aircon or diesel heating??

[stefan_r]

What's the opinion of the forum-I want to get heating for my 45' motor boat...I am based UK and am thinking of getting aircon as I understand that it dehumidifies the boat also. The reverse cycle - according to the salesman will heat the boat so that's okay for staying on board during the winter but is this a pack of lies??

I want a system that I can leave running on a thermostat and timer to keep the boat dehumidified and warm in winter...the summer months in the UK aren't so much of an issue so I would just be using the dehumidification power of the aircon in the summer and a bit of cool...

Or should I just go Eberspacher and live with warm moist air (I have been told that Eberspacher etc etc don't dehumidify).

What do you reckon??

mailto: stefan@athito.com

 

[Guest]

It is true that air con dehumidifies the air, but only when on the cooling cycle. (It is different in a car as even when on heat setting using engine coolant heat, the cooler system can be operated to pre-dehumidify the incoming air). Air conditioners are very efficient in that they 'pump' heat. In other words they extract warmth from the outside to warm the inside, and vice versa for cooling - a difficult principle to grasp sometimes. This process means you get more cooling or heat energy from the unit than the electricity required to run the thing. Check on the power consumption and compare electricity cost to diesel though. One drawback I know of is that they can cause the air to become stuffy as they don't normally draw in fresh air.
Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Diesel heating is much better if you are going to use heating without shore power e.g. when you are out for boating or when you are in anchorage.

 

[byron]

I have aircon and very efficient it is too but requires huge amounts of electricty from the gennie, so much so that I find it easier to start the gennie and just plug in a couple of fan heaters. This applies to Marinas too where I have to ensure I plug into the 32 amp supply rather than the 16 amp one. If I were starting again I would go the Webasto or Eberspacher route. I mean... who cares for the odd couple of days a year one needs a/c over here.

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[stefan_r]

Eberspacher it is then - cheers!!NM

Eberspacher it is then - cheers!!

mailto: stefan@athito.com

 

[longjohnsilver]

Have a look at the Mikuni heater. I have one and it is excellent, almost the same as Eberspacher but cheaper.

 

[byron]

Kalimera Stefan, a bit more for you. I had the a/c man to service mine yesterday. Result.... relay gone, not made anymore need new box costs £200. Water pump seized, may be able to fix it but doubtful cost unknown. Saloon unit compressor suspect but cannot verify it until former two are fixed. I haven't even got the Engineer's costs as yet because he can't come back with the bits until two weeks time but I guesstimate I must be looking at a grand all told.
Yep! Stick to C.H. mate - better yet do what I have done and buy 3 x £10 fan heaters (one for each cabin) which seem to be just as effective anyway.

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[stefan_r]

yiasou...the £10 heaters may be an even better idea - at least when at 'home' in Burnham...I am after something that is man enough to heat up a fairly large saloon though and wasn't too impressed with the 2KW unit that I am using at the moment. Also I am a bit worried about leaving leccy heaters running during the week to keep the frost off the inside of the windows!!!

mailto: stefan@athito.com

 

[steve]

I live on my boat and I've been using a fan heater for five years now. When I go off I turn it down to 1000. They usually have a safety feature which shuts down the heat when the unit overheats--this has happened several times when the heater has clogged up with dust (just open and clean). With proper circuit breakers, etc. in addition, I consider it to be very safe. However, my first unit finally packed up after five years (24 hr a day use in winter, and used as fan in summer) and the new one I've bought doesn't produce nearly as much heat for the same amount of watts. Shop around.

 

[byron]

I just leave a greenhouse heater to keep the chill off plus a barheater back cabin and same in the sharp end cabin.

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[charles_reed]

If you want airconditioning you'll either have to fit a generator or only use your airconditioning on shorepower - you'll also need a very deep pocket, even buying a self-contained unit.

Why not use a straight dehumidifier - with a drain into the sink it can be left on all winter (providing you have shorepower) at a capital cost of about £100.

You'll find the best way of drying a boat (providing all your deckheads are sufficiently insulated) is to use hot air, again a fan heater is the most cost-effective way of providing this providing you have shorepower. I've junked my Eberspacher and have lived in the boat at temperatures of -8C in considerable comfort.