Diesel pump for Dickinson diesel heater - How noisy?

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

That's an interesting take, Greg. We've lived aboard a long time, and I've found that such sounds just disappear from my mind. It is changes in sounds or new sounds that get my attention, even small changes.

No doubt we are all sensitive to changes, especially new sounds.

In this case I would describe it as something like "I didn't realize it hurt until I stopped banging my head against the wall". The sound is very small, and in some ways comforting as it indicates that all is well with the heater. If the tank runs empty the pump will repeatedly pulse, a sound that cannot be ignored. So not all bad, and certainly not very bad, but I really like not hearing it now... YMMV

Greg

[Badsanta]

Whats the secret to gettig them to burn right? Iv tried many times and it lights but either doesn't burn well or to hot. People have suggest the new style heater ring or to burn kerosene. Yes I've called them several times, helpfull but no success, Yet. I don't like having to turn it off while sleeping. But you cant constantly monitor it and sleep at the same time. I feel its the low sulphur fuel that causes the burn and soot problems. But I dont want to also carry kerosene.
I guess I should just stay south of where the butter melts.

[sailor1924]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

Whats the secret to gettig them to burn right? Iv tried many times and it lights but either doesn't burn well or to hot. People have suggest the new style heater ring or to burn kerosene. Yes I've called them several times, helpfull but no success, Yet. I don't like having to turn it off while sleeping. But you cant constantly monitor it and sleep at the same time. I feel its the low sulphur fuel that causes the burn and soot problems. But I dont want to also carry kerosene.
I guess I should just stay south of where the butter melts.

There are several variables that affect the burn: What kind of stove do you have? Do you have a balanced draft and combustion air intake? Do you have a draft balance damper? How long is the flue pipe? Is the flue pipe straight? Do you have a downdraft preventer smoke head? Do you have a draft assist fan? Do you have an automatic overburn shutoff?

In my own stove installation after I addressed each of those questions I achieved a completely clean and low maintenance burn. Safe, and I can sleep without worry.
I have installed a draft assist fan which is only used at start up and can be shutdown after the flue heats (maybe 5-7 minutes) enough to create a convective draft. I also installed a down draft preventer called a Vacu-stack and have had no backdraft problems since. I have a draft balance damper which if adjusted properly moves the flame upward above the ring which is needed for a clean burn. I have not installed a separate air inlet but keep a nearby ventilator open to prevent barometric inequality. I use a Walbro low pressure pump and after the start up, I don't hear it, unless it stops working, one click every 30 seconds.

[Badsanta]

Dickenson newport with recommend low pressure pump. Down draft protected, balanced damper. Draft assist fan Dickerson recomened to leave it on the whole time. I Have the overheat shut down. Pipe is about 5 feet with 2- 45° .
I noticed fuel in the overflow tube but have not tried to fire it up for 5 years.

[Cheechako]

For the amount of flow the heater needs the pump wouldn't run much. I think the concern over something going amiss and the pump continuing could be valid though. I vote small day tank.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

Dickenson newport with recommend low pressure pump. Down draft protected, balanced damper. Draft assist fan Dickerson recomened to leave it on the whole time. I Have the overheat shut down. Pipe is about 5 feet with 2- 45° .
I noticed fuel in the overflow tube but have not tried to fire it up for 5 years.

Yep, all of those devices or accessories remind me of the old saw about keeping your nose to the grindstone, your shoulder to the wheel, and your ear to the ground but have you ever tried to work in that position?

[alctel]

I have a 2 gallon daytank I can fill from the main tank using a diesel pump. I found it at a consignment store for 35 bucks

[topmast]

I rather like to soft clicking ,Subconscious monitoring, Never had a problem off the main tanks Big range on 24/7 for months. On my sailboat had a 2 gal day tank.gravity to carb and filled from injector return or electric transfer pump. Overflow back to main tank of choice and could double as emergency fuel reserve . for bleeding or out of fuel .Don't ask if I ever used it for that. The pump was conected to a manual timer from an old microwave and you just dial in how long it runs. Must have high temp melt plug on carb The old ones didn't. Turning it too low at night will guarantee soot in the morning.

[sailor1924]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

Dickenson newport with recommend low pressure pump. Down draft protected, balanced damper. Draft assist fan Dickerson recomened to leave it on the whole time. I Have the overheat shut down. Pipe is about 5 feet with 2- 45° .
I noticed fuel in the overflow tube but have not tried to fire it up for 5 years.

Have you done a flow rate test?
When I had the Dickenson downdraft cap the stove got blown out and backdrafted pretty regularly.
I should tell you I've got a Sigmar which Dickenson now owns. Depending on the age of your stove it may or may not have the Sig style burner. The Sig burns somewhat cleaner by all reports.

[Badsanta]

How do you do a flow test?

[buzzstar]

A flow test is to determine the volume of liquid that is moved by whatever method, in this case from a pump, into a line, to a heater, stove, or whatever, in a specific amount of time. For example, you might detach the end of the fuel line that goes into the stove, and while keeping it at the same height, start the pump running the output into a container for 15 seconds. Next, measure the amount of fuel in the container, say, by pouring it into a measuring cup, multiply the result by four, and you will determine how much the pump moves in a minute. If there is a delay in the start of the flow, you would start the timing when the fuel starts coming out of the line. The figures for what a pump should produce are typically available, but if not, the quantity used by the stove (heater, or whatever) is. Both numbers are important. If the pump moves enough fuel to feed the device properly, despite not performing to its own specs, this is OK, at least temporarily. If the pump operating to its intended capacity? Good. Even if it is not, it could be enough for the heater, but it may indicate the pump is in the process of failing or is otherwise unreliable, and an inspection, rebuild or replacement should be considered and accomplished as soon as feasible.

[sailor1924]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

How do you do a flow test?

It's a simple matter of disconnecting the the outlet at the metering valve with some kind of container under the outlet, turning on the valve and counting the number of drops of diesel in a fixed time period, I don't remember how many drops per minute. There's a description in the owner's manual of how to do it. It will establish a baseline for troubleshooting your burn problems.
http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/Manua...ual-2011-2.pdf
flow test page 27
I've published the below photo of the downdraft cap in other threads about diesel heaters, I can't recommend it highly enough.