Sailing Squibvideo
Squib's Refit - Hot Water Boiler Leak Test - Casing - Installation Considerations - Pantry /126
10 July 2025 · 19 min · 661 views
What this video covers
A homemade hot-water boiler for Squib undergoes a pressure leak test using garden hose and aquarium tubing before installation. The first attempt fails at a threaded fitting where water escapes between the thread and plug; PTFE tape proves insufficient, and the crew switches to hemp sealing (old-school pipe thread sealing), which holds. A cheap Chinese hose clamp also fails during testing and gets replaced. Once the boiler passes the pressure test — judged adequate because the 12-volt onboard water pumps produce less pressure than the municipal supply used for testing — the thermostat housing is cut and the temperature sensor fitted, with a few millimeters of cable clearance confirmed. At the boat, Sabina and the host debate where to install the boiler in the galley: it fits the designated space but protrudes 5.5 mm above the countertop line, prompting discussion about trimming the Styrofoam casing or cutting into the floor — a step Sabina resists until the unit is proven functional. Drawer runners in the galley pantry are glued in, sticky drawers are planed down with a hand plane, and a silicone spray fixes a stiff kitchen drawer. Hemp sealing outperforms PTFE tape on the boiler's threaded fittings under pressure.
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