Heaters

[JohnnyC]

Need to add a cabin heater.
Must work away from the dock.
From our home fireplace I have learned that if you draw air from your living space to feed the fire, and pump it out the chimney, you get a draft of cold air entering to replace the exhausted air. A system drawing combustion air from outside would be better.
Propane makes me nervous. (although we have it for the stove)
Is there a diesel or solid fuel heater suitable for smallish vessels which draws its air from outside??
What do folks on the board use to heat away from the dock?
John

[senormechanico]

I like my Ardic diesel heater.

Previous boat had an Espar. It was always giving me some kind of trouble.

Steve B.

[rebel heart]

I have a diesel and portable electric. I use the portable electric when at the dock.

The diesel has an intake at the bottom, and there's a flexible vent hose that runs to that, running maybe 10' to a deck fitting on the cabin top. the exaust comes straight off the top, like normal, to a charlie noble.

So yeah, you want to make sure that the intake is coming from somewhere other than your cabin if at all possible. It doesn't take much to push some fumes back into the cabin, and that stuff stinks pretty good.

[Sandero]

Shiva has an Airtonic4 which is a new Espar model. It's been trouble free for 3 years now and goes into a low power consumption mode once design temp has been reached. The old D3l had problems, but they seemed to have solved most of them with the replacement, which also has a slightly higher output. The install is simple, aside from running the exhaust hose (double insulated) through the transom and the 3" ducts through out the boat. The manual is easy to follow and the wiring is all plug in harnesses except for the main 12V power.

You can connect a combustion air hose to the outside so you are not consuming your oxygen.

I am happy with the heater and makes the sailing season "endless".

[Intentional Drifter]

Another forum member, TabbyCat, turned me on to the Hurricane Heater: ITR Diesel Heating Systems

We haven't decided, yet, but they sure look good. TabbyCat said that one kept their Maine Cat nice and warm through a snowy winter, plus continuous hot water.

ID

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I have a diesel and portable electric. I use the portable electric when at the dock.

The diesel has an intake at the bottom, and there's a flexible vent hose that runs to that, running maybe 10' to a deck fitting on the cabin top. the exaust comes straight off the top, like normal, to a charlie noble.

So yeah, you want to make sure that the intake is coming from somewhere other than your cabin if at all possible. It doesn't take much to push some fumes back into the cabin, and that stuff stinks pretty good.

Taking advice on heat from someone who lives in San Diego? LOL The place with perfect weather.


Just a playful dig Rebel Heart

[mickmul]

Have an Eberspacher diesel/electric heater, mounted in the lazerette . . observations. . . draws serious battery power, unless started in half heat mode and then ratcheted up . . should ideally only be started with engine running. . .delivers serious heat to aft berth (mine) and reducing heat as you go forward. . . will give overall comfort with certain set ups. . . (open aft berth to saloon). . . but. . . sailed for years without off dock heat . . can't understand how I managed!!

[Lancerbye]

I have a 4 zone D5W Espar hydronic system mounted in the Lazarette with the recirculating hot water going through out the boat. Each zone has a radiator and a quiet 12 volt fan. The heat supply is good enough to cruise the B.C. inside passage in the winter. Thermostat controls for each zone. This replace a D7W which was too big and spent too much time in low mode causing sooting in the combustion chamber. They run nicely when the load is enough to keep them from sooting. Sometimes bigger isn't better.

[fastcat435]

I have been using Webasto for years and they work fantastic , a 3500 watt serves a 32 ft monohull fine and the diesel consumption is very limited , at full power less than a quart per hour but with longer running times less than half after the boat is heated up

[SkiprJohn]

Here in Hawaii we just open the ports. LOL. Will be 80 today. Hopefully no rain.
JohnL

[Tom Spohn]

There are several good heaters using diesel that also use outside air for combustion. This is the one we have on our 35' sailboat and we really like it. It was also very inexpensive.

Toyotomi U.S.A. - Cabin & Boat Heaters - NS-2800 Toyoset

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Tom Spohn

There are several good heaters using diesel that also use outside air for combustion. This is the one we have on our 35' sailboat and we really like it. It was also very inexpensive.

Toyotomi U.S.A. - Cabin & Boat Heaters - NS-2800 Toyoset

Where'd you get it and how much. Looks like it would be a good heater to take the chill off. does it work when you are sailing?

[emeraldsea]

If you already have propane, then I would recommend the dickinson bulkhead mounted fire place. 9000 & 12000 btu sizes very ecenomical easy to install, low profile deck fitting, and they look great also. They have a double pipe, on for intake one for exhaust.

[cchesley]

Intentional Drifter,
I'm a hull number or two behind Tabby Cat with an ITR Heater and currently wintering in Friday Harbor. Plenty of heat, despite acres of plastic windows for the bridgedeck enclosure. Unit exhausts outside, combusts outside air via a two way exhaust/inlet. Hot water loop keeps a good part of the boat warm all by itself (bilge, seat lockers, under bunks). Great system so far with nearly 2000 hours on it in a year and a half. Hot showers everyday... have never showered in a shoreside marina since moving on the boat. Lived on a mooring for 5 months without shorepower (okay, summer in Me).
Am currently averaging about 2 gallons/day fuel consumption but that may go up a bit as temps drop. Circ pump a pit of an electric hog but shore power and/or generator more than compensates. (5-6 amps plus blowers for 7.x amps approx total draw) Nice to have 1000 amp house bank too :-)

When on shore power, the elec element in the hot water tanks acts as a pre-heater for the early morning start up and I get hot air/water at the blowers within 10 minutes. (the heating loop goes thru the water heater).

[alanwesthagen]

My Jason 35, moored in Seattle, has a Dickenson stove that I use both for cooking and heating. You will find similar stoves on many of the boats in the Alaska fishing fleet. It draws input air from the cabin. This is good, because it encourages a slow circulation of air throughout the boat which dries the interior. Consequently, I have never had the slightest problem with mildew or mold.

JohnnyC's analogy with a fireplace simply does not apply. A fireplace typically has a very tall chimney and the draft is very strong. With a Dickenson installed on a sailboat, the draft is very controlled. Most of the time, a small fan is needed to assist the draft. If the wind is blowing more than 20 knots, I need to take action to keep the drift from suppressing the fire to the point that it will smoke badly. My options are turning up the fuel source (not always what you want, unless you are trying to heat the oven to bake something), or to use a damper.

A Dickenson cook stove is extremely reliable. It's popularity with serious boat people in the Pacific Northwest is very well deserved.