backing for new heater

chal

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I'd probably get more replies to this on PBO but I'd like to see this forum flourish, so here goes:

I've taken out my old heater and am fitting a new-to-me Taylors diesel burner. The old heater had heatproof boards behind and around that seem to have done a good job and I would like to retain them in order to do something to keep costs down. On top of them was a thin layer of copper(?) sheet that looked quite nice but was past its best and was damaged beyond useability by the removal process. Anyone either know anywhere I could get something to replace this with, or have any suggestions for an alternative? I don't fancy tiles because I cannot imagine that grouting would last any time at all. Painting would not be a great option because the surface of the heatshield is far from flawless. I googled copper sheet but everything I found was pretty expensive.
 

jerrytug

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I used aluminium sheet, 3mm from memory, with a layer of old fire blanket behind it, cheap and effective.

Also easy to cut up if, perhaps, the job is being done by an amateur, in a confined space, without special tools.

Stainless sheet isn't fun to cut and shape accurately in those circumstances..
 
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pmagowan

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Any local metal fabricator is likely to have bits of sheet metal of a variety of types just lying around. If you have a chat to them you should be able to get a bit cut to shape with the raw edges taken off for not too much money but you have to take into account that most metal is expensive at present. I would go for stainless steel or copper as aluminium always seems to powder in a marine environment. I am not sure the relative price of SS or Cu as I think both are quite expensive at present. I don't think there are many other alternatives for marine use unless you count treated metals but they all tend to fail rather too quickly. You could try a bit of plasticised foil insulation as per behind a radiator type stuff. Just make sure it is fireproof as radiators only get to about 60C max.
 

LittleSister

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For the same purpose behind a charcoal stove we bought a small sheet of stainless steel, then thought better of it and got a small sheet of brass instead, from here: http://metaloffcuts.co.uk/shop/sheet-metal.html

No connection with them apart from as a satisfied customer (price seemed reasonable, product was exactly as described, and delivery v quick).
 

NUTMEG

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I know I shouldn't be here really. Unless my CW28 qualifies as classic. But on my gaffer (now sold, sob sob) I fitted a charcoal heater and used two slate tiles as a heat shield against the bulkhead (real slate not reconstituted) as backing and it worked a treat. Easy to shape and drill and looked rather nice.
 

Blueboatman

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ooh my first post on the delightfully resurrected forum..

When I fitted a Taylors I used two 30mmx30 teak vertical wooden spacer battens to bring the unit out more from the varnished galley bulkhead behind and a sheet of inexpensive thin aluminium as a baffle/deflector between the back of the unit and the face of the new teak battens, Thus there are now two 'slots' of air that the heat has to pass through before it reaches the galley bulkhead. In addition this arrangement seems to encourage hot air rising...

Taking advice, I found that the lower the heater and the longer the chimney flue within the cabin, the toastier the toes and general heat distribution..

Further voice -of-experience advice led me to have a drip tray/heat deflector BELOW the unit too, held loosely in place with a wire clip.( The first one was nowt more than a cheap oven metal dish screwed to two blocks to see if it was about right in height...)

Hope that helps
 
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chal

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Thanks all, some good food for thought

Taking advice, I found that the lower the heater and the longer the chimney flue within the cabin, the toastier the toes and general heat distribution..

Yes, I've also come across the advice to fit it as low as possible; where it is going there is not enough space to retain the full length of flue below deck as recommended, though it will be most of it and considerably longer that the manual says is a minimum. If I dispensed with the 9 inches below it, I could squeeze the whole thing in, and I am currently considering that option - given that heat rises and I will be putting heatproof liner or the cabin sole under it, I'm not sure why there needs to be this gap. Any idea? - do you have that much space under?
 

pmagowan

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Thanks all, some good food for thought



Yes, I've also come across the advice to fit it as low as possible; where it is going there is not enough space to retain the full length of flue below deck as recommended, though it will be most of it and considerably longer that the manual says is a minimum. If I dispensed with the 9 inches below it, I could squeeze the whole thing in, and I am currently considering that option - given that heat rises and I will be putting heatproof liner or the cabin sole under it, I'm not sure why there needs to be this gap. Any idea? - do you have that much space under?

Heat rises by convection but not by conduction or radiation.
 

Blueboatman

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6inches gap I have. Thus a 2 inch space, a2 inch deep tray, another 2 inches to the base of the unit.. The cabin sole gets hot, really hot at 'full bore' output without some sort of deflector or pan..

Where the heater is located ( and most on sister ships are either cut into a bunk or located somewhere high on a main bulkhead) I have angled the flue with two 45 welded sections to meet the deckhead in a sensible place,, then of course added a insulated tall deck-up section to keep it in clean eddy free air as much as poss..There is ( again iirc) 48inches flue within the cabin, and 18 or 48 inches above deck acc to whether sailing or stationary, respectively.
 
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