at temperatures of up to 45°C. Usually, there is no growth above 55°C, and a temperature of over 60°C has a bactericidal effect. Thus, the WHO recommends that water be heated and stored at 60°C. However, studies in Quebec have shown, even when the thermostat is set at 60°C, a high percentage (approximately 40%) of electric water heaters remain contaminated because of the lower temperature, about 30°C to 40°C at the bottom of the tank. The probability of contamination will increase considerably if the temperature setting is lowered to 49°C. The risk of contamination is much lower for water heaters operating with fossil fuels, and is practically nonexistent for these heaters set at 60°C...

Replacing an element in our home tank recently, I believe the latest recommended setting (in the UK) is now 65°C, possibly to reduce the cold spots. As our tanks on board are generally horizontal, I suspect our risks of cold spots are reduced so 60°C is probably fine.

[Lazy Pelican]

Thanks everyone- useful info.
I've bought a braided hose ( the type that come with taps) with a 1/2" bsp fitting preattached which has solved the problem nicely.
When I have time I'll try refurbishing the Whale fittings as Holger suggests.

John

[Lazy Pelican]

Back in UK I'm having trouble sourcing the WX1531B connector. They're on special order, with a minimum order of 40 @ £15 each!
Does anyone know if John Guest or HepO fitting work with Whale pipe?