Stainless Steel or Copper Calorifier?

[devongirl76]

Our old copper calorifier has split so I am busy investigating new ones.

 

I am undecided between a replacement copper one with foam insulation which will be a tight squeeze but is cheaper or a stainless steel calorifier which is narrower but about £300 more.

 

Please can anyone tell me the pros and cons of each (apart from cost)?

[alan_fincher]

I'm not sure you will find many people who have experience of stainless steel ones in canal boats.

I'm happy to be proved wrong though!

Copper ones are available in a wide range of sizes, or can be made to order.  The only way I can see a stainless one would be narrower is that it either holds less water, is less well insulated, or is taller.  In each of these cases they are not therefore really equivalent.

[NMEA]

Copper is less durable but has antibiotic properties. Inox stainless is much more durable but does not, we rarely fit ss ones to inland craft but conversely fit them almost exclusively to sea going craft. It seems to be a cost issue more than anything.

Edited November 17, 2017 by NMEA

[Tony Brooks]

If at any time in the future you might install an Alde 3xxx series boiler then Alde says you must use a stainless one.

[Alan de Enfield]

I have a SS one (Italian manufacturer) in one boat, and a 'standard' copper one in the other boat.

Operationally there is no apparent difference between them.

[bizzard]

37 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

If at any time in the future you might install an Alde 3xxx series boiler then Alde says you must use a stainless one.

Quite so. We have a couple of boats here with Alde boilers and Sigmar stainless steel colorifiers, both around ten years old and been no trouble at all, apart from me renewing blown immersion heater elements regularly because of the very hard limey water here. The elements in the Sigmar are different from the standard domestic types being smaller diameter fitting, I think 2''BSP and are quite a bit more expensive, I've been getting 800W ones from Aquafax.

[cereal tiller]

5 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Quite so. We have a couple of boats here with Alde boilers and Sigmar stainless steel colorifiers, both around ten years old and been no trouble at all, apart from me renewing blown immersion heater elements regularly because of the very hard limey water here. The elements in the Sigmar are different from the standard domestic types being smaller diameter fitting, I think 2''BSP and are quite a bit more expensive, I've been getting 800W ones from Aquafax.

Water is chalky in Berkshire where I live, have 2 Immersions on the Boat, both 1 KW.one is a Stone Boatbuilding one 40 Years old and the other is a Surecal supplied one.

What Temperature do you set your Immersions?I run both at 60 C

[bizzard]

3 minutes ago, cereal tiller said:

Water is chalky in Berkshire where I live, have 2 Immersions on the Boat, both 1 KW.one is a Stone Boatbuilding one 40 Years old and the other is a Surecal supplied one.

What Temperature do you set your Immersions?I run both at 60 C

I don't know what they're set to. I do ask them if they're happy with the temperature and they've always said its ok so I've never bothered to look. The same adjustable thermostat which slides out is just swapped over each time.  New thermostats don't come with those particular elements.

[cereal tiller]

6 minutes ago, bizzard said:

I don't know what they're set to. I do ask them if they're happy with the temperature and they've always said its ok so I've never bothered to look. The same adjustable thermostat which slides out is just swapped over each time.  New thermostats don't come with those particular elements.

Have always found that once the Water Temp. is above low Seventies the Immersions have a shortened service life so wondered if you set them higher.

[Bro]

A good quality copper cylinder will be cheaper and probably see you out anyway so unless you have good reason why bother with stainless?  Better to spend the saved cash on beer!

[Onewheeler]

Wonder why the old one split. Too high a pressure, or just old and knackered (like a lot of people here!)?

Martin/

[devongirl76]

On 17/11/2017 at 17:41, cereal tiller said:

Water is chalky in Berkshire where I live, have 2 Immersions on the Boat, both 1 KW.one is a Stone Boatbuilding one 40 Years old and the other is a Surecal supplied one.

What Temperature do you set your Immersions?I run both at 60 C

We dont currently have an immersion but we now have 240v electric so it seems silly not to put one on whilst we are having to replace the calorifier

On 18/11/2017 at 14:56, Onewheeler said:

Wonder why the old one split. Too high a pressure, or just old and knackered (like a lot of people here!)?

Martin/

Old & knackered! Like me....