The lowdown on Refleks/Taylors drip fed diesel heaters please.

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fredrussell

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Next winter I intend to keep my boat in the water and am interested to hear people's real life experiences of the above mentioned heaters please. My boat (Super Seal 26) has an outboard engine with a 6 amp charging circuit that charges a 110 leisure battery, so I would prefer a heater that uses as minimal an amount of battery power as possible. The boat does have a solar panel fitted, but its a small one (20 watt I think) best suited to keeping battery topped up during summer months.

I have an eberspacher in my camper van and absolutely love it but feel in the case of my boat this is not the way I wish to go. I only say this to dissuade people from extolling the virtues of eber/webasto/propex heaters. My boat currently has a catalytic gas heater which I find is a good little heater but only manages to keep up with milder winter weather. Also, my gas locker takes Gaz cylinders only, which means I am restricted to butane only - not much good for a catalytic or Propex heater as the temp plummets. If people who have owned Refleks/Taylors heaters could answer a few questions I would appreciate it. So...

Is there much difference in ease of operation and reliability between Refleks and Taylors heaters?

Can a Refleks heater operate with a non gravity-fed remote tank like a Taylors can?

Do boats with these heaters inevitably end up with a whiff of diesel about them?

Does one brand out do the other in terms of parts availability?

Do these heaters ever 'flare up' unexpectedly?

Any other useful tips or observations for the potential Refleks/Taylors owner would be much appreciated.
 
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fredrussell said:
Is there much difference in ease of operation and reliability between Refleks and Taylors heaters?

No experience of Taylors. Refleks needs practice before lighting becomes easy. Once lit keeps going

Can a Refleks heater operate with a non gravity-fed remote tank like a Taylors can?

Yes, I've got a low pressure electric pump which lifts diesel from a tank in the bilge.

Do boats with these heaters inevitably end up with a whiff of diesel about them?

Nope. Only smell, and it's common to all of them , is if you get a huge downdraught which blows them out. Then you get a cabin full of smoke. Never happened to me.

Does one brand out do the other in terms of parts availability?

Can't comment on Taylors. Reflecks (Danish) service is second to none. English spoken and you are put straight through to an engineer if you've got any concerns

Do these heaters ever 'flare up' unexpectedly?

Not in my experience.

Any other useful tips or observations for the potential Refleks/Taylors owner would be much appreciated.

Mount it as low down in the cabin as you can. I've got a bulkhead mounted Reflecks and wish it was lower.
Click to expand...

If it's not clear, you'll find my replies in the quote above
 
fredrussell said:
Next winter I intend to keep my boat in the water and am interested to hear people's real life experiences of the above mentioned heaters please. My boat (Super Seal 26) has an outboard engine with a 6 amp charging circuit that charges a 110 leisure battery, so I would prefer a heater that uses as minimal an amount of battery power as possible. The boat does have a solar panel fitted, but its a small one (20 watt I think) best suited to keeping battery topped up during summer months.

I have an eberspacher in my camper van and absolutely love it but feel in the case of my boat this is not the way I wish to go. I only say this to dissuade people from extolling the virtues of eber/webasto/propex heaters. My boat currently has a catalytic gas heater which I find is a good little heater but only manages to keep up with milder winter weather. Also, my gas locker takes Gaz cylinders only, which means I am restricted to butane only - not much good for a catalytic or Propex heater as the temp plummets. If people who have owned Refleks/Taylors heaters could answer a few questions I would appreciate it. So...

Is there much difference in ease of operation and reliability between Refleks and Taylors heaters?

Can a Refleks heater operate with a non gravity-fed remote tank like a Taylors can?

Do boats with these heaters inevitably end up with a whiff of diesel about them?

Does one brand out do the other in terms of parts availability?

Do these heaters ever 'flare up' unexpectedly?

Any other useful tips or observations for the potential Refleks/Taylors owner would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...

See also my comments to the post on "cabin heater advice". The Taylors diesel heater certainly does not flare up and does not smell. I last did some serious maintenance in my Taylors 16 years ago but this was mostly just labour and scraping out some carbon so nearly maintenance free. There is a technique to lighting the taylors which is basically squirting in a set volume of meths using an eye-wash bottle, light the meths with a taper, wait 2 minutes, turn on pump and the dripfeed diesel valve. Current consumption from my 12v fuel pump is minute as the pump just gives a 1/10 of a second click of the diaphragm every minute. In the winter i keep the heater on all night without worry and it kees the cabin very condensation free except for some on the portlights.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Never had a Taylor's or Reflex but did have a Dickinson and would have again.

