On La Reina I used the existing hood from the Wolter heater with the Excel. I used some duct work sheet metal to make a small plate/chimney that fits on top of the Excel and inside the hood. I don’t have sheet metal working tools so it is not pretty but it works and is hidden from view.
Mark Powers
Thank you Paul and Mark for this additional input! Very helpful… I now seem to have options.
I would prefer to use the orginal hood from the Paloma, as it is a robust piece of hardware and I know it fits the chimney perfectly. Again, my only concern is that the side to side is a little short in lenght and leaves a gap on either end of about 11/16ths of an inch where hot exhaust can escape into the cabinet instead of going up the flue.
I will look at this more carefully over the next few days to see if I can alter it similar to what you have done, and if not, will get a hood similar to what yo both have done and work that to fit.
Again, thank you!
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30 Ultra 430
Jersey City, NJ
Peter,
You should be able to use the Paloma hood without modifying it. I sounds like it is a better fit for the Excel than the Wolter hood.
I had a drill, a set of tin snips and a pair of linesmen pliers to make the adaptor. I did not use the existing Excel vent top because I did not want to mess it up but you could easily modify it by some judicious cutting and bending to make some vertical tabs. Then cut a flat strip of sheet metal to make a vertical collar that goes around the tabs to form a short chimney that will fit inside the Paloma hood. Use a few sheet metal screws or pop rivets to attach the chimney to the tabs. You can seal the joint between the Excel plate and the chimney with aluminium tape (not duct tape).
Mark Powers
Hi Paul and Mark -
An update - and again, thank you for all of your input/suggestions and encouragement.
I bought a HVAC register box to use as a new venthood, just in case I couldn’t make the old Paloma venthood fit. I wanted to reuse the Paloma venthood if possible as it is a much more robust unit than the HVAC register box.
Good news is that I was able to modify the Paloma venthood with some tinsnips and careful bending to fit the top of the Excel so only the tiniest (and I mean tiny) amount of the Excel top opening wasn’t covered by metal. I secured the entire venthood to the Excel with HVAC foil tape that has a high temperature rating (325 degrees F) and it also covered those tiny corner openings. I measured the total height very carefully to make sure that the venthood sat low enough into the Excel to allow for it to join with the chimney tube and still align with the existing bottom bolts.
I had some left over plywood from making shelves for the bowlocker in my new dinghy, and made a layered sandwich to reproduce the spacers Paul showed in a photo.
The hardest part was lining up the new, top bolt with the bracket on the Excel - probably would have been easier with two people!
The rest of the parts for upgrading the entire propane system are intransit, but I made the water connections to the new Excel, and after making a slight adjustment for a bit of water leaking at a connection, all seems to work well. You can even hear the igniter click on and off as the water is turned on and off… all it needs is some propane!
Here are a few shots -
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30 Ultra 430
Jersey City, NJ
Hello All -
A special thanks again to Paul, Jim, Mark, Ernie, and Mike for your input above on the above water heater project. Your guidance/suggestions made this project much easier!!
We finally used the new Excel water heater under actual overnight/on the anchor conditions… WOW! what a difference!!! The low psi water pressure startup is great! No switch to repeatedly turn to try to spark the pilot (because there isn’t one)… just turn on the gas tank at the helm, flip the solenoid switch, and turn on a faucet… Hot water!!! it so easy!!! and the water temp seemed to be much more consistent than the old Paloma, which made showering a lot nicer!!
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30 Ultra 430
Jersey City, NJ
On my engine heated setup, no valves, no switches, just turn the faucet on!!
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Joe -
On my little NS22, things are simple (wellll … um … sort of). No hot water and no “running” pumped water. But, if I did have it, I’d go your route - engine heated H2O.
We’ve hired lots of narrowboats and small Penichettes, etc. in the UK and Europe and those 25 - 35 HP Beta and Nanni engines heated that water to scalding and kept it that way for 24 hours+. Dead simple and very effective.
Ernie A. in Toronto
Hi Joe!
I did consider switching to your set-up… the engine heated water tank, as it has worked very well for you. And certainly has it’s advantages.
However, since I was already replacing the rest of the propane system it seemed simpler to replace part for part rather than install a different set-up.
In addition, we have a tendency to spend 2 or 3 nights in a row on anchor, and not having to run the engine after a full day or two of quiet was a factor as well.
30 hours (or any length of time) after dropping anchor, we can have a hot shower, wash dishes, etc without any waiting or engine running…
Best regards,
Peter
By taking Navy showers, we can get two days. ‘course, I had a lot of practice in the 36 years I spent in that canoe club.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Joe
Joe, sorry if you’ve already posted this but do you have a diagram of your engine-heated system and how you set it up? I’ve had all kinds of systems over the years and prefer the simplicity of the engine heat system…but how to implement on a 26C?
Phil
S/V Cato NS26C
Salt Spring Island BC
Phil,
Go to the Nonsuch Photo Gallery and the 26C Group. Look up Catbert. There are some photos of his engine driven hot water system. Just remember that any unit you buy has to be able to fit through the locker opening. With the heater above the engine you have to install a header tank above the water heater.
Mark Powers
Thanks Mark…I guess this also adds weight! You’d recommend the Excel I guess?
Still waiting for the holding tank replacement…
Phil
Phil: I’m not sure of the space you have behind the engine on a 26. Enclosed are photos of my 6 gallon unit located below the cockpit. I also gained another dorade/vent and much more storage above the galley.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
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[/details]The layout on the 26C does not really allow for mounting behind the engine. It wold block service access to the engine. I think the best location is at the back of the cockpit lockers like the placement on Catbert.
Joe,
what is the terminal clamp used for in the first photo you posted?
Mark Powers
That is an old picture. It was a clip, no longer used, to connect the oil sump pump. It now has a switch.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Thanks Joe…as Mark pointed out, it may be more of a challenge in the 26!
Phil
I installed my new EXCEL. When I turn on the hot water I get hot water in about a minute. The digital temp gage on the tank then begins to move into high temps fast, something begins to crackle and pop, the flame goes out and the EXCEL shuts down, the temp gage heads down slowly and within a few minutes the heater still won’t light. I assume it’s a safety switch. Can someone explain what’s happening and tell me how to fix it?
Thanks,
Bob McPeek
Pau Hana, NS30C
That almost sounds like what happens if you don’t have your water pressure turned on.
Nope, Water pressure is on and hot water coming out the faucet.
Guys: Consider changing your subject line to Excell water heater.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Joe