| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Wen
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Mar 2017 : 21:19:08
|
Hi, it's a Wen again, pleased to report engine issue now resolved thank you all very much. New Question. what's a good way of heating your boat we can't afford forced air heating yet other jobs need doing first. We used a gas heater Saturday night we thought we were well ventilated and have carbon monoxide alarm. Woke up Sunday to a very condensed dripping wet boat. Any body tried any other sorts of heater. Be grateful for any advice. Thank you
|
|
|
cliveshep
Thailand
1324 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2017 : 01:56:07
|
A warm air space heater is really the only way to go for dry air heating and that has always been a diesel heater on boats and trucks.
They are expensive but even on a Norman 20 you could fit one.
You would need a good battery - they run on 12 volt, your outboard would struggle to keep it charged at only 8amp output but a long day's cruise would probably suffice.
You would need a tank for diesel but you could use an outboard tank.
You would need a cabin outlet grill you can buy those and adapt to suit with a home-made plenum chamber - I did with tin snips, pop rivets and some foil duct sealing tape, and also some 100mm flexi hose to duct the hot air.
You would need an exhaust hull outlet or make your own - which is what I did on my Ocean 30.
I have fitted several 2nd hand units but these days if you use e-bay you have buyer protection, can pay with Paypal and can buy everything free-postage from Turkey believe it or not, costing £550 for the unit leaving you to source duct and exhaust outlet fitting (or make your own) and source a tank.
Basically the unit fits in a locker, you'll need to make sure nothing can touch the exhaust pipe that goes to a hull outlet which is a tube held in a larger flanged tube by 3 legs so no direct heat contact with the hull - not hard to make. Buy some glass lagging tape and well lag the exhaust to protect from contact with boat or you as it gets red-hot! Hint - the exhaust gases are also red-hot so don't raft up with another boat against the exhaust outlet or you'll set both boats alight if the heater is on.
The unit fits within a foot of the hull - governed by the length of exhaust pipe (500mm) and has the air-duct to cabin on one end and a fresh air duct the other end. Hint - you can use tumble drier hose for the fresh air duct, make your own thin metal plenum chamber or spigot flange out of thin galvanised metal (as used by duct workers), cut a hole in say the top of your outboard well and fit a standard grill outside covering the pop rivets or screws securing your flange.
For the hot air use foil duct, lag it if it passes through places you don't want to heat, make another flanged outlet and screw over a hole in a locker with another outlet grill on the outside.
Locate the fuel tank and connect the pump to the pipe and squeeze bulb, you'll need to prime and bleed the Eber fuel line after which it sucks up it's own fuel when running using a pulse pump.
With say a Norman 20 you'd need to mount in a locker with the exhaust running up and then down to stop water getting in with outlet at least 6 inches above water line. the hot air pipe then runs through a hole in the main bulkhead and turns 90 degrees under the galley to outlet under the sink/cooker unit.
This also works on Norman 23's.
Bigger boats might have large under floor voids, my Ocean did and my two floor outlets in the fore cabin and saloon were fed by running the duct under the cabin sole with underfloor plenum chambers to floor grills.
The Eber can be controlled by the supplied controller or you can purchase a proper room thermostat controller for it - at extra cost of course.
Service, repairs, spares etc for Eberspacher in the UK are by:
Thames Valley Electro-Diesel Ltd
Unit 5/Hyperion Way, Reading RG2 0HG
Phone: 0118 975 1199
To answer your original question - hot air is the only viable alternative, there are gas-fired alternatives to Eberspacher but be careful, on boats the gas system is something to be very careful of re: BSS and they use a lot of gas. The Eber diesel heaters sip diesel.
Finally living the dream!
|
Edited by - cliveshep on 14 Mar 2017 02:05:03 |
 |
|
|
df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2017 : 08:13:58
|
There is also a cheaper russian made version thats getting a good reputation, planar is the name and a guy by the name of owen cox sells them in the uk (his dad is a well reputed marine engineer).
Avoid automotive silencers on diesel heaters as they are not sealed due to being expected to be mounted underneath vehicles in open air, the marine silencers are fully sealed.
For all the secrets on what to avoid with cheap eberspachers have a look at the letonkinoisvarnish.co.uk website as it's a hobby of theirs, lots of useful diagnostic info too.
If you can afford one they are definately the way to go, I have an extra box attached to mine which means I can phone it from the pub and return to a fully heated boat complete with pre-warmed bed, perfect for winter cruising, I had a webasto unit on a boat powered by 9.9hp outboard with 2x 110ah batteries and had no problems with battery power.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
 Visit leomagill.co.uk |
|
|
|
cliveshep
Thailand
1324 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2017 : 09:55:42
|
They are cheaper for sure, but what about spares/repairs backup Dave?
The varnish site has useful info too.
Finally living the dream!
|
Edited by - cliveshep on 14 Mar 2017 09:56:04 |
|
|
|
philihun
United Kingdom
283 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2017 : 18:06:36
|
I fitted a Propex room sealed heater, marine version with 2 outlets for £600. It gives off 2 kilowatts of blown dry air and runs on propane. Advantage being most craft already have LPG for cooking and water heaters so if you have an outboard 2 fuels suffice. A 6.5 kg bottle does my heating cooking and water for 2 weeks no probs. (iam not talking live aboard in winter). If you have a diesel engine buy an Eberspacher.
pr hunt |
|
|
|
philihun
United Kingdom
283 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2017 : 18:13:48
|
Follow on to the Propex, a fully charged 110 leisure batttey will run it 2 hrs a day for a fortnight no probs. From an outboard that charges as long as you want.
pr hunt |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Heating advice please
