Cabin heaters

Ariadne

Ariadne

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The Mrs kids and boat are in Grenada. Me? I'm in S
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A lot of you out there are using various types of cabin heater over the winter months, we are using an oil filled rad' which keeps us warm in the saloon, but is not very effective for the rest of the boat and neither is it energy efficient.

I sort of fancy going down the charcoal heater way in the future, but what is everybody using, how efficient is it and how do you feel about its performance, and its value against its cost of purchase and ease of installation?

Merry Christmas
 
I have a charcoal heater, a thing called a "Pansy" :eek: I have to say it's not the bees knees as I thought it would be when I bought it. I used it last winter in the UK..Ha! you try finding a regular source of charcoal in the winter.."We only do it in the summer for barbeques sir!!" Not a problem in the Med I know, just warning you, should you go home where charcoal seems to be a summer seasonal thing in many places.
The other thing was no matter how careful I was when stoking it up or clearing out the ash there always seemed to be a film of black dust on my books, deckhead and chart table. Heating wise it struggles to really warm the whole of my (33 Foot) boat, so in my opinion not a great success. I'm looking at diesel heaters for the future.

At the moment I use an oil filled radiator from B&Q, that together with a dehumidifier works well where I am, Southern Portugal. Of course only when I'm alongside on shore power, if it's still chilly in the Spring when I start anchoring again, I'll have to light 'smokey Joe' up, until I can get an alternative.
 
Manual or 'push-button'

Depends what you want. If you are happy with manual intervention (to light etc) with zero power consumption, then have a look at diesel drip-feed heater such as the Refleks. If you want heat at the push of a button (or be able to program it to come on) then you need something like a Webasto or Eberspacher; these will, of course, consume power.

I have both and they each have their merits. The Eberspacher will have the boat warm for when I arrive, or for when I get up in the morning. The Refleks will keep us very 'toasty' in silence and with no power consumption, but does need lighting manually.
 
JerryHawkins said:
Depends what you want. If you are happy with manual intervention (to light etc) with zero power consumption, then have a look at diesel drip-feed heater such as the Refleks. If you want heat at the push of a button (or be able to program it to come on) then you need something like a Webasto or Eberspacher; these will, of course, consume power.

I have both and they each have their merits. The Eberspacher will have the boat warm for when I arrive, or for when I get up in the morning. The Refleks will keep us very 'toasty' in silence and with no power consumption, but does need lighting manually.
Click to expand...

Thats very interesting, can you give a bit more info on the REFLEKS, I have'nt heard about it at all. How come it has no power cosumption etc etc.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Peter
 
Cabin Heaters

For a friend I recently did a cost comparison of diesel cabin heaters using the Dickinson Newport fireplace, the Webasto 3500 air heater and the Eberspacher D4 air heater. Here is what I found.
At the purchase point the Dickinson gives 6.5 Btus per dollar, the Webasto gives 2.1 Btus per dollar and the Eberspacher 1.25 Btus per dollar.
Operating fuel consumption expressed in BTUs per liter of diesel is as follows.: Dickinson 1100 BTU/L, Webasto 1243 BTU/L and Eberspacher 1000 Btu/L.
Power consumption is as follows. Dickinson no power required, Webasto 15 watts and Eberspacher 7 watts.
Installation of the Dickinson is easy and requires no outside assistance. Webasto and Eberspacher normally require a technician to install them although an experienced person can do the installation.
Repairs are virtually non existent on a Dickinson as there are no moving parts, Webasto and Eberspacher have mechanical, electrical and electronic parts that do need replacing from time to time. These parts are expensive but are readily available as the equipment is used on highway trucks.
From this I bought a Dickinson Newport fireplace and find our boat to be warm, dry and comfortable and trouble free after 8 years of use.
 
Refleks

rivonia said:
Thats very interesting, can you give a bit more info on the REFLEKS, I have'nt heard about it at all. How come it has no power cosumption etc etc.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Peter
Click to expand...

Refleks heaters are traditionally installed on Danish fishing boats. They simply burn diesel which pours very slowly via a regulator into a bowl. They use no power as the diesel simply flows in under gravity (so fuel tank must be at the correct level relative to the heater). Just 'Google' 'Refleks diesel heater' for loads of info and look at http://www.refleks-olieovne.dk . Ours is a type 60m, its quite large and does require a fair bit of space compared to the likes of Eberspacher which are hidden away in a convenient locker of engine space. It gives out too much heat unless its very cold outside so we probably end up using it for on ly a few weeks a year compared to more than half the year for the Eberspacher.

Merry Christmas and a toasty new year!
 
sunshinesailing.

Can I ask, I take it yours is the gravity fed heater, and did you order it direct from Canada or through a uk agent? Forward planning, Just trying to work out how to get my hands on one for next winter. :D
 
Cabin Heaters

Yes, the cabin heater doesn't need a pump if you can mount a small fuel tank above the carburetor(sp), otherwise you need the small pump. I bought mine while traveling in North America, hadn't planned to do this but couldn't resist when I saw it working in a chandlery. Good marketing on their part. I brought all the parts back to the boat as luggage on BA, they had no complaints as there was no fuel in it. Eight years ago it was only $600 USD, I think now it would be about $1000, at least that is what I used in my analysis. The Webasto and Eberspacher are $2400 and $2500 respectively.
Good Luck and keep warm.
 
