Day tank only for diesel Dickinson?

[wgerstmyer]

How did you connect a jerry can to the 3/8” supply hose?
I bought a 3-gallon plastic fuel tank that has a lot of separation between the fill cap on the right and the outlet connector on the left; by placing it on its side with the cap up high and the outlet down low I end up getting to utilize about 2 gallons before the fuel level drops below the outlet—so it is workable as a gravity feed high up in the closet behind my Newport. Since I fill this every other day (we run it continuously) It is fine but I am always looking for a better way to skin the cat and that’s why I ask.

[Seagirt]

Originally Posted by wgerstmyer

From your diesel tank a 3/8” hose goes to the inlet (top right). The knob on top determines the flow of fuel which you calibrate by way of the center bottom metal tube (you disconnect the metal tube and time how long it takes to fill a teaspoon). You are correct that the lower right connector is for an overflow hose—I have had this one off for a few weeks now by chance and nothing comes out of it but it is important they say.

Thanks wgerstmyer. Any idea what that very bottom port is for, in the picture near the electrical wires?

[wgerstmyer]

Oh, I see it now. That hose connector is completely unusual as I’ve never seen that before. Perhaps it is a rerouted overflow connector, but that is weird because, as I said, the overflow may rarely happen so why not leave it where it is. Take off the stainless wrapper —at least the bottom piece—and see where this connector goes.
That area is also important for air flow and I had a breakthrough when I attached a 3” duct to the 3” hole in the bottom plate for direct outside air to the heater. That created ideal flames every time. I have since cut the supply duct back to just a 1 1/2” hose and it still works perfectly but all this is a way of saying I wouldn’t want a hose connection to your “odd” connector down there as I prize my air flow in that region.

[Boatyarddog]

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

From what I've experienced with my Dickenson, and have read the available literature.
A baro. Dampener would be used on longer runs of pipe, to slow down the flue rise.
With shorter runs to 4ft. Do not use the dampener.
The manafacturer recommended a heat reflector plate to help the combustion process.LOW SULPHER DIESEL
be SURE the pipe and combustion chamber is clean, the burn pot, and the float chamber and metering valve isn't gooey or clogged, also the pipe to the burn pot
I've found debris likes to get into the hole where the fuel enters the burn pot, usually the small piece of wadded paper or cotton won't burn all the way during start up.
You can then try to feather the burner fan till the stove gets revved up.
Then regulate and monitor the results.
Cheers
SV Cloud Duster

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Seagirt

Attachment 206351

What are these three open connections? Two from the oil metering and valve and the third stemming from below near the wires.

Fuel enters the smaller one, and the other is supposed to collect any overflow from the fuel bowl should it clog the needle valve and allow it to remain open.
I'll recheck, but this fitting on the bottom is tapped to fit in the fuel tube below the burner, I believe it's a clean out. Why the hose bib?
Mine is blocked with a hole plug.
I've only found debris in this area.
I was looking for a parts break down, haven't found it though.
SV Cloud Duster

[Seagirt]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Fuel enters the smaller one, and the other is supposed to collect any overflow from the fuel bowl should it clog the needle valve and allow it to remain open.
I'll recheck, but this fitting on the bottom is tapped to fit in the fuel tube below the burner, I believe it's a clean out. Why the hose bib?
Mine is blocked with a hole plug.
I've only found debris in this area.
I was looking for a parts break down, haven't found it though.
SV Cloud Duster

Thanks Boatyarddog. The hose bib was on the stove when I bought it (previous owner never got around to installing it).

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Fuel enters the smaller one, and the other is supposed to collect any overflow from the fuel bowl should it clog the needle valve and allow it to remain open.
I'll recheck, but this fitting on the bottom is tapped to fit in the fuel tube below the burner, I believe it's a clean out. Why the hose bib?
Mine is blocked with a hole plug.
I've only found debris in this area.
I was looking for a parts break down, haven't found it though.
SV Cloud Duster

Those looking for excellent information on these Dickenson heaters and stoves.
PLEASE check out this Amazing link.

http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/Manua...ual-2011-2.pdf

Cheers, Happy heating?
SV Cloud Duster

[Seagirt]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Those looking for excellent information on these Dickenson heaters and stoves.

