More Sanitation and Plumbing

     OK, the holidays are over - time to get back to work! For some reason, I seem to be about 5 pounds heavier this month than last month. Working on a boat is just the thing to solve that problem...
     The first problem is clearing the necessary space for the new hot water heater. The factory ran the 1 1/2" sanitation hose from the head to the vacuum generator right through the area I need for the water heater. They used a black rubber sanitation hose, and simply bent it around the fuel tank, and up to the vacuum generator. I have replaced that old hose with Sealand's OdorSafe Plus hose, which is considered to be one of the finest sanitation hoses available. Unfortunately, it is also extremely stiff and difficult to work with. In order to achieve the hose routing I need, I made up a short section of 1 1/2" schedule 80 PVC piping with the appropriate bends, and mounted it behind the water heater, as shown below:

     Each end of this pipe run is mounted with some Delrin mounts I made. Each mount is lined with self adhesive silicone rubber, to allow for a bit of freedom in the mounting. Rigid PVC has the potential to crack when improperly mounted, and the rubber isolation will allow a degree of deflection, while style providing for a robust mounting. If you look closely in the picture, you can see the orange silicone rubber at lower right, inside the pipe hanger. The pipe hangers themselves are detailed below:

     The lower block has two countersunk mounting holes, just visible in the lower picture, that secure the hanger to the hull. The rubber was then applied to both halves, and the upper block was secured to the lower with counter-bored socket head cap screws. A close-up is here:

     Once the sanitation line was neatly tucked up against the hull, the hot water heater fit into place easily. I took a pic during the mock-up phase:

     Here, the hot water heater is resting on the new mounting feet, and the holding tank installation has been completed. I will be mounting the water heater, and finishing the plumbing, today. The space below the vacuum generator may be an ideal location for the generator starting battery, but I have not made the final decision yet. I may place it right next to the generator, on the starboard side, but I need to take some additional measurements. The generator weighs over 300 pounds, so locating the battery on the other side of the boat, under the vacuum generator, would seem to be a better location, in terms of weight balance (assuming the holding tank is normally kept discharged). I will post the finished water system install within the next few days....