Out of Hot Water

Leaving Zofia at Keppel Bay Marina was cheaper when paid for a month in advance as opposed to 3 weeks and then maybe a extra week, if needed. So arriving back from shore time in Perth inside of the ‘month’ presented an opportunity for doing some ‘boat jobs’ with the ever present convenience of running water, power and hardware to hand.

 

One of The Bloke’s least favourite locations aboard.

 

The Bloke had already identified a problem with the Hot Water System while in Scarborough Marina during my 'care visit' to London back in May. Turning on the HWS switch blew the main electrical trip switch! A replacement element was ordered from a terrific South African chap on the Gold Coast. He had previously provided a replacement element when we were in Port Lincoln. Super efficient and really helpful, a guy who knows his products. He even called past the Scarborough Marina to deliver it. All The Bloke needed was the bravery to tackle the task. 4 1/2 years ago the F@#*k Box stood pride of place next to the plumbing tool box. Chief among the problems was having the correct tool - a monster wrench, which luckily was loaned to us by a mechanical workshop.

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In anticipation of this day, a hoped-to-be suitable implement was spotted on a shopping expedition with his Canadian ‘virtual-brother’ Gary, off Kaijasong. It seems that there is not much that will match the satisfaction of going through the tool shop at the hardware store with a mate AND actually discovering ‘just the thing’!

It’s not that we haven’t had hot water since May. We make it just by running the motor but it’s a pity to run the motor just for hot water. In a marina our electricity use is included in the tariff and it’s annoying to boil the electric kettle to do the dishes!

 

What the control panel needs to look like.

 

So the day arrived. All items were in place: the spare part, tool, time, location and mood. On with the fun and games.

Work commenced with a release of the 40L contents of the tank - long cold after our absence. This would be a good test for the bilge pump. TICK. Part of the labyrinth of bilge channels would get a fresh water rinse for good measure. TICK. The tank was then easily released from the cradle and moved sufficiently to utilize the new ‘weapon’. The Bloke verified that the jaws would accommodate the head of the element on the spare. TICK. The tool was then applied to remove the old element. Joy of joys: out it came! TICK! It’s appearance pretty much confirmed that the element was ‘cactus’ and the anode completely eaten away and the likely cause of our grief.

Spot the difference!

 

The Bloke fitted the new element quite easily before refilling the tank and satisfying himself there were no leaks. TICK. Next the blue smoke test: would activating the HWS switch cause the electrical trip switch to flip? Happily, all going great guns. The final test was to ensure that the water did indeed get hot. Another TICK.

The 'weapon' made easy work

The best part of the whole exercise was the big grin at the end and no contributions to the F@#*k Box. Winning!

A postscript to this is that the following night, the bilge pump kept burping intermittently. It was well into the night before good sense prevailed and the pump switches were turned off. We were in a marina, the water was fresh and we were not taking on water! Investigations could occur after dawn. It turned out that some of the debris from the old element had lodged in the overflow valve. A quick and very easy fix.

Happy Days!