PLEASE check out this Amazing link.



http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/Manua...ual-2011-2.pdf



Cheers, Happy heating?

SV Cloud Duster

Geez, I’m sure I’ve read that manual three times front to back, but this time I found the hint on page 34 under “Cleaning the fuel line”. Thanks for mentioning that you have a plug there! That hose barb on mine was a bit of a red herring.

[wgerstmyer]

It takes a while to learn your Dickinson and to not over-do the adjustments.
We were terrible at it for a couple of weeks, but by a month we got it to run sweetly.
A couple of hints that got us over the hump:
1) I use a gravity feed where my 3-gallon tank is a few feet above the burner. Despite the fact that the tank’s fill cap has a vent, I found that I needed to unscrew the cap to let air in and avoid starving the heater due to the air inside the tank creating a vacuum. This may not apply to you.
2) calibrate your drip feed. Ours is at 1 teaspoon in 1 minute.
3) direct outside air (started with a 3” flexible duct but have moved to a 1.5” fuel hose since it could be completely hidden from view and was already attached to a through-deck. It seems to work just as well and our use of the fan is now almost zero.
4) we bought it used and it had a barometric damper though we can’t get it to swing freely. W have only 4’ of flue (and I think the longer the better, even if that means mounting closer to the floor) and we have the damper flap open to about 1/4” with a metal spacer we inserted under the flap. Similarly, we have the Low Sulfur Baffle and I believe it helps but do not know definitively.
Operation: sweet spot is what you want—don’t mess with perfect yellow flames above the ring because you want more heat. Just accept that an efficient burn is the best heat you will get. Do not be concerned about what number on the dial is needed, our neighbor here is steady at 2 and we are steady at 4.
Aim to use the fan as little as possible. At first we liked a little bit of fan on all the time to try to counter the random but typical occurrence of downdrafts. The direct supply air cancels out that need.
Trying to feather the fan speed to match the fuel flow can get you overly wrapped up in tweaks and the goal is to let it run and never have to attend to it. Ours has been on steadily now for two weeks and gets our C&C 41’ To about 55-60 degrees (we supplement with a ceramic electric during the day and sometimes at night). About a gallon or so per day. The burner pot seems to clean itself with steady efficient burns.
The Dickinson advice to only adjust or tweak after waiting 10 minutes is on the right track for learning purposes but that is not your aim. What you want is to get it right on the first start up. For us, we rarely got the initial burn (fuel of a couple of tablespoons sitting in the burner pot before lighting; turn fuel to zero and turn fan on a notch) to rise up above the rings very much before starting to die back down (when you turn up your fuel to the sweet number and turn the fan off). Hence, for the first 5 minutes we are simply watching the flames for any growth and then for any recognizable decline (and for us, that decline can be considerable). Once we turn the fuel up (which used to be to just 2 but now is 4) we are looking for a perfect above the rings yellow flame in pretty short order, maybe a few minutes, tops. So dial your knob to whatever number will get you that or, I would suggest, let it die, wait, and start over. Anything less than above the rings and you will find yourself ducking around and wasting time: the heater is made to work just one way and when it does, little will perturb it.
It is true that you can get the occasional mini explosion. The downdraft is so strong that it drops your flame to nothing, the metal starts a ticking sound as it’s temp drops and you hold your breathe for a few seconds. While it seems scary I can tell you that a consistently running heater will jump back to its perfect flame within seconds of the mini “pop” sound as the small bit of non-combusted fuel that gathers when not burning will reignite. I have not heard of anyone finding these dangerous and have heard of many owners who leave their heater running non-stop so my unscientific study tells me these episodes are not threatening. I’d be eager to hear from someone who knows differently.
I hope this helps. Jeremy (tech support) at Dickinson is helpful, probably advised me a half dozen times.