guardian
Active member
Just found this if anyone's interested in heating water using their Chinesium heater:
2KW system
5KW system
2KW system
5KW system
Bought a Chinese diesel heater, now tested...
- Thread starter PetiteFleur
- Start date
Rappey
Well-known member
PetiteFleur
Well-known member
As I started this thread back in 2019 I feel I should post this update. A 5kw unit, I fitted it in the stern with four outlets, stern cabin, saloon, heads and forecabin and so far been pleased. I did look at the facebook site about chinese heaters and it seems that most of the problems appear to be poor installations. Improvements I did as follows:- hose clips are crap so I used JCS HiGrip SS clips; upgraded the power cable from battery to heater; used eberspacher hull outlet and exhaust pipe; fitted high temperature insulation to the exhaust and silencer secured with stainless cable ties; fitted an adjustable divertor at the stern outlet as cabin got far too hot; used flexible aluminium ducting insulated with armaflex insulation; stern and saloon at 75mm and 60mm for heads and forecabin; replaced nylon fuel tubing with copper tubing as tubing going through stern cabin - essential for inland waterways but I played safe; did not use supplied fuel tank as could not find a suitable place so took fuel from main diesel tank; replaced fuel hose clips with stainless steel clips. The controller supplied was simple, just ON/OFF button and UP/DOWN buttons + display - I deliberately chose this controller as the more complicated ones seem to give users a lot of grief.
Initially it took several minutes to get fuel to the heater but it is a long way.
The total cost was over £400 so considerably cheaper than using Eber/Webasto heater. I intend to fit an ON/OFF switch on the power supply as display is always on when heater not used. The most difficult part of the installation was fitting the ducting.
It has worked perfectly every time I've used it so am quite happy with the heater and my installation.
Initially it took several minutes to get fuel to the heater but it is a long way.
The total cost was over £400 so considerably cheaper than using Eber/Webasto heater. I intend to fit an ON/OFF switch on the power supply as display is always on when heater not used. The most difficult part of the installation was fitting the ducting.
It has worked perfectly every time I've used it so am quite happy with the heater and my installation.
guardian
Active member
Good to hear you're getting on with yours. i made similar improvements on all mine, binned off the clips, exhaust pipe & silencer in favour of eber parts, I have the van one on a separate 20Amp switch, so timer doesn't work but would rather save the leisure battery. Totally agree with FB page i'm surprised there havent been deaths looking at some of those pictures.
Have been looking for a cost effective way of getting hot water in both my Centaur & Sprinter and don't wanna spend thousands. I tried buying the Chinese combi unit above during lockdown and got mucked about by that company. They couldn't give me a straight answer as to whether they had stock or what it would cost to ship to UK.
Still those looking for a cost-effective way of adding hot water to an existing eber/webasto/chinesium heater this looks a great value addition, its essentially a heater exchanger that connects on the end of the heater.
KAM
Well-known member
My 3kw unit came set for 24v operation which took a bit of puzzling to sort out. Mine is mounted in the engine compartment with a single outlet blowing down the centre line of the boat. It seems to be very effective on my 10m boat.
Rappey
Well-known member
I had exactly the same. Took a fair while to figure out what was wrong.
It kept coming up with a low voltage error !
superheat6k
Well-known member
Not used mine much, which means the fuel line drains back so requires 2 or 3 attempts before it starts, but once going it remains great after nearly 2 years.
mrangry
Active member
If anyone finds a uk seller selling the air and water heater please post a link
Mr Cassandra
Well-known member
oldgit
Well-known member
Mine is working perfectly, did not actually foresee needing it in mid August 
, it started up first go .
, it started up first go .
Tzu
Member
Hello Flower, when you get round to fitting that on/off switch make sure you clearly label it with a warning to wait for the heater to complete its cool-down cycle. Despite me fitting a covered 'motorsports' switch on mine in a tucked away location AND warning the Admiral about cooking the heater if its switched off prematurely I still get occasional crew reaching for the instant-off button when they start getting a bit warm.
Mei Mac
Active member
Hi. I'm interested in one of these (the air heater not the air/water). Where did you exhaust and how noisy are they? That is, will there be frowns in the marina in the morning? Thanks!
Graham_Wright
Well-known member
A real problem! I have two - the one in the stern cabin exhausts through the transom which is fine as it impacts on nothing. However, it doesn't like a stern wind.
The other is in the engine space and exhausts through the pedestal! I'm still not sure about that but can think of no other solution.. To starboard is a deep cockpit locker which houses the gas bottle. Naïvely, that seems wrong. To port is an access to the stern cabin.
Pump it downwards into the oggin? Smoke coming from the pedestal could arouse concerns!
Rappey
Well-known member
I see two issues here, firstly what smoke? If yours is smoking them something may be wrong..
Any outlet close to the water runs the risk of water ingress !
A silencer on the outlet makes it as quiet as any german one.
MarkCX
Active member
I wouldn’t recommend fitting the ‘silencer’ supplied with most Chinese heaters though. They can be a bit leaky and therefore hazardous in a boat. Not so much of a problem hung under the bottom of a van.
Sandyman
Well-known member
Dont know if its been posted before but there is a facebook page/group for these heaters. Facebook Groups If that dont work just search on therefor Chinese Heaters.
All sorts on there. Good info & even spares.
All sorts on there. Good info & even spares.
Kelpie
Well-known member
I got my skin fitting from Southern Lasers on eBay. They do marine (gas sealed) silencers too.
On both the boats I've owned that had heaters, the exhaust was fitted on the coaming. This is a shorter run than the transom, and being higher up there is almost no chance of water getting in. The exhaust gases exit on to the side deck. It is probably a little noisier than a transom fitting.
I don't like the idea of an exhaust in the pedestal at all! The exhaust will be accumulating in the cockpit, and at best will be annoyingly noisy.
On both the boats I've owned that had heaters, the exhaust was fitted on the coaming. This is a shorter run than the transom, and being higher up there is almost no chance of water getting in. The exhaust gases exit on to the side deck. It is probably a little noisier than a transom fitting.
I don't like the idea of an exhaust in the pedestal at all! The exhaust will be accumulating in the cockpit, and at best will be annoyingly noisy.
Mei Mac
Active member
Thanks for the advice. Bought one! Arrived today. Set it up in the shed and works a treat.
mrangry
Active member
Which one?