Bio Ethanol Boat Heater

[Euphonyx]

I know this topic has been done and done again but I have been looking for a flueless Bio ethanol boat heater and cannot find one anywhere. There was talk of Dickinson Marine producing a stove style bulkhead mounted one but it doesn't seem to have happened as far as my searches go anyway. Is anyone aware of a manufacturer that makes such a thing?

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Also consider the catalytic gas heaters; especially the portable type that uses gas canisters.

 

[Graham376]

Can't say I'm a fan of flueless heaters as they produce water vapour and CO2 which isn't a good idea in a closed environment.

 

[BabaYaga]

Can't say I'm a fan of flueless heaters as they produce water vapour and CO2 which isn't a good idea in a closed environment.

Agree, but here goes:
Dometic Origo 5100 Heat Pal Alcohol Stove or Heater - Single Burner

 

[Euphonyx]

Agree, but here goes:
Dometic Origo 5100 Heat Pal Alcohol Stove or Heater - Single Burner

Not pretty is it!? I was thinking of something bulkhead mounted stove/fireplace type thing

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

May I ask, why flueless?

 

[Euphonyx]

May I ask, why flueless?

you nont need a flu with bio ethanol. No carbon monoxide and its not as dangerous as gas or solid fuels. It wont sink into the bilges like gas and you can put it out with water if necessary. I think its by far the safer option. I already use an Origo with bio ethanol having removed the gas cooker. I'm curious about heating.

 

[Stemar]

I find it hard to believe that no CO will be produced if ventilation is inadequate. It should burn like this: C2H5OH + 3O2 -> 2CO2 +3 H2O. . If oxygen is in short supply, you're likely to get C2H5OH + 2O2 -> 2CO +3 H2O.
That wouldn't scare me, though, it's no different from any other carbon-based fuel. In my book, a CO detector is essential, whatever form of heating you've got.

I don't think the much quoted "ethanol stoves are less dangerous than gas" is anywhere near as cut and dried as some would have us believe. For one thing, while it it's nowhere near as dense as butane, it is denser than air, so will sink into bilges in still conditions.

When I've been around flueless ethanol stoves, I've often found my eyes stinging. This may be why:
But under real conditions, things turn out differently. On a case-by-case basis, precisely how the course of that incineration runs really depends on the quality of the fuel and other factors – like the type of fuel, or the incineration temperature. As a rule, ethanol does not burn out completely. Rather, the incineration process results in CO2 – along with poisonous gases (like carbon monoxide, a respiratory toxin), organic compounds (like benzene, a carcinogen), and irritant gases (like nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde), as well as ultrafine combustion particles,” explains Wensing.

In the majority of cases, the scientists were able to measure high concentrations of pollutants, and the guideline values were frequently exceeded. For example, all devices exceeded the guideline value for indoor air quality of 0.35 mg/m3 for nitrogen dioxide; in one case, the result was considerable: 2.7 mg/m3. With respect to formaldehyde, the stoves likewise failed to fulfill the requirement of 0.1 ppm (parts per million).
Ethanol fireplaces: The underestimated risk

There probably isn't an ideal fuel for heating a boat (hydrogen, maybe? At least incomplete combustion won't kill you!), so I suppose you pays your money and you makes your choice.

 

[thinwater]

you nont need a flu with bio ethanol. No carbon monoxide and its not as dangerous as gas or solid fuels. It wont sink into the bilges like gas and you can put it out with water if necessary. I think its by far the safer option. I already use an Origo with bio ethanol having removed the gas cooker. I'm curious about heating.

Then you have a flueless heater (the stove), and you already know why it doesn't work well (requires an open window, adds moisture, used up the oxygen, adds CO2).

What you needs is a vented ethanol heater. See up-coming (spring 2020) Good Old Boat for vented ethanol heater design. I am not aware of a commercially available model.

 

[Euphonyx]

Then you have a flueless heater (the stove), and you already know why it doesn't work well (requires an open window, adds moisture, used up the oxygen, adds CO2).

What you needs is a vented ethanol heater. See up-coming (spring 2020) Good Old Boat for vented ethanol heater design.

Excellent. Will do thanks

 

[TC Tuckton]

Lots of good advice here on burning ethanol safely. Achieving warmth by consuming ethanol, especially the Caledonian variants, carries its own risks.

 

[zoidberg]

I wouldn't want any crew of mine to make the mistake of putting a good Lagavulin into my Origo stove, to heat the soup. That's not a mishtook she'd make twice..!