I did did get some blow back that filled the cabin with smoke when anchored in below the Cuillins in strong winds with ferocious down drafts that set the boat dancing one time but apart from that one time, no problems.
 
I had a Refleks for 30 years and would second all Old Varnish says. Totally dependable heater, happy to leave it on all night or when out for the evening. Best bit of kit I've ever had.
 
It really should not need to be said, but as with anything that involves burning something in or near your sleeping space - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WORKING CO DETECTOR!
 
Anyone know whether it is possible in practice to start either of these stoves without the use of meths ? I had an Optimus Nova pressure camping stove (I know it's a bit different) which was supposed to be started with meths but being uber careful with the feed needle meant I was able to start it without which is much prefereable when hiking. It would be graet if these boat stoves were the same as otherwise the need to keep an extra form of fuel (meths) on the boat would rule them out for me.

Boo2
 
Why can't you keep a small bottle of meths aboard?
As I understand it, you can start them using diesel but it is slow and smelly.
I've heard of people using firelighters to start them as well. But meths would be the easiest and least smelly option.
 
Boo2 said:
Anyone know whether it is possible in practice to start either of these stoves without the use of meths ? I had an Optimus Nova pressure camping stove (I know it's a bit different) which was supposed to be started with meths but being uber careful with the feed needle meant I was able to start it without which is much prefereable when hiking. It would be graet if these boat stoves were the same as otherwise the need to keep an extra form of fuel (meths) on the boat would rule them out for me.

Boo2
Click to expand...

The Taylors diesel heater can only afaik only be started with meths. Can't be done with just diesel as diesel has to be heated before it will vaporise and then able to ignite. I keep my meths in one of these https://www.wish.com/m/c/5208aa0d3d...&force_native_view=1&_display_country_code=GB and i have marked it in graduations down the side with one graduation per dose for starting. This little bottle lasts me all winter (ok about 20 lightings of the heater) so hardly a problem in keping on board.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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Thanks folks for a wealth of info and viewpoints. One further question though; some online images seem to show heaters of this ilk with a narrower flue - I would guess 30mm or so, whilst others have a larger width flue. Which heater has the narrower flue please?
 
The Dickinsons Newport drip feed diesel heater can be started with a spoonful of diesel, ( you can use contaminated diesel to start, as it goes up the flue) and it works heeled under sail at least in light winds, never tried it in blustery weather.

There is some sort of flame failure device, but it's never tripped, the flames never went out..so far anyway..

The heater is an absolute godsend, no electricity needed although mine is fitted with a little internal blower which makes it a bit quicker to warm up but you don't need it.

It kicks out several kW, setting 2 starts blistering paint on the deck head, and it goes up to 5 for overwintering in Svalbord etc ;)

Totally recommended but pricey (mine came with the boat luckily)
 
fredrussell said:
Thanks folks for a wealth of info and viewpoints. One further question though; some online images seem to show heaters of this ilk with a narrower flue - I would guess 30mm or so, whilst others have a larger width flue. Which heater has the narrower flue please?
Click to expand...

I can only speak for Taylors heatrrs. The presurised paraffin fired model has a small 30mm ish flue and the drip feed diesel fired one has a 50mm flue.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Plum said:
The Taylors diesel heater can only afaik only be started with meths. Can't be done with just diesel as diesel has to be heated before it will vaporise and then able to ignite. I keep my meths in one of these https://www.wish.com/m/c/5208aa0d3d...&force_native_view=1&_display_country_code=GB and i have marked it in graduations down the side with one graduation per dose for starting. This little bottle lasts me all winter (ok about 20 lightings of the heater) so hardly a problem in keping on board.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Click to expand...

I always start my Taylors 079D with a small gas blowtorch - have never used meths. Just heat the burner pot from below and then 'pop' the fumes by playing the blowtorch flame through the open cap. It doesn't have to be a big plumber's blowtorch by the way, even a wand-type gas stove lighter will work, if a little more slowly.
 
Are you serious about your questions or just want to have some attention.
All answerds you'll find on manufacturer webside.
 
mbu745 said:
Are you serious about your questions or just want to have some attention.
All answerds you'll find on manufacturer webside.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, welcome to the forum.
You are absolutely correct, how dare the original poster ask for some real world experience of something before deciding to buy. Very bad form indeed to be asking questions.
 
Reflex heaters can be started on diesel alone, but It is a little easier and quicker to add a small quantity (about 30 mls) of metho.
 
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