Day tank only for diesel Dickinson?

[Cadence]

The approach we used was to install a separate fuel pick-up in the main tank and a small, cheap, electric automobile pump. The fuel pick up can be a simple jury rigged set up: drill a hole, thread it, screw in (with epoxy) a brass tube fitting with a long tube soldered in place the right length to reach the bottom of the tank.

Wingssail's approach was my thought also. No manual filling and not much chance of causing problems with your engine fuel supply.

[01kiwijohn]

WE use a Dickinson Alaska, off the main tank. I teed into the supply from the tank, running the fuel thru a 2 micron filter, with a CHECK Valve on the filter outlet side,use the heavier duty pump that Dickinson supply.
To reduce pump noise, I used 1/4 inch thick rubber washers, under the pump mounting, which enables me to just hear it ticking ( I have never had a visitor notice it) so I know that it's working.
Dickinson also supply a heat activated fuel shut off, that is activated by excessive chimney temp. Get one, it's a comforting addition!
Stay warm and dry, enjoy!

[Sawleeah]

We have used an electric pump from the main tank to the Dickinson stove for many years. Two little wrinkles on this:
1) Put an in-line filter ahead of the pump.
2) Make the line for the stove pick up about 6" higher in the tank than the main pick up for the engine. This way the stove can't drain the tank to a level that will leave you with not enough fuel to go and get more fuel.


Rod

[Jdeuel]

Had a Dickinson heater on a past boat and used a day tank that gravity fed the heater. Filled the tank from the top with a jug. I was proud of that tank, though-fabbed it from an old fire extinguisher. Got it free from an extinguisher service place. Fitted a valve on the neck, threaded a male cap to the other end, and braised a couple of elbows to the side to install a sight glass. Kept the boat warm and bone dry (no condensation) night after night with no power draw once the combustion fan was turned off.

[CarinaPDX]

I use a 15 gallon day tank for the engine and heater, with a proper vane-type fuel transfer pump to refill from the keel tank. I used to have a Walbro automotive fuel pump for the heater but found the tick-tick-tick a bit annoying when trying to fall asleep (the pump was in the soundproofed engine compartment). As it turns out the day tank was high enough to gravity feed the heater, so now it is peaceful.

Diesel heaters are pretty safe if used properly. The main issue is with backdrafting, which can be avoided with the optional fan.

The only diesel heater that I have experience with that is dangerous is the Hi-Seas. They are long out of business due to burning down customer boats (technically they closed because they could not find insurance - as a result of the losses from boat fires). I left my boat briefly, only to come back to hot diesel covering the cabin sole and a flame still in the burner - a very close call. If any of you have one of these please don't even consider using it again.

Greg

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Apparently you don't use the heater when underway? (this comment also applies to the person who has 5 gallon jugs as heater tanks)

Our lifestyle in the 10 years we lived aboard in Seattle included boat use 12 months out of the year. Rain, sleet, snow, ice...no matter, we used the boat constantly because our purpose for living on it was to use it, not to be hunkered down in a cabin. Some of our best trips were done on those frozen days when the air was still and cold, the mountains white, and snow was on the fir tree boughs. With the heater we could be underway in 25 degree weather but be toasty down below, wearing normal jeans and wool shirt. Outside, our Cowichin sweater and cap, and Judy's bomber cap, plus mittens, and a warm cuppa, did the trick.

We kept, and still keep, the boat ready to go. Not much sitting around which needs to be put away to go sailing, no clutter in the galley. In the winter we had a full boat cover to take off, 15 minutes, then we untie and are gone.

So set up your boat to have heat, but keep it moving. Else why have it?

You may have misunderstood my comment, if motoring, I'm using engine heat, however if sailing the stove still works fine. Because the engine is not used at the same time.
Without a day tank of some sort, you must isolate the stove fuel line from the engine, or it can (and has slurped up the fuel in the engine fuel line.
A small valve before the filter for the stove prevents this back flow.
The PUMP by the way is slow and quiet, I zip tied mine to my fuel fill hose in the locker,and cannot hear it.
The control for the stove is just a bowl and variable valve turned by hand.
Without a directional Exaust hood,be aware that the stove can back puff, or even go out, while sailing.
Soot is minimal if you run it hot and open the doors, that's a bit wasteful but does suffice to dry out the cabin.
We used it extensively during or 3 weeks sailing the San Juans from SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.
Always dry and warm.
Cheers,
SV Cloud Duster

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Jdeuel

Had a Dickinson heater on a past boat and used a day tank that gravity fed the heater. Filled the tank from the top with a jug. I was proud of that tank, though-fabbed it from an old fire extinguisher. Got it free from an extinguisher service place. Fitted a valve on the neck, threaded a male cap to the other end, and braised a couple of elbows to the side to install a sight glass. Kept the boat warm and bone dry (no condensation) night after night with no power draw once the combustion fan was turned off.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Sawleeah

We have used an electric pump from the main tank to the Dickinson stove for many years. Two little wrinkles on this:
1) Put an in-line filter ahead of the pump.
2) Make the line for the stove pick up about 6" higher in the tank than the main pick up for the engine. This way the stove can't drain the tank to a level that will leave you with not enough fuel to go and get more fuel.


Rod

Would this design NOT, draw air into the fuel line?
Thought I'd ask.
SV Cloud Duster

[scherzoja]

I also have Dickinson Newport and am designing a fuel delivery system that will pump fuel to the heater's gravity tank via the fuel polishing circuit. This circuit can polish the fuel and return to main tank or run the fuel through the polishing filters, then over to the gravity tank and back to the main tank. When the gravity tank (~5 gallons) fills up, the excess will circulate back to the main tank. this return line is also the gravity tank's vent line, so that vent is the same as the main tank, overboard.