Thanks for that, yep, I think that latter price is about right now. Good news about the small tank, I think that will be possible for on board here. Gracias
 
Another vote for the Dickinson. We're not full time liveaboards (yet) but have spent a couple of winters on board. That includes one on the East Coast. The Dickinson keeps the main saloon on our 41 footer warm enough for shirt sleeves only, the forward heads warm enough to shower comfortably and the fore and after cabins comfortable.

Only downside is the time taken to really get going and heat the boat through. Not really suitable for quick heat on a chilly evening.
 
Cabin Heaters

Refleks, Dickinson, Webasto and Eberspacher do not produce condensation. They have the opposite affect in that the chimneys, forced in the Webasto and Eberspacher and natural in the Refleks and Dickinson, vent the burned fuel and a portion of the air from inside the heated space to the outside. Cabin heaters like a fan heater and an oil storage heater actually increase the condensation as they do nothing to get the moist heated air out of the space.
Stay warm and dry.
 
There was a Dickinson Pacific ......

on eBay a month or so ago, went I believe for three or four hundred pounds.
We use a Pacific and it has a double stainless steel water coil inserted in the fire chamber that heats a water tank through another stainless steel lopp.
The tank was made from scrap ss pip ( 10 inch dia) and threaded pipe joins welded into the tank for an electric immersion heater ( 12 volt or main voltage) and for the heat exchanger from the Dickinson.

The water circulation is driven by gravity with water tank ( no toxic anti freeze as used in caravans rec vehicles etc) in the tank)

This system works, but with the 2 to 3 inches on insulation (blown in fire resistant polyurethane) with 3 coats of latex paint the last two containing hollow glass beads as used to thicken epoxy.

We tested the protected foam with a flame from a propane torch used to solder pipes, and there was no combustion.

No condensation, the stove draws air from outside through any gaps.

The cast iron top is quite wonderful.

On a used stove steer clear of the aluminium top as it will soften and bend with high heat.
 
Reflecks

Hi, We are in our second winter aboard, last year in Falmouth, this year in Vannes, Brittany. We have a reflecks 60 as described by other contributors, ours has a copper coil so I can run three small radiators. (All fitted with that wonderful plastic pushfit pipe etc)So my power consumption is the small lift pump for fuel, as I lift it from the main tank, and a 24v circulation pump. Total about 1.5 amp (24v) All I can say is that the unit does what it says on the tin! very warm, virtually silent running and a dry heat. Money well spent although not the cheapest thing I have ever bought!
 
Newport Dickinson

I fitted one to a 44ft sailing boat last winter. Quite straight forward. I preferred a seperate header tank which I had fabricated in SS, which was a bit OTT as the cost was more than I anticipated. Draught works well and it does keep us toasty.
However, you should not regard them as maintenance free. It has a stupid design for the oil supply to the bottom of the burner such that all the bits of **** fall into it and impede the supply of oil. They supply a special twisted skewer to ream this out, but it doesnt get it all and eventually, you need to take it all apart. Its not difficult especially if you have had any experience of an Aga, but it is messy and requires the whole fire to be taken off the wall to access the bottom supply fitting.
I appreciate that as per their book of instructions, no such carbon build ups should occur, but I dont seem able to achieve that, and I suspect it is quite common, as otherwise why provide the reamer.
I suspect they perform best if kept going all the time as in Canada as some of the difficulties we have may arise from lighting it and after a few hours turning it off
Very helpful importer.
Overall a must if sailing in UK waters if you dont like the ebers of the world. We have with some caution kept it going whilst underway, once on a memorable run up the Irish channel. Looking down into the saloon to see the off watch in the flickering flames was a lovely sight.
 
JerryHawkins said:
Refleks heaters are traditionally installed on Danish fishing boats. They simply burn diesel which pours very slowly via a regulator into a bowl. They use no power as the diesel simply flows in under gravity (so fuel tank must be at the correct level relative to the heater). Just 'Google' 'Refleks diesel heater' for loads of info and look at http://www.refleks-olieovne.dk . Ours is a type 60m, its quite large and does require a fair bit of space compared to the likes of Eberspacher which are hidden away in a convenient locker of engine space. It gives out too much heat unless its very cold outside so we probably end up using it for on ly a few weeks a year compared to more than half the year for the Eberspacher.

Merry Christmas and a toasty new year!
Click to expand...

We have one of these, attached to radiators which require a circulating pump and has a coil to heat the hot water too. Keeps us lovely and toasty but a bit thirsty, just done a trial and got 254 hours out of one tank (35 litres). That sounds great until you are at anchor and need it on all day!
 
Dickinson newport diesel fireplace

Here is a tip for the end of the heating season that prevents the fuel feed tube from plugging.
At the end of the heating season when you shut it down for summer wipe down the inside of the fire box using a vacuum at the same time to remove the dirt and dust. Use the tube reamer a couple of times during this process vacuuming at the same time. The last exercise is to again use the pipe reamer in the fuel tube and vacuum at the same time. This prevents dirt and dust from being left in the tube turning solid over the summer and plugging the tube. In eight years we have never had the tube plug, winter start up has always seen clean fuel rise easily into the heater. I suppose if you heat year round you don't have to clean the tube as constant use keeps the tube flushed clean.
 
Years ago, all ironmongers(nows thats a old term)carried a range of parafin heaters, with a wire mesh dome, a large wick about 100mm dia which was immersed in a large tank of parafin.gave out about 2kw .Where are they now?

cheers bobt
 
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