FORCED AIR DIESEL HEATER URGENT WARNING

[hpeer]

We have one in each boat. No mufflers, don’t hear the need. Big boats exhaust is right at max distance. Did once experience wind conditions at dock that pushed exhaust into boat and set off alarm.

We used the one on the big boat extensively when moored in Delaware. D4 ran hadd when it got down to 1°F. I keep a spare glow plug and fan.

[Supers0nic]

I use a Wallas heater with the exhaust pipe fully exposed inside the cabin for easy examination. Up here in Maine my biggest concern is the exhaust being blocked by snow. This too must be carefully monitored.

[Lennie]

Just repaired an exhaust leak caused by a poorly installed Webasto. The heater exhaust was hose clamped to the engine exhaust hose creating a hole in the hose. And the engine exhaust was not supported properly so it moved enough to break the heater exhaust. And if that wasn't enough the engine blower hose was laying on top of the heater exhaust melting it!
Lucky to be alive...

[Tenedos]

Latecomer to this thread but I am planning to install one of the cheaper Chinese diesel heaters on my boat. I read the mufflers are crap and better to replace them. I found the Espar / Eberspacher Exhaust Silencer (24mm) as a potential replacement, then I found this thread...

Is this the one you are recommending to avoid? If so, is there a good 24mm alternative?

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Cabo Jim

I have been running my Espar diesel heater lately and tonight I could not hear anything coming from the exhaust outlet on the stern. On further inspection the outlet was cold. The heater in the boat was blowing full blast. I opened the starboard cockpit lazarette and followed the exhaust pipe from the heater up to the muffler. Very difficult to see so I used a mirror and could see the muffler had corroded at the outlet and had disconnected from the exhaust pipe. The result was exhaust fumes from the heater were filling the stern compartment of the boat. The Espar heater gets it fresh air from the same compartment. This is a source for Carbon Monoxide to be circulated into the main cabin. Fortunately we never run the heater without a fresh air source and never run it while we sleep. After searching the internet I learned the muffler I have is the type used in automobile heater applications and there is a specific stainless steel version for marine applications. I do not know how or why the automotive type muffler was installed but I will be installing the stainless marine type. If you have an Espar or other diesel heater, it is a good idea to check the condition of the exhaust system. They don't call CO the silent killer for nothing. Also here is a link to a story about a near fatality.
https://www.sailmagazine.com/cruisin...ads-to-tragedy
I concur with Ali Wisch, "If I'm going to die on my sailboat it sure as hell better not be at the dock!"

Sounds to me like your espar is installed incorrectly. It should not be getting its "room air" from the same space as the combustion air and/or the same compartment as the exhaust. there should be a "cold air" return in the main cabin to draw in air from the cabine to be heated by the Espar. There also should be a CO detector in the compartment with humans and one also in the compartment with the heater.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by newhaul

one thing to point out co is a heavy gas so mount your sensors just below your sleeping platform heights. The opposite is true with smoke detectors they should be mounted as high as practicable in the cabin. ( this is the reason I hate those all in one units. )

CO is only very slightly heavier than air and can drift up or down with even a breath. This is why CO detectors should be placed at head level when sleeping with a CO generating device.

http://www.stadealer.com/uploads/1/8...tionheight.pdf

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Latecomer to this thread but I am planning to install one of the cheaper Chinese diesel heaters on my boat. I read the mufflers are crap and better to replace them. I found the Espar / Eberspacher Exhaust Silencer (24mm) as a potential replacement, then I found this thread...

Is this the one you are recommending to avoid? If so, is there a good 24mm alternative?

no need or desire for a muffler with these things on a boat .
They are not that loud and that is 2 fewer connections to leak exhaust gasses into the boat .

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

CO is only very slightly heavier than air and can drift up or down with even a breath. This is why CO detectors should be placed at head level when sleeping with a CO generating device.

http://www.stadealer.com/uploads/1/8...tionheight.pdf

I have worked my fair share of hvac systems the best location for a co detector is approx knee height. Any lower and it is getting into the dead zone of the corner between the bulkhead and sole . A little below the captains sea berth.

[SV DINGO]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Latecomer to this thread but I am planning to install one of the cheaper Chinese diesel heaters on my boat. I read the mufflers are crap and better to replace them. I found the Espar / Eberspacher Exhaust Silencer (24mm) as a potential replacement, then I found this thread...

Is this the one you are recommending to avoid? If so, is there a good 24mm alternative?

Hi,

we installed one of the Chinese diesel heaters on dingo about 10 month ago.
Yes the muffler is simply crap. Put one side into your mouth , cover the other side with you hand , blow and you can feel the air coming out of the sides. Outright dangerous piece. No issue as you really dont need it at all and as someone else posted , less connections , less potential leaks. We run it daily for hours and for the money we spent it is one of the best buys we have ever made. I bought a second one which i keep under the bed for spares etc. Highly recommend it. On Youtube i saw that someone has come up with a model with a small heat exchanger to heat water but so far i could not find a source to buy it.

[Warby12]

I don't think you need a muffler. Our exhaust is only 60cm long and the noise is minimal. The mufflers that come with the cheap heaters are not airtight at all. I think the best way is to make sure your exhaust pipe and hull fitting are marine quality and fit multiple CO detectors.

[Cabo Jim]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Latecomer to this thread but I am planning to install one of the cheaper Chinese diesel heaters on my boat. I read the mufflers are crap and better to replace them. I found the Espar / Eberspacher Exhaust Silencer (24mm) as a potential replacement, then I found this thread...

Is this the one you are recommending to avoid? If so, is there a good 24mm alternative?

If you decide to use an exhaust muffler, just make sure it is all stainless steel and not galvanized steel.

[Tenedos]

Thank you all. I was considering to get an Espar integrated silencer with insulation but previous posts have convinced me to just go with a stainless steel exhaust and a good insulation without any muffler. Appreciate the input.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Thank you all. I was considering to get an Espar integrated silencer with insulation but previous posts have convinced me to just go with a stainless steel exhaust and a good insulation without any muffler. Appreciate the input.

Add a muffler to the system. It makes a HUGE difference. over the winter I used my heater to heat my boat while working on it. I have a nice quality stainless muffler in my system and my neighbour 3 boats over has a similar unit without the exhaust. I can hear his unit running ( the exhaust noise) over mine when I'm sitting in my cockpit. My exhaust out let at that point is 10 ft from my ear and his is nearly 60ft away!

[Chotu]

I’m going to try to convert one to run off gasoline/petrol like on some YouTube videos I’ve seen. Possibly best to install the experimental unit on deck I’m thinking in case of some unforeseen issue, such as the “flame out” safety malfunctioning.

I need a couple gasoline/petrol 5kw heaters and they only make 2kw gas/petrol as far as I can see.

[Warby12]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Add a muffler to the system. It makes a HUGE difference. over the winter I used my heater to heat my boat while working on it. I have a nice quality stainless muffler in my system and my neighbour 3 boats over has a similar unit without the exhaust. I can hear his unit running ( the exhaust noise) over mine when I'm sitting in my cockpit. My exhaust out let at that point is 10 ft from my ear and his is nearly 60ft away!

Good point. I base our not needing a muffler on us being on anchor, not in a marina. In a marina it's a very good idea. (a marine muffler)