Another feature is that there two valves that can divert gravity fuel to the main engine in case the main engine fuel pump fails.

Aside from filling the gravity tank, the polishing circuit can supply fuel to the main engine or the generator (if either fails). The generator also has its own fuel delivery system.

Back to the heater fuel delivery and Dickinson heater. There is a small (~1 qt) over flow canister under the heater to contain any fuel that overflows the dickinson valve. This canister is sealed to lessen the diesel odor in the boat, but has a vent hose that goes back to the gravity tank. I don't know if these heaters ever overflow, but the manual states that overflow is possible, so now it has somewhere to go and it is a closed system, except for the dickinson's float valve/burner.

All the tank venting goes out through the main tank's overboard vent.

One last feature of this design (not shown on the diagram) is that there is a valve between the main tank and the first filter (F) on the polishing circuit that has a hose to be dropped into a fuel source (bucket, drum, 5 gallon jugs, etc...) so I can run the fuel through the polishing filters when taking on fuel from questionable containers.

[wgerstmyer]

How do you use two jerry cans as swap-able day tanks? Sounds like a method I would like to utilize, maybe with 1-or 2-gallon ones. Thanks

[Badsanta]

Sorry for the thread drift. But I have that same heater. How do you get it to burn well ? I keep trying but it either gets to hot or burns out. Cant seem to get a sweet spot. Should i use kerosene in the separate tank? Thanks

Originally Posted by swisel

I've done a number of years as a Winter liveaboard in Toronto and used a Dickinson stove (a really good stove by the way). I ran with a day tank pumped from the main tank via a Y valve. For a day tank I lucked out and had a stainless 1 gal tank from a Taylor bulkhead heater I had used previously (not so great). The tank had a sight gauge and I installed a float valve to control the pump. Worked great.
What I would do differently next time is that I would visit Dickenson's website and purchase one of their supply pumps. The electrical needs are moderate and the plumbing is easy. The pump comes in two flavours that depend on the length of your delivery line.
Either way, you have a good heater.

[swisel]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

Sorry for the thread drift. But I have that same heater. How do you get it to burn well ? I keep trying but it either gets to hot or burns out. Cant seem to get a sweet spot. Should i use kerosene in the separate tank? Thanks

It's been a while but if I recall from my installation the first thing is to get the flue operating well; it'll pay off big in the end. A minimum flue length of 4 feet (there is a maximum but I don't remember what that is). A barometric dampener is a nice touch. Dickinson's website is a good starting point.and their email support is very helpful as well.
Once the flue is good getting it to burn well should be easy. Alcohol was my starting fluid. After the diesel has been introduced, I used the heater fan on its lowest setting for normal use and higher settings for higher fuel settings (very rarely used). I should also mention that the oven not be used until the stove is at running temperature.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by wgerstmyer

How do you use two jerry cans as swap-able day tanks? Sounds like a method I would like to utilize, maybe with 1-or 2-gallon ones. Thanks

Generally people would put them on deck. They have to be higher than the heater and if not on deck then on a counter top. A hose going to the heater connection would snake around the cabin somehow.

If you want details as to what it should look like, check out one of the old Beverly Hillbilly TV shows.

It's all sort of slapdash in my opinion and it's one more thing that prevents you from going to sea.

[Seagirt]

This is exactly why I searched out this thread. I fired up the Hi Seas heater for the first time last week that came with the boat and had diesel leaking from the heater in two different places, no control of the flame, and it took over an hour to burn out after I unhooked the fuel supply. I ripped it out the next day and got a Dickinson which I plan to install pronto. Advice on this thread has been great!

I was also thinking of having swappable day tanks, similar to the jerry can idea, and manually filling them outside the boat and I don't see why this wouldn't work. I agree with Wingssail that a boat should always be ready to move but portable fuel tanks can be fitted into a secure spot and it shouldn't be a reason to not take the boat out. Portable tanks carrying gasoline are used all the time in moving boats. I'm sure there would be more smell and spill associated with this procedure and that is enough for me to opt for the extra expense of pumping the fuel directly to the day tank. A place here in town provides custom sized tanks relatively inexpensively that will fit nicely into some unused space (just have to check it is the correct height above the heater).

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I use a 15 gallon day tank for the engine and heater, with a proper vane-type fuel transfer pump to refill from the keel tank. I used to have a Walbro automotive fuel pump for the heater but found the tick-tick-tick a bit annoying when trying to fall asleep (the pump was in the soundproofed engine compartment). As it turns out the day tank was high enough to gravity feed the heater, so now it is peaceful.

Diesel heaters are pretty safe if used properly. The main issue is with backdrafting, which can be avoided with the optional fan.

The only diesel heater that I have experience with that is dangerous is the Hi-Seas. They are long out of business due to burning down customer boats (technically they closed because they could not find insurance - as a result of the losses from boat fires). I left my boat briefly, only to come back to hot diesel covering the cabin sole and a flame still in the burner - a very close call. If any of you have one of these please don't even consider using it again.

Greg

[wgerstmyer]

Yes, we have finally gotten the hang of our “Dickie.” Things have slimmed down on the day tanks. I did originally outfit two 2-gallon jerry jugs with quick disconnect fittings. Though I got metal, and the reviews were good, there was still a little leakage and I quickly eliminated that aspect in version 2.
Since my jug was now hard-wired I needed to fill it where was and so I finally ended up with a funnel installed in a watering can—so I have a hand for the can and a hand on the 5-gallon jug. I do both fills without any spills.