Car heater on a boat?

[Avocet]

If you can find an old Reliant in a scrapyard, they also had a nice unit all self-contained in a box with a small fan mounted on the bulkhead. Don't be too worried about needing a big one because the heat loss from a car is massive and they need a lot of cabin air changes per hour to keep the driver awake! Big modern car heaters are likely to be nearer 6 or 7 kW (but obviously that's with the massive airflow that they can generate and higher (I imagine) cooling system temperatures than boat engines get to. Also, as has been said, you'd need to keepthe pipe runs short OR fit an additional electric water pump. I don't know if the boat engine's water pump would be able to give decent flow round a long system. FInally, I assume your engine is indirect cooled? I wouldn't dream of trying this with raw water cooling - even using a modern aluminium matrix with plastic end tanks.

 

[William_H]

A modern car heater assembly is a very complex device. Containing the hot water radiator, possibly aircon radiator, the fan and of course air directing valves to windscreen face feet etc.
Hence the attraction of an old car heater which was just a heater with perhaps outlets to windscreen. Trouble is old usually means very corroded.
Perhaps the Eberspacher is the way to go. Considering that some cars and trucks find that approach better than using engine heat.

I know nothing of course of boat heating. If it gets cold I put shoes on or even a sweater. olewill

 

[tazzle]

A cheaper alternative to the Kuranda units can be found from Heat-On - they even do a couple of oil-circulation models for raw water cooled engines. Also a full range of demister vents, and tubes and grills.

Available in the UK from, amongst others, Vehicle Wiring Products.