boat heater... charcoal?

[Poignard]

Isn't the CO risk highest when the fire goes out, leaving smouldering bits of charcoal?
There are two decent options, Webasto and Eberspacher.
This will do the job properly and add value to your boat.

Only option with less capital cost is shore power and fan heaters.

The charcoal heaters have chimneys. The fumes go up the chimney. There isn't a problem.

 

[V1701]

Isn't the CO risk highest when the fire goes out, leaving smouldering bits of charcoal?
There are two decent options, Webasto and Eberspacher.
This will do the job properly and add value to your boat.

Only option with less capital cost is shore power and fan heaters.

Can't agree with any of that...

 

[lw395]

The charcoal heaters have chimneys. The fumes go up the chimney. There isn't a problem.

When there is not much heat, the airflow may stop going up the chimney. For instance if the breeze is wrong.
If the breeze is on the bow and starts drawing air out of the companionway perhaps?
Probably not going to happen every time, but once is enough to kill you.

 

[rivonia]

Coal is very heavy and dirty. Charcoal very light and cleaner. Go for the Charcoal.

 

[rivonia]

When there is not much heat, the airflow may stop going up the chimney. For instance if the breeze is wrong.
If the breeze is on the bow and starts drawing air out of the companionway perhaps?
Probably not going to happen every time, but once is enough to kill you.

Heat rises and so will all fumes gases smoke.

 

[lw395]

The charcoal heaters have chimneys. The fumes go up the chimney. There isn't a problem.

Here's a list of people who thought carbon mon wasn't a problem:

http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk/deaths.html

 

[Kelpie]

Isn't the CO risk highest when the fire goes out, leaving smouldering bits of charcoal?
There are two decent options, Webasto and Eberspacher.
This will do the job properly and add value to your boat.

Only option with less capital cost is shore power and fan heaters.

That is a gross oversimplification.

There are three broad schools of heater:
- portable non-vented ones, like the Origo, Dylan's famous forkhandles, etc. Very limited application but cheap.
- passively vented ones which use the stack effect for exhaust. Charcoal burners are the cheapest, simplest, and smallest of these, but you also get solid fuel, propane, paraffin, and diesel heaters of this type. Low or no electrical draw, but as the heat is produced in one part of the boat can take a while to heat up your cabin. Some of the American brands have the option of a 12v flue fan to help with draw. This alleviates the problems of down-draft which can occur with an undersized or poorly sited flue.
- blown air heaters. You mention two (Eber and Webbo) but off the top of my head I can think of Wallas, Mikuni, and Propex as well. Mikuni, Eber, and Webbo are all fairly similar; Propex does a similar job but is quite a bit cheaper to buy (kits start at about £420) although running on gas is more expensive. Wallas can be bought in either paraffin or diesel versions and are very good indeed, with low electrical requirements. I had a little one on my Vega and it was brilliant, until it eventually died aged about 25.

 

[Poignard]

Here's a list of people who thought carbon mon wasn't a problem:

Yes but I didn't say that carbon monoxide wasn't a problem, did I?

 

[alant]

You are right that charcoal produces very little if any water vapour when it burns but you must not burn any carbonaceous or hydrocarbon fuel in the confines of a boat cabin without an efficient flue to exhaust all the products of combustion to the outside or without an adequate supply of air to ensure complete and efficient combustion

Hydrocarbon fuels, and coal to a lesser extent, will produce water vapour but they all, coke and charcooal included, have the potential to produce deadly carbon monoxide especially if the supply of fresh air is restricted.

Totally agree, reference to deaths of tent dwellers & IIRC a boat on Windermere last year, might be worthwhile!

 

[Stemar]

Thanks for the comments. All very useful.
Propex comes in at £600 plus so not within budget . I am interested in the welded plate burner and might well go down that route. A co alarm is essential. I will keep my eyes open for paraffin options but charcoal seems good. Small paper bags prepacked and in a damp proof container seems like. A great way to reload.
Ive not given up on my cement project yet. Will post pictures when I get time. But I like the idea of that residual heat radiating out all night even after the fire has gone out. Might take a while to heat up in the mornings though. Sounds like a 1 inch copper flu is possible. Initially I plan to route it through a fore hatch with blanking plate. Once the project is proven I am willing to drill the deck, but I would need to be sure it worked. The steel charcoal burners on the web look fantastic. I'm sure that with small volumes and many man hours to build the price is cost plus a bit, but it is a shame there isn't something in the £200 ish bracket. I am not hell bent on the diy option and would happily spend money , just not £600!
Cheers
S

There are plenty of second hand Propex heaters around. They do tend to fetch good money, especially the 1600w ones because they have a reputation for being pretty bomb proof, I got lucky on a untested sold as spares or repair that works fine and cost about £200, plus another £100 for bits to fit it - flue, air pipe & so on.

 

[stu9000]

I'm not complacent about carbon monoxide . will get an alarm and I will make sure it vents properly.

If the fire goes out the flu remains hot enough to pull air up it for a little while, and once the fire is out you are no longer generating fumes. Charcoal is dry, quiet, retatively low on soot and ash. Low tech too so less to go wrong and, if it does, I am more likely to be able to fix it. I like the soundx of a second hand propex but I'm not sure I'll get lucky enough to get a working line in the right price range. Will keep my eyes open though. Cheers all

 

[sipsiwn]

Stu, as a long term user of a charcoal heater I'd like to offer some advice reference fuel. Because of previous problems obtaining regular supplies of charcoal during the winter (summer means people ashore are setting fire to food in their gardens and charcoal supplies perk up... ) I contacted a major supplier here in Sussex, trying to do a deal on a bulk buy, I failed but they did offer some good advice. Any of the 'Charcoal Brickettes' commonly sold should be avoided, apparently there is in addition to compressed charcoal dust a considerable amount of dry cement added to the mix!! This assists with maintaining the brickette form as pure compressed charcoal dust tends to crumble easily and the BBQ fans wouldn't buy it. I had previously tried charcoal brickettes in the Pansy and was puzzled by the amount of 'fine grey ash' that always remained. Not a problem in garden BBQ's but bad news in an enclosed heater because it meant continual raking and clearing the heater to keep it alight. The information from the importer solved the mystery and eventually I found a local one man band charcoal maker who made excellent charcoal...at a price...

 

[Kelpie]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20kg-Real...898?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3383afdd82

 

[stu9000]

Thanks. Ive seen what you describe in the BBQ.
Where did you buy your Pansy?
Thanks

S

 

[Hadenough]

Must be a first. 34 posts about heating and we haven't had green wellies droning on about candles?

 

[sipsiwn]

Thanks. Ive seen what you describe in the BBQ.
Where did you buy your Pansy?
Thanks

S

Cowes on the Isle of Wight about 9 years ago. Can't remember the name of the Chandler but it was long established, a 'local Institution' type place, wooden floor boards, lot's of wooden blocks, vintage gear etc: hanging from the deckhead I'm sure one of the Solent pirates will be along in a minute to give a name to it..

( I went over on the ferry..dodgy place to sail that Solent...

 

[TimBennet]

. . . will be along in a minute to give a name to it..

The Pansies were sold (made for?) Pascall Atkey & Son.

 

[sipsiwn]

The Pansies were sold (made for?) Pascall Atkey & Son.

That's it..thanks Tim :encouragement:

 

[duncan99210]

There's a new Pansy for sale on Gumtree at £375. Been on for 25 days so far, so may be open to an offer? Not sure how to put in a link with the iPad....

 

[ghostlymoron]

I like the look of Refleks drip feed heaters. No electric, no additional fuel storage, no ash.