[VAC] Re: Experience & Expertise Needed - Bowen WH Removal

["Jim Greene" <drgreene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lincoln, I was able to get to and disconnect the water lines on the heater
through the door under the lavatory with some difficulty by lying on the
bathroom floor. Unlike your experience, I was not able to access the pop
rivets holding the aluminum "spacer" to the inside skin because the water
heater itself was in the way. I considered cutting an access "door" through
the closet wall closest to the bathroom but I realized that is a double wall
and I would have to cut through a second bulkhead forming the bathroom wall.
Consequently, from the outside,  I made a diagonal cut in the upper corners
of the aluminum spacer (which is shaped like an inverted "U") and let the
water heater bend the spacer out of the way as I pulled the Bowen through
the opening in the inside and outside skin.

When you installed you new water heater did you reattach the aluminum spacer
to the inside skin? I will not be able to reach the spacer once the new
Atwood has been inserted in the opening but I may be able to partly bend it
somewhat back into shape before sliding the new heater in all the way and
attaching it to the outside skin.

>From the looks of it, installing the new heater will be easier than getting
the old one out. Utilizing the original three-piece access door/cover with
the new Atwood will require some ingenuity but I believe can be done and
thus avoid having to attach a new piece of aluminum to the outside skin to
reduce the size of the opening to match the door size of the new Atwood.

Jim Greene