Bottle Gas Heater

I would think one should think hard before using a gas heater in a boat as there could be a serious risk of CO poisoning. They should always be used in “Well ventilated spaces” which is pretty much the opposite of a boat cabin. Perhaps in the cockpit might be OK?
 
pvb said:
Agree - it's not a good idea.
Click to expand...
Absolutely . Bottled gas is far too dangerous for use on a boat but you can make a vey efficient heater for a boat cabin with a couple of clay flower posts and some "tea light" candles.

Google will find several you tube videos.
Some may remember Dylan Winter's experiments with them during his "Keep Turning Left" exploits
 
Many years ago I purchased a LPG catalytic heater that claim the do not produce any CO.

Never used it as it's never cold enough where my boat is

Mr Google says this

Do catalytic heaters produce carbon monoxide?

Catalytic heaters do not produce carbon monoxide. This is because they are not creating any gasses. While they can use natural gas or propane, catalytic heaters only speed up their chemical process rather than combust it.

I know they consume Oxygen so must be in a well ventilated place

Any comments from other forum members. I am really interested.
 
VicS said:
Absolutely . Bottled gas is far too dangerous for use on a boat but you can make a vey efficient heater for a boat cabin with a couple of clay flower posts and some "tea light" candles.
Click to expand...

Adding clay flower pots to tealights does absolutely nothing. A tealight produces about 30 watts of heat; a tealight under a flower pot still produces about 30 watts of heat. To get any serious heat into the boat you'd need about 30 tealights, all burning. And you'd need to replace them every 3 hours or so as they burn down.
 
Rogershaw said:
Many years ago I purchased a LPG catalytic heater that claim the do not produce any CO.

Never used it as it's never cold enough where my boat is

Mr Google says this

Do catalytic heaters produce carbon monoxide?

Catalytic heaters do not produce carbon monoxide. This is because they are not creating any gasses. While they can use natural gas or propane, catalytic heaters only speed up their chemical process rather than combust it.

I know they consume Oxygen so must be in a well ventilated place

Any comments from other forum members. I am really interested.
Click to expand...

They produce carbon dioxide and water vapour same as combustion, but not much carbon monoxide. You still need ventilation, they still make the place damp, & will cause asphyxiation if left to run without ventilation.
 
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Rogershaw said:
Catalytic heaters do not produce carbon monoxide. This is because they are not creating any gasses. While they can use natural gas or propane, catalytic heaters only speed up their chemical process rather than combust it.
Click to expand...

I believe this is untrue, there's still a risk of carbon monoxide being produced. Any catalytic heater must only be used in a well-ventilated space.
 
Bad idea. I don't think catalytic heaters can be fitted now to comply with regs. You are not allowed a bottle inside at all.

Biggest draw back would be the uncontrollable condensation burning gas inside a boat.
 
Rogershaw said:
Mr Google says this

Do catalytic heaters produce carbon monoxide?

Catalytic heaters do not produce carbon monoxide. This is because they are not creating any gasses. While they can use natural gas or propane, catalytic heaters only speed up their chemical process rather than combust it.
Click to expand...
Mr Google is wrong and in particular https://www.hunker.com/13409397/how-do-catalytic-heaters-work is complete nonsense.

Catalytic heaters produce carbon dioxide and gaseous water, just like anything else burning propane or butane. The only difference is that they do it without a flame. My understanding is that the 2C + O2 -> 2CO reaction produces much less heat than C + 02 -> CO2, so if the oxygen supply reduces the catalyst cools and the reaction stops. Basically, they need the hear of CO2 formation to work.

A friend of mine had a Nic 31 with a bulkhead-mounted catalytic heater. It had no flue, so although it did warm the cabin, it produced a dreadful damp fug which combined with the vinyl covered cushions to produce a rather unpleasant ambience.
 
My Sadler came (to me) with a catalytic heater. It was not installed in the optimum position but was very effective. I have never run heaters all night but certainly we ran ours for several hours on many occasions with no ill effects.
After removing it from the boat I put it in a VW camper, where it was also very effective.
 
Thank Guys

I have always considered and heater requires a well ventilated location but it was the CO that was interesting me

I cannot see me ever needing heat on my boat, air conditioning is more important for sleeping onboard at hot stuffy nights the same as at home.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Mr Google is wrong and in particular https://www.hunker.com/13409397/how-do-catalytic-heaters-work is complete nonsense.

Catalytic heaters produce carbon dioxide and gaseous water, just like anything else burning propane or butane. The only difference is that they do it without a flame. My understanding is that the 2C + O2 -> 2CO reaction produces much less heat than C + 02 -> CO2, so if the oxygen supply reduces the catalyst cools and the reaction stops. Basically, they need the hear of CO2 formation to work.

A friend of mine had a Nic 31 with a bulkhead-mounted catalytic heater. It had no flue, so although it did warm the cabin, it produced a dreadful damp fug which combined with the vinyl covered cushions to produce a rather unpleasant ambience.
Click to expand...

Catalytic heaters will typically produce carbon monoxide at 50 ppm when run in a low oxygen environment. This won't kill you, but still isn't great, as no amount of carbon monoxide is good for you. The standard for maximum allowable exposure to carbon monoxide in the USA is 50 ppm over 8 hours.
 
pvb said:
Adding clay flower pots to tealights does absolutely nothing. A tealight produces about 30 watts of heat; a tealight under a flower pot still produces about 30 watts of heat. To get any serious heat into the boat you'd need about 30 tealights, all burning. And you'd need to replace them every 3 hours or so as they burn down.
Click to expand...
I did not say it was an effective method although Dylan made some wild claims about them IIRC.
 
Boater Sam said:
Bad idea. I don't think catalytic heaters can be fitted now to comply with regs. You are not allowed a bottle inside at all.

Biggest draw back would be the uncontrollable condensation burning gas inside a boat.
Click to expand...
Being a pedant, there are no regs that govern us! So not allowed a bottle inside is not correct?
 
VicS said:
I did not say it was an effective method although Dylan made some wild claims about them IIRC.
Click to expand...

Actually, you said "you can make a vey efficient heater for a boat cabin with a couple of clay flower posts and some "tea light" candles." That suggests effective...
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Catalytic heaters will typically produce carbon monoxide at 50 ppm when run in a low oxygen environment. This won't kill you, but still isn't great, as no amount of carbon monoxide is good for you. The standard for maximum allowable exposure to carbon monoxide in the USA is 50 ppm over 8 hours.
Click to expand...
Years ago, working at Brymbo Steelworks, we still had a blast furnace there. We were very aware if the dangers of CO, one day ine of the managers was walking past the base of it, he literally keeled over, it was a two stepper moment, we got him out but it was touch and go. Years later working offshore on a production platform H2S was the issue, another two stepper gas.
 
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