It is a push button world
26 May 2018
A bit of history, for the past 3 1/2 years every time we have had a shower while sailing, the first thing that needed to be done was run the first 5 to 6 liters of water into a plastic container. This is because the owners bathroom is just about as far away as it is possible to be from the hot water tank on the L450. Once the shower had been completed the water was then taken up on deck and returned back into the water tank.
The water maker on board makes 3 litres per minute, so each day we do this saves 2 minutes of generator and watermaker run time. In the scheme of things it is well worth saving the water, just it has become a bit of a pain doing it. So after some discussion with my old mate Steve Plum, a cunning plan was hatched.
A "T" piece was added to the hot water pipe in the bathroom, with a 12 volt solenoid controlled by an adjustable time relay, connected back to the water tank. Now, as you enter the bathroom, you press the discrete black button once, this starts the timer relay and operates the electric valve and water is sent back to the water tank for the exact time it takes the hot water to arrive from the hot water tank on the other side of the boat.
Instant hot water is now available at the shower in less time than it takes to get your kit off and get into the shower.
An excelent project with a very satisfying outcome. I would like to tell you it was a well planned and executed install with minimum of fuss, but alas it was all going so well the plumbing and electrics were assembled and bench tested to ensure correct working then installed. The last thing to do was connect the return water line from the electric valve just inside the bathroom door under the sink to the main water tank just outside the bathroom door under the floor.
Best part of 5 hours later, 3 different cupboards disassembled, bleeding from to cuts on my arm and hand, a recalcitrant torch now illuminating the bilge, just out of reach and hole saw lost between the base of a cupboard and the floor, the connection was finally made to the water tank. The torch was eventually recovered with a straightend-out coat hanger. The hole saw also recovered with the aid of the coat hanger with a magnet attached by electrical tape. The bleeding stopped with even more electrical tape. Good job I did first aid training.