Central Heating

[grandpaboat]

I have an diesel fired Mikuni heater in my boat running 5 radiators and the hot water calorifier. The unit is about 18 years old and has never been very satisfactory as it requires regular opening up and cleaning to keep it operational. Does anyone have a good experience with later models or other makes of diesel fired water heaters up to about 8 kw.

[newhaul]

I have heard good things about the wabasto units

[witzgall]

We install both webasto and Espar where I work. The Espar m2 series are my personal preference if you need 12k btus or less, they are more efficient then the webasto units, and wave two glow plugs so the service interval is lengthened. Stay away from the knockoffs, unless you don't value life and property.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ColdEH]

I have a Webasto 2010 running through my own custom built calorifier, then one air makeup unit with three outputs , then two fan driven heater cores. Works well , the trick is to make sure you have good volume/mass in the system so it does not short cycle. The clorifier I built has a coil inside the 10 gallon buffer tank so I actually don't hold any hot water , it is heated by the coolant in the buffer tank as it goes through the coil . The only maintenance I do is top up the coolant which evaporates from the hose , about a liter a month . Don't get any soot .

Regards

[grandpaboat]

Thanks guys, I have also been reading around other forums and threads. Also with my own experience having had a Refleks diesel stove on an earlier boat I'm tempted to go back to one. The Refleks has a simple gravity fuel feed not requiring any battery power unless circulating the existing heating system with a pump. It certainly didn't require daily cleaning after each run, which is what my Mikuni needs However the downside is major surgery to the cabin to install the stove together with the unsightly flue pipe to deck level. I'm hoping for a bit warmer summer weather here in Scotland to allow me longer to come to a decision.

Thanks again,

Grandpaboat.